Jaguar XJ common problems

By component

What wears out on a XJ

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Jaguar XJ tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.

1. 1.Suspension bushes

   51.5% of failed tests

   Rubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.

   • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained15.1%
   • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained14.3%
   • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained8.7%
   • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained5.3%

   Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last

2. 2.Tyres

   29.4% of failed tests

   Tread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.

   • “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained9.8%
   • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained8.5%
   • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained5.6%
   • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained3.6%

   Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last

3. 3.Bulbs and lamps

   14.6% of failed tests

   Filament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.

   • “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained4.4%
   • “A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED” — explained4.2%
   • “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained3.9%
   • “Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements” — explained2.2%

   Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last

4. 4.Wiper blades and washers

   14.5% of failed tests

   Rubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.

   • “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained5.8%
   • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained4.9%
   • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained3.8%

   Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last

5. 5.Steering rack and column

   13.4% of failed tests

   Rack gaiters split and let dirt in; the rack itself and the column are rarely the failing part.

   • “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained11.0%
   • “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained2.4%

6. 6.Suspension arms and mountings

   9.7% of failed tests

   Arms bend on impact and mountings corrode into the body; a corroded mounting is a structural item and fails as one.

   • “The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired” — explained5.6%
   • “A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded” — explained2.1%
   • “The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired” — explained2.0%

7. 7.Coil springs

   6.8% of failed tests

   Springs fatigue and corrode where the coating chips, then snap, often at the bottom coil; potholes and salt accelerate it.

   • “A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened” — explained6.8%

   Across all cars, coil springs failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 12–14 years. How long coil springs last

8. 8.Brake pipes

   5.6% of failed tests

   Steel pipes under the car corrode from salt and moisture, fastest on cars kept outside in wet or coastal areas; failure is for excessive corrosion or damage.

   • “Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded” — explained5.6%

   Across all cars, brake pipes failures climb from nothing between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long brake pipes last

By registration year

XJ problems by year

MOT pass rate for Jaguar XJ cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2016, up 7.8 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.

Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.

Before it fails

What testers warn XJ owners about

Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Jaguar XJ tests carrying an advisory for each.

• Tyres39.9% of tests
• Suspension bushes18.8% of tests
• Suspension arms and mountings15.4% of tests
• Brake discs12.7% of tests
• Brake pipes10.5% of tests

Go deeper

The rest of the XJ file

• Jaguar XJ: pass rate, ranking and the full failure record
• Is a XJ's mileage high for its age?
• Every Jaguar model compared
• Check a specific car's MOT history

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Jaguar XJ?

Going by what fails the MOT, suspension bushes (recorded in 51.5% of failed tests), tyres (recorded in 29.4% of failed tests), and bulbs and lamps (recorded in 14.6% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 22,192 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.

Which Jaguar XJ year is the most reliable?

By MOT pass rate, Jaguar XJ cars registered in 2016 do best at 84.6% and 2004 cars do worst at 69.3%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2016, up 7.8 points on 2015.

Is the Jaguar XJ reliable?

Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Jaguar XJ passes 79.9% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.

What should I check when buying a used Jaguar XJ?

Start with what fails most: suspension bushes, tyres, bulbs and lamps. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.