Jaguar XK Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Jaguar XK fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 18,523 MOT tests across 11 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: premium performance | Fuel: Petrol
87%
Jaguar XK pass rate
88%
Jaguar average
82%
All-model average
The Jaguar XK has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, which is 1 point below the Jaguar average and 5 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Jaguar XKs pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 7 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Jaguar XK Fails Its MOT On
Of the 1,600 MOT tests on the Jaguar XK that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Suspension
41%Cars and vans the same age: 39% · Typical repair £150-£600
Lights and electrics
27%Cars and vans the same age: 47% (the XK fails on this less often) · Typical repair £15-£200
Tyres
19%Cars and vans the same age: 17% · Typical repair £50-£300
Brakes
18%Cars and vans the same age: 26% (the XK fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
17%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £10-£350
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer keeps dirt out (16% of failed tests, suspension)
- Steering linkage ball joint dust cover no longer keeps dirt out (11% of failed tests, suspension)
- Track rod end: ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (8.9% of failed tests, steering)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Jaguar XK Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each XK year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points less often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Jaguar XK Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Petrol | 5.0L | 96% | 3% | - |
| 2014 | Petrol | 5.0L | 93% | 7% | 82% (+11) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 5.0L | 91% | 9% | 80% (+11) |
| 2012 | Petrol | 5.0L | 91% | 9% | 79% (+12) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 5.0L | 88% | 11% | 77% (+11) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 5.0L | 86% | 13% | 75% (+11) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 5.0L | 87% | 12% | 75% (+12) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 4.2L | 83% | 16% | 74% (+9) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 4.2L | 82% | 17% | 73% (+9) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 4.2L | 85% | 15% | 73% (+12) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 4.2L | 83% | 15% | - |
Jaguar XK Running Costs
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Jaguar XK FAQ
What are the most common Jaguar XK problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Jaguar XK that failed at the first attempt most often failed on suspension (41% of the 1,600 failed tests), lights and electrics (27%) and tyres (19%). The single most common fault was "Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer keeps dirt out" (16%). Across 18,523 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 87% ended in a pass.
Is the Jaguar XK reliable?
The Jaguar XK has an average MOT pass rate of 87%, from 18,523 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 11 points more often on average, a better than average result for its age.
Which Jaguar XK years should I avoid?
No Jaguar XK year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2006 (85% of 4,240 tests passed, against 73% for all 2006 cars), the 2009 (87% of 1,441 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars) and the 2012 (91% of 1,242 tests passed, against 79% for all 2012 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Jaguar XK faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Jaguar XK typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Jaguar Models
Common problems pages for other Jaguar models