The MOT Files

Known faults, from the test record

Jaguar XK common problems

What fails on the Jaguar XK at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 8,184 DVSA test records.

Data updated

Quick answer

The Jaguar XK's most common MOT problems are suspension bushes, tyres, steering rack and column, recorded in 90.5%, 28.2% and 20.7% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2014 cars pass most often (89.5%) and 2006 cars least (73.8%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.

A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Jaguar XK that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 8,184 cars.

By component

What wears out on a XK

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Jaguar XK 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

    90.5% 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” — explained34.4%
    • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained21.1%
    • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained14.0%
    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained8.6%

    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

    28.2% 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.

    • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained7.3%
    • “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained6.5%
    • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained6.0%
    • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained5.3%

    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.Steering rack and column

    20.7% 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” — explained16.4%
    • “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained4.3%

  4. 4.Wiper blades and washers

    16.4% 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” — explained6.1%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained5.6%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained4.6%

    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.Bulbs and lamps

    15.4% 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” — explained3.3%
    • “A headlamp cleaning device inoperative in the case of LED or gas discharge systems (HID)” — explained3.1%
    • “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained2.7%
    • “A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED” — explained2.3%

    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

  6. 6.Headlamp aim

    6.8% of failed tests

    Aim drifts with sagging suspension, a knocked lamp or a botched bulb change; adjustment, not a part.

    • “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained4.1%
    • “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements” — explained2.8%

  7. 7.Parking brake

    5.5% of failed tests

    Cables stretch and seize, rear shoes and adjusters wear; efficiency is measured on the roller tester against the vehicle's weight.

    • “Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement” — explained2.1%
    • “Parking brake inoperative on one side” — explained1.9%
    • “Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value” — explained1.5%

  8. 8.Engine management

    4.9% of failed tests

    The MIL lamp lit is a failure in itself, whatever the stored code; the fault codes section explains what lies behind it.

    • “Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction” — explained4.9%

By registration year

XK problems by year

MOT pass rate for Jaguar XK 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 2014, up 15.3 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.

200674%
200774%+0.4
201490%+15.3

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 XK owners about

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

Go deeper

The rest of the XK file

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Jaguar XK?
Going by what fails the MOT, suspension bushes (recorded in 90.5% of failed tests), tyres (recorded in 28.2% of failed tests), and steering rack and column (recorded in 20.7% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 8,184 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
Which Jaguar XK year is the most reliable?
By MOT pass rate, Jaguar XK cars registered in 2014 do best at 89.5% and 2006 cars do worst at 73.8%. 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 2014, up 15.3 points on 2013.
Is the Jaguar XK reliable?
The Jaguar XK passes 80.4% of MOTs unadjusted; its fleet is too narrow in age or mileage for a fair national comparison. 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 XK?
Start with what fails most: suspension bushes, tyres, wiper blades and washers. 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.

Analysis built from DVSA data of