Used car guide

1999 Jaguar S-Type: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 1999 Jaguar S-Types, from 358 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 358 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

358MOT tests in 2025
66%pass first time (all 1999 cars: 65%)
3,100typical miles a year
6.6×the usual rate for ball joint dust cover

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 1999 Jaguar S-Types than on all cars registered in 1999.

  • Ball joint dust cover6.6× usual
    Jaguar S-Type
    24.6% All 1999 cars
    3.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.7%, against 1.2% of all 1999 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Sub-frame3.7× usual
    Jaguar S-Type
    13.1% All 1999 cars
    3.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.1%, against 0.2% of all 1999 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Track rod ends3× usual
    Jaguar S-Type
    13.4% All 1999 cars
    4.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 6.4%, against 1.6% of all 1999 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 6.4% here, against 15.7% of all 1999 cars.

By area

The share of 1999 Jaguar S-Type MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    58% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    33% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    25% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Lights and electrics
    25% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    11% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Rust and bodywork
    10% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

Looking at a Jaguar S-Type?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20071,646Suspension 47%
20061,441Suspension 49%
20051,318Suspension 53%
20041,441Suspension 50%
20031,206Suspension 53%
2002891Suspension 54%
2001599Suspension 58%
2000561Suspension 52%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 1999 Jaguar S-Types registered in 1999. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score