2025 MOT results
Jaguar XK Series common problems
The most common reason a Jaguar XK Series fails its MOT is a split joint boot, on 10.3% of its 5,183 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 4 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a split joint boot at 10.3% of failures against 2.3% expected; a worn steering or suspension joint at 5.3% of failures against 1.2% expected; a lighting fault at 6.5% of failures against 2.6% expected.
- Tests in 2025 22,674 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 22.9% 5,183 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 4.9% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 45.6% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Jaguar XK Series MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Jaguar XK 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: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 10.3% |
| Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault Brakes | 6.5% |
| Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.4% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.4% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 6.2% |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 5.9% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 5.6% |
| Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Steering | 5.3% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.0% |
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 4.8% |
| Washers: not working Visibility | 4.7% |
| Component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Suspension | 4.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
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Split joint boot
10.3% of failures 2.3% expected 4.5 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.
-
Lighting fault
6.5% of failures 2.6% expected 2.5 times as often
A lighting fault. Lamps are the most common failure area on almost every model, and the cheapest to put right.
-
Emissions above the limit
6.4% of failures 4.6% expected somewhat more often
The exhaust gases are outside the limits for the car, which can be the catalytic converter, a sensor, or simply a poor state of tune.
A long run before the test helps a catalyst get hot; a persistent failure usually needs a diagnosis.
-
Engine management light on
6.4% of failures 5.0% 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.
-
Wiper blades that do not clear the screen
6.2% of failures 6.6% expected about as expected
Wiper blades that leave the windscreen smeared or streaked across the area the driver looks through.
Look for split or hardened rubber, and lift each blade to see whether it still sits flat.
-
Split joint boot
5.9% of failures 3.4% expected 1.7 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.
Which parts of the car fail
Suspension is the area that most often fails a Jaguar XK Series, on 39.1% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is steering, on 10.4% against 8.3% 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 | 39.1% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 29.0% |
| Brakes | 24.3% |
| Tyres | 16.0% |
| Visibility | 15.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 15.0% |
| Steering | 10.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 8.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
45.6% of Jaguar XK Series tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Jaguar XK 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 | 11.3% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 7.4% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 5.8% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 5.5% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 5.4% |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 4.7% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 4.1% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.6% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 3.1% |
| Flexible brake hoses: slight corrosion to ferrule Brakes | 2.7% |
| Wheel bearings: slight play Suspension | 2.7% |
| Shock absorbers: slightly worn bush Suspension | 2.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Jaguar XK Series problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Jaguar XK Series?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Suspension arms: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” is the most common: it appears on 10.3% of failed Jaguar XK Series tests. Across categories, suspension is the area that most often fails one, on 39.1% of failed tests.
How often does a Jaguar XK Series fail its MOT?
22.9% of Jaguar XK Series tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 22,674 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 68 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Jaguar XK Series than on other cars?
Yes. “Suspension arms: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 10.3% of its failures against 2.3% for cars of the same age, and “Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 5.3% of its failures against 1.2% 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 XK 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 | 22,674 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.