If this engine is allowed to severely overheat, the cylinder bores will suffer damage, resulting in excessive engine oil consumption.
Resources for the Repair and Maintenance of your Jaguar Vanden Plas
Jaguar Vanden Plas Models:
Jaguar Vanden Plas Problems
Exterior Door Handles May Break
The exterior door handles are of poor quality; they frequently break or do not offer enough leverage to open the door from the outside.
Retrofit kit available to replace problematic self-leveling suspension
The rear self-leveling suspension is problematic and very expensive to repair. A retrofit kit is available to convert this suspension back to conventional shock absorbers and springs.
Rattling Noise Due to Failed Upper Front Shock Bushings
The upper bushings on the front shock absorbers are prone to failure and may produce a rattling/jingling noise as the car is driven over bumps.
Brake Pedal Stiff Due to Failed ABS Accumulator
The brake pressure accumulator, a component of the antilock brake system, frequently fails. This may cause a stiff brake pedal, forcing the driver to apply excess pedal pressure to slow down or stop the vehicle.
Jaguar Vanden Plas Recalls (Recent)
Jaguar Vanden Plas Recall 93V179000
Summary: THE NORMAL LOCKUP FUNCTION OF THE AUTOMATIC (PASSIVE) BELT REEL CAN CAUSE THE BELT MOTOR WINCH ASSEMBLY TO LOCKUP SUCH THAT THE PASSIVE BELT SYSTEM WILL NOT DEPLOY/FUNCTION OR GETS STUCK AT VARIOUS POINTS ALONG THE TRACK CAUSING THE KINKING OR BREAKING OF ITS CABLE OR DETACHMENT OF THE TONGUE.
Learn more »Jaguar Vanden Plas Recall 89V235000
Summary: HEAD OF REAR CALIPER FIXING BOLT COULD BREAK OFF, LEAVING ONLY BOLT SHANK IN PLACE.
Learn more »Jaguar Vanden Plas Questions and Answers
The car will stall out after an hour of driving if the temperature is above 85 degrees. doesn't happen on cooler days. After about 2 hours, it will start again.
My suspicion is vapor lock fr...
What is the relative cost difference of buying a rebuilt transmission for 1987 jaguar Vanden Plas and paying for installation versus complete repair of shot transmission.
heater blower motor does not seem to work on any setting. i turn on the defrost and the blower motor comes on sometimes for about 20-30seconds. whats my problem and what can i do to fix it to gain ...
I was thinking af purchasing a 1989 XJ6 VandenPlas. I was told that the brakes don't work. There is fluid in the lines, and the wheels were removed and everything looks ok. Any ideas?
How do you remove and replace the front door seals on a 1991 Jaguar Vanden Plas?
Jaguar Vanden Plas Reviews
I bought this car used with around 40K miles on it - so I was the second owner. I really loved this car, it’s sleek, fast, comfortable, and you feel like the Queen of England when you drive down the road in it (mine was emerald green – the color of money ;-)). The real problem is that you love the car so much you don’t know when to get rid of it – I thought I would keep it until it was an antique because they don’t make this body style anymore and it is so beautiful. When I got the car I had an extended warranty on the car to 90K miles – it was covered bumper to bumper. As I approached the 90K miles I kept getting notices to extend my warranty, but the car ran so great I was like “what in the world could possibly go wrong?” Needless to say, I did not renew the warranty and right as the car clicked to 100K miles, it was like a red flag went up and said – “okay, it’s time to break down.” The first thing to go was the transmission, the dealer wanted to charge me 10K to replace it, so I looked for another mechanic who charged me $5,500 and the car still looked great but it never ran the same. I now felt like Miss Daisy, the car had NO pickup. Not sure if this would have been different had I used the Jag dealer… two months later I had some belt go out and it cost me $2,500 – but at this point I found a really good Jag mechanic… within a year after the transmission went out I had spent over 10K on fixing things in that car and it finally ran great again – but still slower due to that transmission. But I was happy, and then a couple of years ago, one night I was driving down the George Washington Parkway and it was raining and there was a tree that had broken and fallen on the road, I swerved to miss it, lost control of the car, and ended up going into the forest towards the Potomac River, hit 3 or 4 trees head on, and finally a 4 foot boulder stopped the car. Needless to say, that was the end of that car – but I walked away from that accident with just a few bruises. I still miss that car, and I question if I would have survived that crash in another car. But I doubt I will ever buy that car again.
So, my biggest recommendation for this car is 1) get the extended warranty if you can, 2) once the warranty expires (or sooner), get a really good Jag mechanic (not the dealer, they are too expensive), 3) don’t buy the car if you can’t afford to fix it all the time – even with a good mechanic, it is still costly, and 4) don’t fall in love with a car.
Love this automobile. 77k and not much wrong.
This car is 16 years old and we are the second owners. We have replaced outer door handles for less than $40.00 and the headliner was $250.00. Recently replaced the fuel pump with filter and that was less than $125.00. It is a good ride. Comfortable ride and we just love it.. Dee Dee
The car is now eleven years old with 60,000 miles and, contrary to what one is led to believe, operating problems and costs have been small. The head liner let go, which I understand is common, and was replaced at about $1,000. The interior rear view mirror exploded spontaneously on a hot day and was replaced at about $400. Otherwise, the car runs and stops as new, appears as beautiful as it first did, and is as quiet as ever. All of that, and the lightly used Vanden Plas has depreciated to close to zero in the marketplace. Lovely car. A pleasure to own.