2015 Jeep Wrangler — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Jeep Wrangler passed 82.4% of its 3,166 recorded MOT tests. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 3.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.7% of tests against 6.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, side repeaters and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 255 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.4% versus 11.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 16.2% fail against 17.9% for diesel, a 1.7-point gap across 3,166 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 19.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.7% | 465 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.4% | 203 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.9% | 124 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.6% | 84 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.1% | 66 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 42 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 255 |
| 2 | Side repeaters | 134 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 117 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 89 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 83 |
| 6 | Washers | 71 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 19.9% | 631 |
| 2 | Tyres | 12.3% | 388 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.1% | 352 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 208 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.0% | 190 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.2% | 164 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 478 | 11.7% |
| 30-60k | 1,499 | 17.4% |
| 60-90k | 900 | 20.2% |
| 90-120k | 236 | 20.3% |
| 120-150k | 47 | 23.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,605 | 17.9% |
| Petrol | 561 | 16.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 624 | 16.4% |
| 2022 | 648 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 626 | 17.9% |
| 2024 | 615 | 17.7% |
| 2025 | 653 | 18.4% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Wrangler
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 14.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (14.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Visibility (3.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2015 Jeep Wranglers pass their MOT?
82.4% of the 3,166 2015 Jeep Wrangler MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Jeep Wrangler?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.7% of tests, followed by brakes (6.4%).
Does the 2015 Wrangler get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.7% in the 0-30k band to 23.4% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,166 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.