Most common 2004 Jaguar S-Type problems
Share of the 25 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Jaguar S-Type complaints by model year
Best S-Type years: 2008, 2007, 2006. Years to avoid: 2000, 2003, 2001, 2005. Compare all years →
2004 Jaguar S-Type recalls (3)
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, "passenger car brake system." the brake fluid master cylinder reservoir is recessed and oriented in the engine compartment beneath a leaf screen, such that the brake fluid warning statement embossed on the top of…
Remedy: Owners will be sent letters which will include installation instructions and labels containing the required warning statement. If they prefer, owners May contact dealers to have them install the labels.
Parking brake
On certain passenger vehicles, the electronic park brake module, which controls the application of the parking brake, May unintentionally apply the parking brake without any indication or warning to the driver.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the electronic park brake module with the latest production lever parts. The recall began on January 15, 2005. Owners should contact Jaguar at 1-800-452-4827.
Power train › Automatic transmission
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions, with the forward drive gear selected and the vehicle stationary or in a forward motion, the gearbox could potentially select reverse gear, without indication.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the transmission control module. The recall began on May 1, 2004. Owners should contact Jaguar at 1-201-818-8500.
What 2004 Jaguar S-Type owners say
Brakes
Tl contact owns a 2004 Jaguar s-Type. The contact stated that there was a massive anti-freeze leak in the vehicle. The dealer discovered that the radiator was cracked. An independent mechanic repaired the radiator and found that most of the components under the hood were not Jaguar parts. The parts were Jeep, Chevrolet, and other brands. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the vehicle was previously involved in two major crashes. On a separate occasion, the contact found holes in the radiator hoses. In addition, the water pump was cracked and needed to be replaced. Later, while driving less than 35 MPH, the brakes failed. A police officer flagged her down and informed her that smoke and sparks were coming from the rear driver's side tire. The independent mechanic stated that the caliper failed. The system would not accept the VIN provided. …
This vehicle has issues with the automatic transmission, the transmission is not responding properly to the computer and needs to be reprogrammed in this model, also the parking brakes do get mixed up and if you put the gear control in drive it goes into reverse and the parking brake default light and transmission default light is on, my vehicle malfunctioned with the parking brake while I was in the parking lot and leaving to go home I place it in drive and it jumped into reverse....very dangerous and almost caused an accident and the transmission default happened when the vehicle was in drive and would not accelerate in speed or even go properly at all
Transmission & drivetrain
While on the expressway while coming to a stop my car switched into reverse on its own while it was in the drive.the car began to drive backwards almost causing a major crash on i64 east in virginia. This nearly resulted in me losing my life as well as passengers and other drivers. The car also has an automatic parking lock engaging error which locked my entire car and prevented me from driving. This also occurred and nearly a week ago in drive thru a week ago. While in the drive thru the car locked in park and would not allow me to drive. Unfortunately, I had to pay to have my car towed from a mcdonalds drive thru around 2:00 am due to the parking lock error. Also there is an issue with the transmission that does not allow the car to catch. This I believe is the reason the car is able to slip gears in to reverse which is very dangerous. …
This vehicle has issues with the automatic transmission, the transmission is not responding properly to the computer and needs to be reprogrammed in this model, also the parking brakes do get mixed up and if you put the gear control in drive it goes into reverse and the parking brake default light and transmission default light is on, my vehicle malfunctioned with the parking brake while I was in the parking lot and leaving to go home I place it in drive and it jumped into reverse....very dangerous and almost caused an accident and the transmission default happened when the vehicle was in drive and would not accelerate in speed or even go properly at all
Engine & cooling
Tl contact owns a 2004 Jaguar s-Type. The contact stated that there was a massive anti-freeze leak in the vehicle. The dealer discovered that the radiator was cracked. An independent mechanic repaired the radiator and found that most of the components under the hood were not Jaguar parts. The parts were Jeep, Chevrolet, and other brands. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the vehicle was previously involved in two major crashes. On a separate occasion, the contact found holes in the radiator hoses. In addition, the water pump was cracked and needed to be replaced. Later, while driving less than 35 MPH, the brakes failed. A police officer flagged her down and informed her that smoke and sparks were coming from the rear driver's side tire. The independent mechanic stated that the caliper failed. The system would not accept the VIN provided. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Jaguar s-Type. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the transmission failed to shift up and the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to be restarted the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering column and transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. Updated 05/10/17 updated 05/18/2017
2004 Jaguar S-Type engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
| 4.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 25 / 19 |
| 4.2L 8-cyl supercharged | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Jaguar S-Type a good car?
Based on 25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 S-Type rates average: 35% fewer complaints than a typical year of the S-Type at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Jaguar S-Type?
The brakes — 8 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › control unit/module. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (7) and engine & cooling (6).
How many recalls does the 2004 Jaguar S-Type have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2004 Jaguar S-Type, the most recent from October 14, 2004 (labels). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Jaguar S-Type?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2007 and 2006. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 2003, 2001 and 2005. See the full Jaguar S-Type years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Jaguar S-Type problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 49,000 miles; 55% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.