Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Jaguar Vanden Plas problems

Owners filed 6 complaints about the 1996 Jaguar Vanden Plas with NHTSA between Aug 1997 and May 2005. The most-cited component is seat belts (1).

Complaints
6
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Seat belts1
  2. Steering1
  3. Visibility1
  4. Vehicle speed control1
  5. Electrical system1
  6. Power train1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19971
19981
19990
20000
20010
20021
20032
20040
20051

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Seat belts

1 report
“RIGHT REAR BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE DRIVERS SEAT TO THE MOUNTING TRACK BROKE. THIS ALLOWED THE DRIVERS SEAT TO SWING BACK ON ACCELERATION AND SWING FORWARD, INTO STEERING WHEEL, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE SEAT WOULD SWIVEL AROUND ON THE THREE REMAINING ATTACH POINTS. THIS OCCURRED DURING NORMAL DRIVING. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AS A RESUJLT OF A REAR END COLLISION, IT IS LIKELY THAT THE ENTIRE SEAT WOULD HAVE TORN LOOSE AND BECOME AN UNGUIDED FLYING OBJECT IN THE CAR. GIVEN THAT THE SEAT BELT IS ATTACHED TO THE SEAT FRAME RATHER THAN THE CAR'S FRAME, IT WOULD HAVE PROVIDED NO PROTECTION. IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO HAVE DEPLOYED, THE FORCE OF IT WOULD ALSO HAVE KNOCKED THE SEAT, COCKED AT AN ANGLE AND WITH THE DRIVER STRAPPED IN IT, ACROSS THE BACK OF THE CAR AND INTO ANY PASSENGER SITTING BACK THERE. I HAVE DETAILED PHOTOS ON THE BROKEN BRACKET AND THE FRAME MOUNTING FROM WHICH IT SEPARATED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 31, 2005Seat beltsODI 10122546

Steering

1 report
“VEHICLE FAILURE DUE TO FAILED WIRE STRANDS. ADD TO VOQ 10041323.*MR OF SEVEN STRANDS IT APPEARED THAT FOUR OR FIVE MAY HAVE BEEN "TRIMMED" DURING MANUFACTURING PROCESS LEAVING TWO OR THREE STRANDS TO CARRY THE CURRENT. ADJACENT WIRES SHOW DAMAGE FROM HEAT. ON TWO WIRES THE INSULATION IS CRACKED SUFFICIENTLY SO THAT THE WIRE STRANDS ARE VISIBLE. CONSUMER BELIEVE THE REPAIR SHOULD'VE BEEN AT NO CHARGE DUE TO DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND PERHAPS DESIGN BY PLACEMENT OF THE WIRE CRIMP AT POINT OF FLEXURE. *PH”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2003SteeringODI 10044462

Visibility

1 report
“VEHICLE1996 JAGUAR VANDEN PLAS VIN#[XXX] PROBLEMFAILURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER CAUSEBROKEN WIRE AT CRIMPED JUNCTION IN WIRING HARNESS THAT SUPPLIED POWER TO CONTROL SWITCH I HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO GET A PHOTOMICROGRAPH OF THE FAILED WIRE. OF THE SEVEN STRANDS IT APPEARS THAT 3 OR 4 MAY HAVE BEEN TRIMMED LEAVING 2 OR 3 STRANDS TO CARRY THE CURRENT. ADJACENT WIRES SHOW DAMAGE FROM HEAT. ON TWO WIRES THE INSULATION IS CRACKED SUFFICIENTLY SO THAT THE WIRE STRANDS ARE VISIBLE. THIS HARNESS IS SUBJECT TO VARIOUS DEGREES OF FLEXURE AS THE STEERING COLUMN LIFTS AND RETRACTS FROM THE PROGRAMMED DRIVERS POSITIONS. THE FAILURE WAS 2.1 [55 MM] FROM THE 10 PIN CONNECTOR THAT IS RIGIDLY CLIPPED IN PLACE. *JB *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2003VisibilityODI 10041323

Vehicle speed control

1 report
“CONSUMER STATED ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK, AND THE ACCELERATOR HAD TO BE STOMPED ON IN ORDER TO DISLODGE IT, THE DEALER REPAIRED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY THE FIRST TIME, HOWEVER THE SECOND TIME CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A MAINTENANCE ITEM AND THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE FIXED EVERY 10,000 MILES AT THE CONSUMERS EXPENSE, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSMENT AND FEELS THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A MAINTENANCE ISSUE.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 1, 2002Vehicle speed controlODI 565558

Electrical system

1 report
“COMPUTER CHIP FAILURE. QCAW”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 1, 1998Electrical systemODI 605230

Power train

1 report
“TRANSMISSION FAILED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 1997Power trainODI 603745
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.