IllustrationSTRONG SMELL OF BURNING OIL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AFTER DRIVING 20 MILES, OR SO, AND COMING TO A STOP. TRANSFER CASE REPLACED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY AND PROBLEM PERSISTS.*AK
2003 Jaguar X-TYPE
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 Jaguar X-TYPE do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 25.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all X-TYPE years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
190–25K
825–50K
1450–75K
175–100K
9100–150K
4150K+
55 reports with mileage · 17 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports
Power Train complaints
15 reportsMOVEMENT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. AT 15 MPH SIGNIFICANT UPSHIFTING. PROBLEM OCCURS IN COASTING AT 20 MPH DOWN TO 10 MPH. AS YOU DECELERATE CAR LURCHES INTO FISRT GEAR. MAKING BRAKE DISTANCE IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT. CAUSING ACCIDENTS AT TRAFFIC STOPPING POINTS. ALSO SIGNIFICANT LURCHING AT 15MPH, 40MPH AND THEN AFTER 70MPH. …
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MOVEMENT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT. AT 15 MPH SIGNIFICANT UPSHIFTING. PROBLEM OCCURS IN COASTING AT 20 MPH DOWN TO 10 MPH. AS YOU DECELERATE CAR LURCHES INTO FISRT GEAR. MAKING BRAKE DISTANCE IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT. CAUSING ACCIDENTS AT TRAFFIC STOPPING POINTS. ALSO SIGNIFICANT LURCHING AT 15MPH, 40MPH AND THEN AFTER 70MPH. CAR IS AN AUTOMATIC AND DRIVES LIKE A MANUAL, IS THE PRIMARY CONCERN AND STOPPING DISTANCE IS UNPREDICTABLE. (TRANSMISSION ISSUE AFTER THREE SERVICES IN THE FIRST YEAR) SERVICE SECRETARY/MANAGER ARGUES THAT AUTOMOBILE IS FINE WITHOUT TEST DRIVING. MECHANIC JOINED IN TEST DRIVE AND QUICKLY NOTED THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS YET FIX WAS ONLY TEMPORARY. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE VEHICAL'S CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED WHEN A GEAR BOX FAILURE OCCURED (THIS WAS THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED BY THE CAR), THEREFORE RESULTING IN THE CAR STALLING WHILE GOING APPROX 55MPH. THE CAR WAS THEN STUCK IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICAL THAT FAILED TO NOTICE MY VEHICAL SLOWING. I ALSO EXPRIEN…
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WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE VEHICAL'S CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED WHEN A GEAR BOX FAILURE OCCURED (THIS WAS THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED BY THE CAR), THEREFORE RESULTING IN THE CAR STALLING WHILE GOING APPROX 55MPH. THE CAR WAS THEN STUCK IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICAL THAT FAILED TO NOTICE MY VEHICAL SLOWING. I ALSO EXPRIENCED A FUEL GAGE EROOR ON 2/13/04 THE FUEL BOX WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. ALL INFORMATION IS STORED IN ONBOARD COMPUTER.
THIS IS NOW THE 3RD OCCASSION OF APPARENT TRANSMISSION SURGES WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED. AFTER PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR WHILE PASSING ANOTHER CAR, THE ENGINE RPM SHOT UP TO 9000, WHILE TO CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE CAUSING A NEAR COLLISION. THE PRIOR 2 OCCURENCES WERE WHILE DRIVING AT 40-50MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTS W…
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THIS IS NOW THE 3RD OCCASSION OF APPARENT TRANSMISSION SURGES WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED. AFTER PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR WHILE PASSING ANOTHER CAR, THE ENGINE RPM SHOT UP TO 9000, WHILE TO CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE CAUSING A NEAR COLLISION. THE PRIOR 2 OCCURENCES WERE WHILE DRIVING AT 40-50MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTS WITH A GRINDING NOISE AND A CLUNK FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.*AK
I PULLED INTP A SLOT ON A PARKING DECK. WHEN I TRIED TO CHANGE THE GEAR TO PARK THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD CRASHING INTO A RETAINING WALL. IT WAS PUSHING AGAINST THE WALL SO HARD I WAS AFRAID I WOULD GO THROUGH THE WALL OR OVER THE WALL. I WAS ON THE SECOND LEVEL OF THE DECK. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT SPED BACKWARD AND STRUCK…
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I PULLED INTP A SLOT ON A PARKING DECK. WHEN I TRIED TO CHANGE THE GEAR TO PARK THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD CRASHING INTO A RETAINING WALL. IT WAS PUSHING AGAINST THE WALL SO HARD I WAS AFRAID I WOULD GO THROUGH THE WALL OR OVER THE WALL. I WAS ON THE SECOND LEVEL OF THE DECK. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT SPED BACKWARD AND STRUCK A CAR PARKED BEHIND ME. IT THEN CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE WALL SPUN AROUND AND CRASHED THE DRIVERS DOOR INTO A CONCRETE PILLER IT THEN STRAIGHTENED UP AND SPED STRAIGHT BACKWARD CRASHING INTO A 4 FT HIGH WALL WHERE THE ENGINE CUT OFF.*AK
Official recalls
204V487000 · Parking Brake
Oct 7, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH LHD MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, THE HAND BRAKE, WHICH APPLIES THE PARKING BRAKE, MAY NOT APPLY SUFFICIENT PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PADS TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING IF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS LEFT IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE AUTOMATIC ADJUSTER WITHIN THE HAND BRAKE MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY CAUSING THE HAND BRAKE LEVER TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE RECOMMENDED RANGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE TRAVELS OUTSIDE THE RECOMMENDED RANGE, THE VEHICLE MAY ROLL AWAY AND A CRASH MAY OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENT HAND BRAKE LEVER SYSTEM ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH A MANUAL HAND BRAKE LEVER SYSTEM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 14, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT JAGUAR AT 1-800-452-4827.
03V011000 · Exterior Lighting:turn Signal
Jan 16, 2003
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER SEDANS, THE POWER CIRCUIT WHICH FEEDS THE DIRECTION INDICATOR SYSTEM COULD FAIL. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE DRIVER BEING UNAWARE THAT THE EXTERNAL TURNING INDICATORS ARE NOT OPERATING BECAUSE THE INTERNAL "TELL-TAIL" LIGHT ON THE DRIVER'S INSTRUMENT PANEL CONTINUES TO WORK NORMALLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE LOSS OF REAR TURN SIGNALS COULD FAIL TO WARN A FOLLOWING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE IS TURNING AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GENERAL ELECTRIC MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 1, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT JAGUAR AT 1-201-818-8500.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.