AI Damage2002 Jaguar S-Type: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Jaguar S-Type filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 42% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 25% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 8% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 4% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 4% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 10 complaints (42% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 6 complaints (25% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (8% of all).
- Suspension: 2 complaints (8% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 4 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
1. Crash (t-boned-driver's side) 2. Side airbags did not deploy... Back and neck injuries to driver. 3. Nothing.
I put my foot on the brakes and discovered I had no brakes and no steering. The car accelerated down driveway and down my neighbors hill. The car was stopped by a tree. When the car was towed out, the wheels were perfectly straight. The dealer could find no problem.
The vehicle experienced sudden acceleration, which caused an accident.
After starting vehicle, put it in reverse gear and it accelerated at high speed. Couldn't stop vehicle with brakes, resulting in a major accident. Contacted dealer. Consumer had foot on brake continually. The accelerator pedal was never touched. Jaguar consumer service states they found nothing wrong.
The technician stated that the door lock and the ignition lock would have to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however the failure was not corrected. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired five times but the failure was never remedied. The approximate failure mileage was 80,165.
While driving approximately 65 mph, the contact noticed excessive vibration coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test. The mechanic stated that both front tires experienced tread separation. The tires were replaced. The vin was not available.
Side wall has a slit and a bulge in the side wall. This was caught before a failure. They tried to tell me that it was from a road hazard and not a defect. I don't believe a word of it.
The vehicle idles, surges, and stalls when traveling from 0 to 55 mph. The failure occurs constantly and began in september of 2006. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred on august 3, 2007. The current mileage was 59,000 and failure mileage was 52,000. Updated 02-01-08 updated 02/01/08
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the S-Type has 46 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 24, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Jaguar S-Type?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, vehicle speed control, electrical system. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (13%), vibration (13%), unintended acceleration (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Jaguar S-Type?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2002 Jaguar S-Type from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2002 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.