2002 Jaguar S-TYPE Problems and Recalls (23 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2002 Jaguar S-TYPE is Transmission / driveline (30% of 23 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 23 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 2002 Jaguar S-TYPE?

7 of 23 filings named Transmission / driveline (30% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Cruise / speed control (5 reports).

This snapshot lists no safety recalls for this year. That is not a clean bill of health. Still check the VIN at nhtsa.gov.

The 2001 has 76 reports on file; this year has 23. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2002 Jaguar S-TYPE

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Transmission / driveline 7 complaints · 30.4% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 4
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 3
  • Deaths 0
All Jaguar S-TYPE years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 7 of 23 owner complaints (30.4%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 7 complaints, 30.4% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 7 · 30.4% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 5 complaints, 21.7% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 3 crash reports 5 · 21.7% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 13.0% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 · 13.0% Engine (ENGINE): 2 complaints, 8.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 2 · 8.7% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 2 complaints, 8.7% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 2 · 8.7% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 1 complaints, 4.4% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 crash reports 1 · 4.4% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 1 complaints, 4.4% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 · 4.4% Steering (STEERING): 1 complaints, 4.4% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 · 4.4% Tires (TIRES): 1 complaints, 4.4% of reports Tires (TIRES) 1 · 4.4% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 10 complaints, 43.5% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 10 · 43.5% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 7 30.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 5 21.7% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 13.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 2 8.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 2 8.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 4.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 4.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 1 4.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Tires (TIRES) 1 4.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 10 43.5% 1 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2002; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 2004. 2002-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2003-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2005-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2006-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 2002 Oct 2017 Recall campaign 04V484000 ◆ Recall campaign 04V484000 Recall campaign 06E056000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E056000
  • Campaign 04V484000 was reported 276 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2002-Q3 Owner reports 3
2003-Q1 Owner reports 2
2003-Q2 Owner reports 1
2003-Q4 Owner reports 1
2004-Q1 Owner reports 1
2004-Q3 Owner reports 1
2005-Q2 Owner reports 2
2005-Q4 Owner reports 2
2006-Q1 Owner reports 2
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2008-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q4 Owner reports 1
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 04V484000
Recall campaign 1 06E056000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

  1. Recall campaign 04V484000

    Safety recall 04V484000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE STANDARD.
    Remedy:
    OWNERS WILL BE SENT LETTERS WHICH WILL INCLUDE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND LABELS CONTAINING THE REQUIRED WARNING STATEMENT. IF THEY PREFER, OWNERS MAY CONTACT DEALERS TO HAVE THEM INSTALL THE LABELS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 25, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT JAGUAR AT 1-800-452-4827.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 06E056000

    Safety recall 06E056000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    FAILURE OF THIS CONNECTION COULD LEAD TO FUEL SPILLAGE AND, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 23 complaints · page 1 of 1
2017-11-03Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11043130
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS SLOWING TO STOP IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET. AS I SLOWED, THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT, AND THE CAR REVVED UP, ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. I THEN PUSHED HEAVILY ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT HAD NO ABILITY TO STOP THE CAR. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV. LUCKILY, I WAS SLOWING FROM A FAR ENOUGH DISTANCE THAT I WAS ABLE TO FORCEFULLY PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND STOP THE CAR. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV EVEN THOUGH BOTH FEET WERE OFF ALL PEDALS AND THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL. I THEN TAPPED THE BRAKE PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE ENGINE TO STOP REVVING, BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT. NEXT, I TAPPED THE GAS PEDAL TO ATTEMPT TO GET THE ENGINE TO STOP REVVING, WITH THIS, THE ENGINE DID STOP REVVING AND RETURNED TO NORMAL RPM'S. VERY SCARY AND QUITE DISTURBING, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE READ OVER 30 COMPLAINTS ON WEBSITES REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE OTHERS HAVE HAD WITH THEIR JAGUARS. WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE? HOW MANY PEOPLE NEED TO REPORT THIS TO HAVE A CASE OPENED?
2015-08-20Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 10750010
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JAGUAR S-TYPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO THE DRIVE POSITION, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REFUELED, THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL. THE FAILURES RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM, THE LOWER BALL JOINTS, AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06E056000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.
2012-11-01Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10482899
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JAGUAR S-TYPE. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. 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.
2010-07-16Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10343642
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ON JULY 14, 2010, MY CAR STARTING DRIVING SLUGGISH, AS IF PULLING HEAVY WEIGHT. THE GEAR BOX FAULT LIGHT TURNED ON. ON 7-16-2010, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST ME $2,800 PLUS TAX TO CHANGE THE GEAR BOX WITH A ONE YEAR GUARANTEE. MY SECOND OPTION WAS TO INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF OVER $5,000. TWO MONTHS AGO I SPENT $5,000 ON A NEW ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND FUEL INJECTION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO SINCE I AM STRUGGLING AS MANY FINANCIALLY. THE DEALER SAID THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL. TOLD HIM I DOUBTED THAT, HENCE, MY COMPLAINT. *TR
2009-02-26Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10260048
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE VEHICLE THAT I HAVE A COMPLAINT IN REGARDS TO IS A 2002 JAGUAR S-TYPE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING SLUGGISH AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING AT NORMALCY. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE JAGUAR DEALERSHIP TO BE SERVICED AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT A TRANSMISSION FAULT LIGHT HAD BEEN TRIGGERED. UPON THEIR EXAMINATION THE DEALERSHIP DISCOVERED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THEY HAD MANY CARS IN WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AS MY VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY DID IN FACT HAVE BEEN SEEING THIS ISSUE WITH MANY OF S-TYPE JAGUAR VEHICLES. I THEN PLACED A CALL TO A TRANSMISSION RE-BUILDER TO INFORM HIM OF THE ISSUE AND BEFORE I COULD EXPLAIN MY PROBLEM HE WAS ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE DUE TO THE MANY S-TYPE JAGUARS TRANSMISSION HE HAD REBUILT WITH THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
2008-03-07Tires (TIRES)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10220403
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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. *TR
2007-08-06Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10198655
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JAGUAR S-TYPE. 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 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR
2007-02-26Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10183480
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL*- WHILE DRIVING THE 2002 JAGUAR S TYPE WITH 30000 FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE AT 40 MPH AND ACCELERATING UP A HILL THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO UNEXPECTEDLY LOSE SPEED. THE VEHICLE GOT TO THE TOP OF THE HILL, THEN CAME DOWN THE HILL, AND IT LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT "THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED". THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2002 Jaguar S-TYPE?

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 7 of 23 reports (30%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2002 Jaguar S-TYPE?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. This snapshot lists none, which is not a clean bill of health. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2002 Jaguar S-TYPE?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources