Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Jaguar Vanden Plas problems
Owners filed 12 complaints about the 1998 Jaguar Vanden Plas with NHTSA between Jan 1999 and May 2018. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (5).
Complaints
12
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Vehicle speed control3
- Power train2
- Exterior lighting2
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Electrical system1
- Visibility1
- Fuel system, other1
- Air bags1
- Other / unknown1
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 Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
0
1
0
3
1
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 2 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
5 reports
“ENGINE STALLS AT ANY SPEEDS WITH NO ADVANCE WARNING. POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES ARE THEREFORE ALSO INOPERABLE. VEHICLE MUST BE COASTED IN THIS CONDITION TO A STOP AND PUT IN "PARK" BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS A LIFE-THREATENING MANEUVER IN MULTIPLE LANES OF 70 MPH SPECIALLY WHEN MY WIFE AND KIDS ARE IN THE CAR. *TR”
Vehicle speed control
3 reports
“MY CAR CUTS OFF, AFTER DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT A HIGH RAT OF SPEED, MOSTLY HAPPENS AS I'M TURNING OFF THE HIGHWAY, ALSO MY CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT FUNCTION.”
Power train
2 reports
“1998 JAGUAR VAN DAN PLAS HAS A SEVERE DEFECT. CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING AND ENGINE LOOSES ALL POWER. ALSO THE DRIVE BELT SHUTS DOWN AFTER COMPUTER CHIP FAILURE CAUSING OVER HEATING AND DISCHARGING OF BATTERY. EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE CHIP, THE SAME OCCURS AFTER SOME MILES. LEFT HEADLIGHT KEEPS ON BURNING OUT. *NLM”
Exterior lighting
2 reports
“BRAKE SWITCH FAILED. YH”
Service brakes, hydraulic
1 report
Electrical system
1 report
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.