NHTSA Complaint #10367794 — 2006 JAGUAR S-TYPE

I HAVE A JAGUAR WHOSE FRONT LEAPER ON THE HOOD HAS FALLEN OFF DUE TO THE WIRES RUSTING BECAUSE WATER ACCUMULATES IN IT, THEN IT ULTIMATELY COMES UNDONE AND FALLS OFF DUE TO THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE RUSTY WIRING THAT HOLDS THE LEAPER ONTO THE HOOD. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT. THE LEAPER IS A HEAVY PIECE OF METAL AND COULD DO DAMAGE TO VEHICLES THAT MAY BE TRAVELING BEHIND OR TO THE OWNER?S VEHICLE ITSELF SHOULD THIS COME OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL JAGUAR DEALERSHIP TO ADVISE THE SERVICE MANAGER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE HAD THIS OCCUR IN THE PAST BUT THERE IS NO MANUFACTURE FIX OR RECALL KNOWN, JUST PARTS FROM HARDWARE STORE THAT THEY USE TO REATTACH THE LEAPER ON THE HOOD. HOWEVER, THEY WOULD RE AFFIX IF MY CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE CAR IS BARELY JUST OVER WARRANTY PERIOD. EVEN IF THEY DO REAFFIX THE LEAPER, IT IS NOT WITH JAGUAR PARTS AND VIBRATION COULD LOOSEN THE NUT, WHERE IT AGAIN MAY COME OFF. THE LEAPER ALSO CAME OFF ON ANOTHER JAGUAR WE OWNED AS WELL, BUT WE WERE NOT SURE WHERE IT WAS LOST - ON ROADWAY OR HIGHWAY. I AN CONCERNED THAT THE LEAPER COMING OFF COULD BECOME A REAL SAFETY ISSUE IF THIS OCCURS AT HIGH SPEEDS ANY TIME ON THE HIGHWAY. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I NOTICE THE NEWER JAGUAR MODELS NO LONGER HAVE THE STANDING LEAPER ON THE FRONT OF THE HOODS, BUT HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY AN EMBLEM DESIGN. PERHAPS JAGUAR KNOWS ABOUT THE LEAPER COMING UNDONE AND THEY HAVE RE-DESIGNED. HOWEVER, WHAT OF THE CARS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE THE LEAPER ON THE HOOD? *TR