2025 MOT results
Jaguar XJ Series common problems
The most common reason a Jaguar XJ Series fails its MOT is worn suspension bushes, on 7.8% of its 5,866 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 4 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a worn steering or suspension joint at 5.9% of failures against 1.3% expected; a split joint boot at 7.6% of failures against 2.3% expected; worn suspension bushes at 7.8% of failures against 4.6% expected.
- Tests in 2025 24,307 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 24.1% 5,866 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 6.5% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 51.5% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Jaguar XJ Series MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Jaguar XJ Series tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (12 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 7.8% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 7.6% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.0% |
| Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Steering | 5.9% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 5.9% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 5.8% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 5.1% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 4.9% |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 4.8% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.6% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.5% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 4.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
-
Worn suspension bushes
7.8% of failures 4.6% expected 1.7 times as often
Worn rubber bushes in a suspension arm, letting the arm move under load.
Perished or cracked rubber at the inner ends of the lower arms, visible with the wheel turned.
-
Split joint boot
7.6% of failures 2.3% expected 3.3 times as often
A split rubber boot on a joint or driveshaft. The joint may still be sound, but dirt and water get in once the boot is open.
Turn the wheels to full lock and look behind them for greasy splits in the rubber concertina.
-
Engine management light on
7.0% of failures 5.3% expected somewhat more often
The engine management light is on, or has been disconnected. Either fails the test.
A cheap code reader on the diagnostic socket will say what the car has stored before you pay for a test.
-
Worn steering or suspension joint
5.9% of failures 1.3% expected 4.5 times as often
Play in a steering or suspension joint, where a worn ball and socket lets the wheel move where it should not.
A knock at low speed over rough ground, or vague steering, is the usual warning.
-
Tyre worn through to the cords
5.9% of failures 3.8% expected 1.6 times as often
The tyre is worn or damaged far enough to expose the cords underneath, which is a dangerous defect.
Run a hand round the inner and outer walls of each tyre, which is where kerbing shows.
-
Tyre worn below the legal limit
5.8% of failures 6.3% expected about as expected
A tyre worn past the 1.6mm legal minimum across the middle three quarters of the tread.
A 20p coin in the main grooves: if the outer band of the coin is visible, the tyre is close to the limit.
Which parts of the car fail
Suspension is the area that most often fails a Jaguar XJ Series, on 38.7% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is steering, on 11.4% against 8.2% expected.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 38.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 28.2% |
| Brakes | 23.4% |
| Tyres | 19.9% |
| Visibility | 15.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 14.7% |
| Steering | 11.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 9.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
51.5% of Jaguar XJ Series tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Jaguar XJ Series, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 15.4% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 8.4% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 8.1% |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 7.0% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 6.7% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 6.6% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.1% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 5.1% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 2.9% |
| Wheel bearings: slight play Suspension | 2.7% |
| Flexible brake hoses: slight corrosion to ferrule Brakes | 2.5% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension | 2.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Jaguar XJ Series problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Jaguar XJ Series?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn” is the most common: it appears on 7.8% of failed Jaguar XJ Series tests. Across categories, suspension is the area that most often fails one, on 38.7% of failed tests.
How often does a Jaguar XJ Series fail its MOT?
24.1% of Jaguar XJ Series tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 24,307 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 64 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Jaguar XJ Series than on other cars?
Yes. “Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 5.9% of its failures against 1.3% for cars of the same age, and “Suspension arms: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 7.6% of its failures against 2.3% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Jaguar XJ Series aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 24,307 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.