Used car guide · 1993–2019

Jeep Cherokee common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Jeep Cherokee, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 30,205 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

30,205MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
19,504on the UK register
2018best year at its MOT

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).

201920182017201620152014201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993

What usually goes wrong with a Jeep Cherokee?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Jeep Cherokee in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Jeep Cherokee 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.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 3.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Transmission oil leaks

    up to 5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2014.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Battery

    up to 4.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

    Rough price £80–£200 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the car starts cleanly and there are no warning lights once running.

  • Ball joint dust cover

    up to 3.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

    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.

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Headlights

    up to 5.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

Jeep Cherokee MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2018 Jeep Cherokee did best (84% passed first time, 1 point above all 2018 cars) and the 2007 did worst (54%, 3 points below all 2007 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201884%83% +1925
201780%80% +01,634
201678%77% +14,305
201574%74% +06,015
201471%70% +13,540
201056%60% -4367 (small sample)
200956%59% -3457 (small sample)
200858%57% +1202 (small sample)
200754%57% -31,313
200654%56% -21,716
200557%57% +01,780
200457%57% +01,687
200356%57% -11,452
200261%58% +3978
200162%60% +2612
200061%61% +0684
199969%63% +6627
199868%65% +3792
199766%65% +1489 (small sample)
199669%66% +3302 (small sample)
199570%67% +3179 (small sample)
199466%67% -1149 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Jeep Cherokee

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the engine oil leaks? (Flagged at MOT 3.6× as often on the Jeep Cherokee as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the transmission oil leaks? (Flagged at MOT 5× as often on the Jeep Cherokee as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the battery? (Flagged at MOT 4.7× as often on the Jeep Cherokee as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Jeep Cherokee?

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