Jaguar XE common problems and MOT failures
What goes wrong on a used Jaguar XE, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 129,658 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.
Pick the year
Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).
What usually goes wrong with a Jaguar XE?
Known faults reported by owners, mechanics and UK buying guides, in our own words. Most apply to certain years or engines only, so check which the car has.
- Cars registered 2015–2024 · All engines
Engine oil leaks and turbo failures
Engine problems, including oil leaks and turbo failures, were common in What Car?'s survey and led to expensive repairs.
At the viewing: Look for oil leaks, blue smoke or poor pulling, and check for warning lights.
- Cars registered 2015–2024 · All engines
Electrical, infotainment and warning light faults
Electrical faults are frequent, including faulty infotainment units and false warning lights.
At the viewing: Test the screen and every electrical item, and check no warnings stay on.
Common Jaguar XE MOT failures to check
Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.
Brake lights
up to 3.8× usualStands out on cars registered in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Rough price £10–£80 our estimateAt the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.
Shock absorbers
up to 4.1× usualStands out on cars registered in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanicAt the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.
Brake discs
up to 2.2× usualStands out on cars registered in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Rough price £150–£350 our estimateAt the viewing: Look through the wheel at the brake disc: a deep lip at the edge or heavy scoring means they're worn. Feel for judder when braking.
Jaguar XE MOT pass rate by year
Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2015 Jaguar XE did best (79% passed first time, 5 points above all 2015 cars) and the 2021 did worst (83%, 4 points below all 2021 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.
Questions to ask the seller before buying a Jaguar XE
Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.
- Has it had any engine or turbo work?
- Any recent work on the brake lights? (Flagged at MOT 3.8× as often on the Jaguar XE as on other cars the same age.)
- Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 4.1× as often on the Jaguar XE as on other cars the same age.)
- Any recent work on the brake discs? (Flagged at MOT 2.2× as often on the Jaguar XE as on other cars the same age.)
- Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?
Looking at a Jaguar XE?
Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.
Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score