2004 · 20 years old at test · Petrol mostly

2004 Jaguar XJ MOT pass rate and common faults

1,564 MOT tests in 2024. 67.1% passed first time, compared with 56.4% for all cars the same age.

119Well above average
Passed first time67.1%
Failed or needed repairs32.9%
Typical mileage at test105,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 1,564 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction4.5%
  2. Suspension arms - ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt4.2%
  3. Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt3.6%
  4. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn3.3%
  5. Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.2%
  6. Service brake performance: excessively binding1.7%
  7. Anti-roll bars - ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.7%
  8. Suspension rods - ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt1.7%
  9. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded1.7%
  10. Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush1.6%

Problem areas

Failure items found per 100 tests, by part of the car.

  1. Suspension20.2%
  2. Brakes16.8%
  3. Lights & electrics12.9%
  4. Emissions & leaks8.6%
  5. Steering6.9%
  6. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)5.6%
  7. Tyres4.9%
  8. Body & chassis1.9%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded19.5%
  2. Sub-frame: corroded and seriously weakened13.7%
  3. Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine12.0%
  4. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm11.4%
  5. Suspension arms - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn11.3%

What this means if you are buying one

This model year does better than most cars its age, so it is a reasonable used buy on MOT record alone. Before buying, check the area that fails most: malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction. Then look up the car's own MOT history on GOV.UK with its number plate, and look for repeat advisories.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 2004 Jaguar XJ?

In 2024, 67.1% of 2004 Jaguar XJ cars passed their MOT first time, across 1,564 tests. The average for all 20-year-old cars was 56.4%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 2004 Jaguar XJ?

The most common failure reasons were malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction; suspension arms - ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt; track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt. The biggest problem area was suspension.

Is the 2004 Jaguar XJ reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 119, which is well above average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).