1997 · 27 years old at test · Petrol mostly

1997 Jeep Wrangler MOT pass rate and common faults

255 MOT tests in 2024. 64.3% passed first time, compared with 65.5% for all cars the same age.

98About average
Passed first time64.3%
Failed or needed repairs35.7%
Typical mileage at test89,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 255 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Service brake imbalance: across an axle5.5%
  2. Rear fog lamp: not working3.9%
  3. Service brake performance: efficiency below requirements3.9%
  4. Side repeaters: not working3.5%
  5. Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits3.1%
  6. Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements3.1%
  7. Individual direction indicators: not working2.7%
  8. Stop lamp: not working2.4%
  9. Position lamp: not working2.4%
  10. Headlamp aim: too high2.4%

Problem areas

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

  1. Lights & electrics35.3%
  2. Brakes29.0%
  3. Emissions & leaks13.7%
  4. Suspension11.4%
  5. Body & chassis5.9%
  6. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)5.5%
  7. Steering5.5%
  8. Seat belts & airbags3.9%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded12.9%
  2. Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases9.4%
  3. Anti-roll bars - pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn7.8%
  4. Coil spring: corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened7.1%
  5. Linkage pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn6.7%

What this means if you are buying one

This model year is about as good as an average car its age. Before buying, check the area that fails most: service brake imbalance: across an axle. Then look up the car's own MOT history on GOV.UK with its number plate, and look for repeat advisories.

All Wrangler years1998 Wrangler →

Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 1997 Jeep Wrangler?

In 2024, 64.3% of 1997 Jeep Wrangler cars passed their MOT first time, across 255 tests. The average for all 27-year-old cars was 65.5%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 1997 Jeep Wrangler?

The most common failure reasons were service brake imbalance: across an axle; rear fog lamp: not working; service brake performance: efficiency below requirements. The biggest problem area was lights & electrics.

Is the 1997 Jeep Wrangler reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 98, which is about average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).