2002 Jaguar S-Type problems & reliability
24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Jaguar S-Type, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (3 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2002 Jaguar S-Type vehicles were involved in 4 fatal crashes with 6 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 10 | 42% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 25% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 13% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 8% |
| Suspension | 2 | 8% |
| Tires | 2 | 8% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Nov 3, 2017
“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…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Aug 20, 2015
“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…”
Electrical System · filed Nov 1, 2012
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
53 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2002 Jaguar S-Type. The 10 most recent:
Attachment.
SSM59597Attachme · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 14, 2021
Attachment.
SSM59597Attachme · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 14, 2021
Attachment.
SSM59597Attachme · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 14, 2021
A customer may report "Hood Open" message displays on IP with hood closed.
SFCC_09AUG18_REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2018
18C - New face of InControl Touch Pro and 18C software improvements
SFCC_09AUG18_REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2018
SIM card activation issues
SFCC_09AUG18_REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2018
InControl Touch Pro phase 4 customer letter
SFCC_09AUG18_REV · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 20, 2018
Jaguar Land Rover Shop Foreman Conference Call
SFCC_08MAR18 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 8, 2018
Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call
SFCC_14DEC17 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 14, 2017
Issue: a customer may raise a concern of their vehicle not passing state inspection in california and there is no warning light or other suggestion of a fault.
SSM-72805 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 8, 2016
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2002 Jaguar S-Type has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2002 Jaguar S-Type?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.