AI DamageJaguar Vanden Plas: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Jaguar Vanden Plas across 18 model years: 55 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Vehicle speed control 25% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 24% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 7% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 7% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- Vehicle speed control: 14 complaints (25% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 13 complaints (24% of all).
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (7% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (7% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1996–1997
- 4 L · petrol · 8 cyl 1998–2003
- 4 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl 1999–2001
- automatic, 4-speed 1996–1997
- automatic, 5-speed 1998–2003
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 55 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 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.
Sudden unintended acceleration. Second time . I have owned the vehicle three years. No damage to the vehicle I hit. Mine $3000...fender, hood ,lights, grille. Noone hurt. Little girl in carseat wide eyed..unhurt. Google sudden accelration jaguar and sudden acceleration land rover.
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained fractured facial bones, bleeding on the brain, a concussion, and a fractured right eye socket. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed to a towing facility storage lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
Tl contact owns a 1999 vanden plas jaguar. When he attempted to move the vehicle in his driveway it suddenly accelerated to 70 mph. He placed both feet on the brake pedal and was unable to stop the vehicle. The vehicle crashed into a wall and his right thumb was broken.
The front driver side air bag failed to deploy. The insurance company declared the vehicle as destroyed and did not investigate the air bag failure. The contact received injuries to her ribs and head. The other driver received injuries to the forehead. A police report was filed. The failure mileage was 24,000.
Consumer was pulling out of a parking lot and while driving across the lot vehicle suddenly accelerated, causing it to go at an excessive speed, and resulting in a collision. Consumer had both feet on the brakes, pressed down to the floor, and the vehicle would not stop. Consumer lost control of the vehicle.
When the vehicle was put into drive it took off at about 50mph. Vehicle hit another car. Dealer has not seen.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other models of this make
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.