Jaguar recalls vehicles with damaged headlights

Mahwah, N.J. – May 25, 2017 – Jaguar Land Rover North America has recalled a number of vehicles with defective headlights. The campaign affects Jaguar F-Type sports cars with highline headlights manufactured between March 9 and April 18, 2017, according to documentation filed with National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The automaker estimates that 100 percent of the vehicles named in the recall contain this defective part.

The defect

Vehicles named in the campaign are equipped with lighting systems that do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, which stipulates that automobiles of all makes must include interior indicators to alert drivers when vehicle turn signals and headlight bulbs are damaged or in need of replacement, according to the Government Publishing Office. The turning signals and headlights installed on the Jaguar F-Type sports cars associated with the recall continue to function normally and offer warning even as essential lighting components quickly wane. This could increase the likelihood of an accident, as the driver may suddenly lose exterior lighting fixtures essential to safe operation. However, no accidents or injuries have yet been connected to this defect.

Timeline of events

The Jaguar Land Rover Product Safety and Compliance Committee launched an investigation May 9, 2017 following a post-production test in which the signal light failure indicator on one car failed to trigger, despite the presence of an inoperable lighting fixture. Engineers evaluated the result and discovered that a lighting assembly from German parts provider Automotive Lighting Reutlingen GmbH was the root cause. The engineers reported this discovery to the PSCC May 16, which forwarded the case to the Recall Determination Committee. This body reviewed all of the available information on the possible defect two days later and determined that the lighting assembly did not comply with FMVSS Standard 108. The RDC then called for a voluntary recall, and the automaker notified dealers June 1.

The solution

Jaguar Land Rover has ordered dealers to update the software in the affected vehicles to reactivate interior warning indicators. This work is to be done free of charge. Additionally, the company plans to reach out to owners on or before July 17 via mail. Check and see if your car is one of them using Motorsafety.org’s free recall lookup tool.

MotorSafety.orgJaguar recalls vehicles with damaged headlights