NHTSA Complaint #10202119 — 1999 JAGUAR XK8

I OWN A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. ON AUGUST 8TH I WAS RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN HYDRAULIC FLUID STARTED TO POUR FROM THE OVERHEAD NEAR THE INTERNAL LIGHTS. THE HYDRAULIC LINES WHICH FEED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP RUPTURED; MY CAR HAS ONLY 62,000 MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED JAGUAR TO LODGE A COMPLAINT. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUCH EVENTS OCCURRING IN THE XK8 MODEL. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER SERVICE THEY HAD A READY PRICE TO FIX THE ITEM. ACCORDINGLY IN THE BAY AT THE TIME WERE 3 OTHER OWNERS WHO WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS WELL OF 2500 DOLLARS NOT INCLUDING REPLACING SEATS AND ELECTRONICS OR MY CLOTHES AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER ME. JAGUAR TAKES NO CULPABILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE TOP WERE DOWN THE HYDRAULIC SPRAY COULD HAVE BLOWN IN TO MY EYES AND CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT DUE TO MY INABILITY TO SEE. THUS AFTER NUMEROUS LETTERS JAGUAR HAS NOT ACCEPTED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS OBVIOUS AS A DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE RETAINED THE RUPTURED HYDRAULIC LINES AND THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THIS IS A RECALL ITEM. *TR