Used car guide

2005 Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee diesel: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the diesel Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee first registered in 2005 (diesel cars only): we looked at the 649 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

649MOTs of 2005 diesel cars, done in 2023–2025
57%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 57%)
5,700typical miles a year
5×the usual rate for battery

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2005 Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee diesel?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2005 Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee diesel than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Battery5× usual
    Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee
    6% All 2005 cars
    1.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.5%, against 0.3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £80–£200 our estimate

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

Better than most

Headlights: 3.5% here, against 13.4% of all 2005 cars.

Common 2005 Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee diesel MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2005 Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee diesel MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    49% 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
    45% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    38% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Tyres
    24% 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.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    22% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    12% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2005 Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee diesel

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

  1. Any recent work on the battery? (Flagged at MOT 5× as often on the 2005 Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee diesel as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2010199Suspension 34%
2009299Suspension 43%
2008251Suspension 47%
2007621Suspension 46%
2006815Brakes 48%
2004980Suspension 54%
2003661Suspension 55%
2002459Suspension 53%
2001278Brakes 44%
1998114Suspension 39%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of Chrysler-Jeep Cherokee cars first registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score