1998 JAGUAR VANDEN PLAS Recalls, Complaints & Safety

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.

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

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW SWITCH ERUPTED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE CONTACT PULLED THE DOOR PANEL OFF TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED MINOR BURNS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HARNESS, SWITCH, AND DOOR PAD.

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THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, FORTUNATELY I WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN THE RIGHT LINE, I STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE CAR DID START AND I DROVE HOME, I MADE A APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL DEALER,THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM AT THAT TIME,BUT THEY DID TELL ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON SOME VIN# FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, NOW I CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR BECAUSE VERY OFTEN HAPPENS THE SAME SCENARIO,THE ENGINE JUST QUITS SOME TIMES WILL START IMMEDIATELY AN AT TIMES WILL NOT START FOR SEVERAL HOURS. CURRENTLY THE CAR IS AT JAGUAR SERVICE FACILITY,THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT I NEED A THROTTLE BODY THE SAME PART THAT IS BEING RECALLED ON OTHER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OVER STEERING AND BRAKES. THIS WAS DUE TO THE PLASTIC PART IN THE TIMING BELT, WHICH CAUSED THE TIMING CHAIN TO COME OFF. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK *SC *JB

MY 1998 XJ8VDP JAGUAR HAS REPEATEDLY STALLED AT SPEEDS OF 65-70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. DEALER HAS CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY WITHOUT SUCCESS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND MY WIFE NOW FEELS INSECURE IN THIS VEHICLE. JAG NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND FIX THIS PROBLEM.*AK

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

ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE AND MYSELF WHILE DRIVING MANY TIMES (>20) BUT FORTUNATELY MOST OF THE TIMES SHE WAS ON CITY STREETS WHERE IT WASN'T MUCH OF A PROBLEM TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE GREATEST PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT SPEED LIMIT (65 MPH) ON FREEWAYS IN THE FAST LANES. THIS CAUSED HER TO ALMOST BE INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT AS SHE TRIED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH NO POWER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP (BAUER JAGUAR IN SANTA ANA, CA), THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A CLOSURE OF THE THROTTLE BODY PLATE WHEN THE UNIT GOES INTO A SELF-CLEANING MODE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS MADE A CHANGE IN THROTTLE BODY PLATE STOP SO THAT IT WILL NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY WHEN IT GOES INTO THIS SELF-CLEANING MODE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT OCCURRED AGAIN SINCE THE DEALERSHIP APPLIED THIS CHANGE BUT I HAVE A GREATER CONCERN FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO MIGHT ENCOUNTER THIS PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. *JB

THE CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS OR WHEN BRAKING FROM A HIGH SPEED[60-70MPH].THE FIRST TIME WE WERE EXITING THE 417,THE SECOND TIME EXITING FROM I4 TO HYW.27,THE THIRD TIME GOING THRU A TOLL BOOTH ON 417 WITH AN EPASS WITH OUR THREE GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR AND THE 4TH TIME WAS TODAY ON I4 GOING 60MPH IN THE LEFT LANE WITH ALMOST NO SHOULDER. IT JUST DIES WITH NO WARNING OF ANY KIND.WE FOUND A MECHANIC LAST FRI. WHO TOLD US THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH 1998 JAGS AND THAT IT IS THE THROTTLE BODY AND THAT IT SHOULD BE A RECALL AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THIS AT NO COST. HOW CAN THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE CARS LIKE THIS ON THE ROAD? IT IS A HORRIBLE FEELING AND VERY DANGEROUS! WHAT A LAW SUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THIS USED CAR WAS PURCHASED OFF A LEASE AND WE HAVE ONLY HAD IT SINCE NOV.27,2002. THESE 4 INCIDENTS HAPPENED IN A SPAN OF 6-1/2 WEEKS. WE ARE TURNING IT BACK TOMORROW UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED. HOPEFULLY MY HUSBAND WILL NOT BE KILLED ON THE WAY TO TURN IT IN.

PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. ENGINE SHUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING OR SYMPTOMS. I WAS TRAVELING APPROX,. 70 MILES PER HOUR ON A SEATTLE FREEWAY WHEN THE "ENGINE FAIL" LIGHT CAME ON. NO POWER BRAKES, NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER! THE CAR MUST BE PUT INTO "PARK" TO RESTART. MANUFACTURE HAS BEEN AWARE OF A "COMPUTER" GLITCH AND PROMISED A RECALL. NONE TO DATE. THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPLACED AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I MET ANOTHER JAG OWNER AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. THE CAR IS A HAZARD TO DRIVE.

BRAKE SWITCH FAILED. YH

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG CAUSED BURN TO DRIVER'S HAND AND DAMAGE TO INTERIOR OF VEHICLE.

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