NHTSA Complaint #10349940 — 2003 JAGUAR X-TYPE

EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE FAILURE. APPROX 2 YEARS AGO, WE VISITED FRIENDS FOR DINNER. I PARKED MY CAR IN THEIR SHORT, REASONABLY STEEP DRIVEWAY. AFTER DINNER, AND WHEN WE WERE GETTING READY TO LEAVE, MY WIFE GOT INTO THE VEHICLE AND I WAS SAYING GOOD NIGHT TO OUR HOSTS, WHEN THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER GUEST'S VEHICLE THAT HAD PARKED BEHIND US. THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE WAS FULLY ENGAGED AT THE TIME, BUT WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS. I HAD A $500 DAMAGE PAYMENT TO THE OTHER VEHICLE. NO DAMAGE TO THE JAG AND NO ONE WAS HURT IN THIS INCIDENT. I HAVE FOUND THAT EVEN PULLING AS HARD AS POSSIBLE ON THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE, DOES NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE ON ANY TYPE OF INCLINE. WE HAVE TO ENGAGE THE GEARS (MANUAL MODEL) TO PREVENT A SIMILAR INCIDENT. *TR