Total Complaints
9 filings
JAGUAR XJS · model year
1996 JAGUAR XJS
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996JAGUARXJS carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 XJS is structure:body:roof and pillars with 2 filings, followed by structure:body:door (1) and latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1996 XJS. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040828VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ACCELERATOR PEDAL JAMS IN UP POSITION. TO CLEAR ACCELERATOR PEDAL, DRIVER MUST TAP UPPER FACE OF THE PEDAL WITH THE BALL OF HIS FOOT. THE PEDAL WILL NOT JAM AGAIN UNLESS THE DRIVER TAKES HIS FOOT OFF THE PEDAL. TO UNJAM, REPEAT PROCEDURE ABOVE. NOTE WHEN ENGINE IS IN NEUTRAL OR TURNED OFF, THE PEDAL WORKS PERFECTLY. *JB
Mileage: 44,300
20021105ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ADVISED ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS NOT AVAILABLE, LOCAL JAGUAR REPRESENTAIVE (DAVID BAMBER) NOTIFIED AND HE INDICATED HE WOULD LOCATE. AFTER TWO MONTHS I CALLED JAGUAR CUSTOMER SERVICE ON JUNE 26, 2002 1-800-452-4827, OPTION 9, EXT. 8264 (ROBERT BOSACK AND SUBJECT WAS ASSIGNED CASE #6182217. JULY 18, 2002 TALKED WITH MS ROMERO , SUPERVISOR IN CUSTOMER SERVICE, 1800-452-4827, OPTION 9 EXT 8089, NO NEW RESULTS. JULY 18, 2002 WROTE PRESIDENT MICHAEL O'DRISCOLL, JAGUAR, 555 MACARTHUR BLVD., MAHWAH, NJ 07430 ASKING FOR HELP. JULY 22, 2002 RECEIVED RESPONSE FROM MS NANCY SYNOL, EXECUTIVE LIAISON, BUT NO NEW ADVICE. FROM JULY 29, 2002 THROUGH OCT, 30, 2002 TALKED WITH CUST. SVS.REPS.- ONLY WORD WAS STILL TRYING TO OBTAIN PART. I HAVE CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. IN MORE DETAIL AVAILABLE. DT
20020819FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
WHILE DRIVING, TRANSMISSION LINE EXPLODED AND OIL SPILLED ALL OVER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK CONSUEMR WAS IN MOTION WHEN SMOKE EMMITED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. CONSUEMR EXITED VEHICLE AND PASSER BYS LET HIM KNOW THERE WAS A FIRE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. OIL WAS STILL LEAKING. *JG
20020116ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ENGINE DIES WHEN SLOWING DOWN IN TRAFFIC. HAS DIED OUT IN TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THREE TIMES. DEALER CANNOT FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG.- HAS BEEN SERVICED THREE TIMES (TOTAL OF 26 DAYS) SINCE AUGUST, AND TODAY IS BEING FLATBEDDED BACK FOR FOURTH TIME BECAUSE OF SAME PROBLEM. MILEAGE IN AUGUST 49099 AND NOW 50963. FIRST SERVICE FOR THIS PROBLEM WAS AT THOMAS JAGUAR IN HARTFORD, LAST TWO TIMES CHECKERED FLAGG LYNNHAVEN IN VA. BEACH, VA, TELEPHONE 757-490-1111. *AK
19981023ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY SHUT OFF/LOSS OF POWER WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE DEFECT. *AK
19981014STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
DOOR LOCKS STUCK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
19981014LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DOOR LOCKS HAVE LOCKED UP SEVERAL TIMES, FREEZING IN COLD WEATHER.
19981014STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKS.
19981014STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKING.
Compare 1996JAGUARXJS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 JAGUAR XJS have?▼
The 1996 JAGUAR XJS has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 JAGUAR XJS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 JAGUAR XJS is STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR and LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH.
Is the 1996 JAGUAR XJS safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.