Jaguar S-Type Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2000 draws 3.52 complaints per run and the 2002 1.2, a 2.9-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 68.8% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Power Train, with 72 complaints, typically at 5.6 years.

Jaguar S-Type years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Jaguar S-Type — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2008	1.5	6	4	yes
2007	1	4	4	yes
2006	1.27	14	11	yes
2005	2.89	78	27	yes
2004	1.46	19	13	yes
2003	2.3	85	37	yes
2002	1.2	18	15	yes
2001	2.17	63	29	yes
2000	3.52	102	29	yes

ROWS 9·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2000 S-Type asks a median $4,995, against $1,750 for a 2001, the next model year: 185% more, so the price shows no discount for its complaint record.

Among the 5 Jaguar S-Type years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2000, 2005, 2003; the three worth hunting are 2002, 2001, 2003.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Jaguar S-Type — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	32	9.2%	covered
1 year	21	15.3%	covered
2 years	16	19.9%	covered
3 years	39	31.2%	covered
4 years	29	39.6%	you pay
5 years	45	52.6%	you pay
6 years	32	61.8%	you pay
7 years	32	71.1%	you pay
8 years	11	74.3%	you pay
9 years	18	79.5%	you pay
10 years	19	85%	you pay
11 years	11	88.2%	you pay
12 years	16	92.8%	you pay
13 years	9	95.4%	you pay
14 years	4	96.5%	you pay
15 years	12	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 31.2% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 68.8% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 28% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Jaguar S-Type, the early trouble is Engine And Engine Cooling — reported at around 3.9 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Power Train at 5.6 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Jaguar S-Type — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Power Train	72	5.6 yrs	3	—
Suspension	53	6.7 yrs	1	1
Service Brakes	49	6.7 yrs	8	—
Electrical System	40	5.1 yrs	5	3
Engine And Engine Cooling	36	3.9 yrs	2	2
Vehicle Speed Control	32	4.7 yrs	13	—
Fuel System	32	6.5 yrs	2	1
Gasoline	30	6.4 yrs	2	1

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the S-Type's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 2.37 for the S-Type. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Jaguar S-Type — rivals in the same class
Same class as the S-Type	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Honda Accord	24,369	415	1981–2026
Dodge Challenger	1,696	77	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Jaguar S-Type

Recalls25 campaigns Fuel economy20 mpg best Common problems521 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space12 cu ft Used prices155 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2000–2008

Frequently asked questions

Is the Jaguar S-Type reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.37 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which S-Type years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2000, 2005, 2003. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2002, 2001, 2003. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do S-Type problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Power Train, typically at 5.6 years, followed by Suspension.

Will the warranty cover S-Type problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 31.2% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 28% of the complaints here.

Is the S-Type more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 2.37 complaints per production run for the S-Type against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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