Jaguar S-Type: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Jaguar S-Type fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 10.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 11,424 individual Jaguar S-Type tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 65.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 34 in every 100 Jaguar S-Types presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Jaguar S-Type tested had covered 93,391 miles and was built around 2004.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Jaguar S-Type sits 10.8 points below the national average, ranked 1,851 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Jaguar S-Type rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see the median recorded closing bid for a damaged Jaguar S-Type: £250 at UK salvage auction, from 5 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a Jaguar S-Type

1. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 9% of tests (12.12x the national rate for this defect)
2. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 21.6% of tests (11.73x the national rate for this defect)
3. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2.7% of tests (10.19x the national rate for this defect)
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 2.8% of tests (6.67x the national rate for this defect)
5. 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, 5.2% of tests (5.56x the national rate for this defect)
6. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 6.3% of tests (2.69x the national rate for this defect)
7. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 3% of tests (2.36x the national rate for this defect)
8. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.4% of tests (2.24x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.1% of tests (1.61x the national rate for this defect)
10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.5% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this defect)

From 11,431 DVSA-tracked Jaguar S-Type tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.86% of these flagged Jaguar S-Type defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Jaguar S-Type

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Jaguar S-Type before it actually fails on it.

1. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 5.9% of tests (4.67x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 5.8% of tests (4.67x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. 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, 6.9% of tests (4.54x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 3.9% of tests (3.54x the national rate for this advisory)
5. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 18.7% of tests (3.02x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 13.6% of tests (2.62x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 13.9% of tests (2.49x the national rate for this advisory)
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 9% of tests (1.9x the national rate for this advisory)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 24.5% of tests (1.84x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
10. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 3.7% of tests (1.4x the national rate for this advisory)

From 11,431 DVSA-tracked Jaguar S-Type tests, 2024.

Jaguar S-Type pass rate by model year

From its 1999 to its 2007 model year, the Jaguar S-Type's first-time pass rate has risen 5 points, from 62.7% to 67.7%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each Jaguar S-Type year:

• 1999 Jaguar S-Type - 62.7% first-time pass, 413 tests
• 2000 Jaguar S-Type - 63% first-time pass, 675 tests
• 2001 Jaguar S-Type - 63.7% first-time pass, 728 tests
• 2002 Jaguar S-Type - 65.3% first-time pass, 1,098 tests
• 2003 Jaguar S-Type - 68.4% first-time pass, 1,364 tests
• 2004 Jaguar S-Type - 68.5% first-time pass, 1,726 tests
• 2005 Jaguar S-Type - 65.9% first-time pass, 1,548 tests
• 2006 Jaguar S-Type - 68.4% first-time pass, 1,692 tests
• 2007 Jaguar S-Type - 67.7% first-time pass, 1,929 tests

Jaguar S-Type by fuel type

The Jaguar S-Type's two most-tested fuel types split by 0.9 points: petrol passes first time 67.2% of the time (7,791 tests) against 66.3% for diesel (3,443 tests).

• Petrol Jaguar S-Type - 67.2% first-time pass, 7,791 tests
• Diesel Jaguar S-Type - 66.3% first-time pass, 3,443 tests

Other Jaguar models

• Jaguar Xf - 77.9%
• Jaguar F-Pace - 86.9%
• Jaguar Xe - 84.3%
• Jaguar X-Type - 62.9%
• Jaguar E-Pace - 89%
• Jaguar Xj - 78.3%
• Jaguar I-Pace - 92.8%
• Jaguar F-Type - 91.4%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Smart (Mcc) City Cabriolet - 66.1%
• Citroen C4 - 66%
• SEAT Altea - 65.9%
• Renault Megane Scenic - 65.9%
• Hyundai Amica - 65.8%
• Daihatsu Fourtrak - 65.8%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

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<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/jaguar-s-type"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/jaguar-s-type.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Jaguar S-Type most common MOT failure: Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc (9% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate