RoadVitals

1998 Jaguar XJ8 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Jan 30, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
13%
of 83 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Jaguar XJ8 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 30, 2016

TAKATA RECALL TRANSMISSION FAULT LIGHT LIGHTS IS ON INSTRUMENT LIGHTS GO BLANK TRANSMISSION GOES CLUNK IN AND EITHER REVERSE OR DRIVE

NHTSA ID
10823225
Incident
Jan 27, 2016
Mileage
68,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Sep 14, 2005

OVER THE PAST SIX (6) MONTHS, THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 4 TIMES. HAD TO DRIFT ONTO THE SHOULDER, PUT VEHICLE IN PARK TO START CAR AGAIN. THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE ON AN INTERSTATE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 50 AND ABOVE HAVING TO DRIFT ACROSS LANES WITH ABSOLUTELY NO POWER. AS OF THIS PAST WEEKEND, I STARTED THE CAR, THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR WAS MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE AND ONCE AGAIN THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON. THE NOISE SOUNDED AS IF SOMETHING WAS LOOSE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CAR SOUNDED SO HORRIBLE, I HAD IT TOWED VERSUS DRIVING IT TO THE SHOP. I GOT THE BAD NEWS THAT THE ENGINE HAS NO COMPRESSION AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC HAS NO IDEA WHAT WENT CAUSED THIS. I WILL HAVE TO GET ANOTHER ENGINE OR LET THE MECHANIC BREAK THE CURRENT ENGINE DOWN TO SEE WHAT PARTS CAN BE RE-USED. I READ ON ANOTHER WEBSITE THAT A FEW PEOPLE HAD TO HAVE ENGINES REPLACED ON THE 1998 JAGUARS FOR NO APPARENT CAUSE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND NO FAULT OF MINE. I HAVE KEPT UP THE MAINTENANCE. I FOUND THIS LINK WHICH SUGGESTS POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSES HTTP://WWW.JAGSERVICE.NET/JAGUAR_V8_SECONDARY_TENSIONERS.HTM. *NM

NHTSA ID
10136512
Incident
Sep 10, 2005
Mileage
67,700 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 21, 2004

CAR STALLED AT HIGH SPEEDS FROM 44,000 UNTIL TRADE-IN ON SEPT 4 AT 69,000 MILES. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS EVER HURT. HOWEVER, WE HAD EXPECTED TO KEEP THE CAR FOR LONGER AS WE DID OUR LAST CAR OF OVER 100,000. WE KEPT TAKING IT BACK TO JAGUAR BUT THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM BUT THE THROTTLE JUST NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THEY EVEN TAUGHT MY HUSBAND HOW TO CLEAN THE THROTTLE. DURING THE LAST 6 MONTHS WE HAD THE CAR, WE HAD IT TO THE JAGUAR DEALER AND TWO OTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR PLACES TO TRY TO FIX THE STALLING. NO ONE WAS ABLE TO FIX IT. AFTER TWO MORE VERY BAD SCARES OF STALLING AT HIGH SPEEDS IN TWO DAYS, WE FELT WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO GET RID OF IT BEFORE WE (AND OTHERS) WERE IN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS LATER WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A THROTTLE PROBLEM WITH OUR JAGUAR THAT CAUSED CARS TO STALL AT HIGH SPEEDS AND THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR IT. WE ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL THE REPAIRS. JAGUAR SAID SOME WERE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND THE OTHERS WERE PERFORMED AT INDEPENDENT REPAIR CENTERS SO NOT COVERED. WE THINK THEY SHOULD NOT ONLY PAY OUR BILLS FOR TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT ALSO SHOULD COMPENSATE US FOR HAVING TO TRADE THE CAR IN EARLY WHEN THEY KNEW THE PROBLEM EXISTED BUT HAD NOT TRIED TO FIX IT FOR US OR OTHERS HAVING OUR MODEL.

NHTSA ID
10096181
Incident
Sep 1, 2004
Mileage
69,000 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Jun 7, 2004

CAR HAS STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE TRAVELING APPROX. 65 MPH. THE CAR HAS BEEN INTO THE WHITE ALLEN JAGUAR DEALERSHIP IN DAYTON OHIO AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ISOLATE THE ISSUE. ALTHOUGH, I HAVE PAID THEM ON EACH OCCASION TO CLEAN OUT THE THROTTLE BODY SCREEN. THIS PAST WEKEND I WAS ON I-75 IN CINCINNATI AND IT STALLED NEARLY CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHEN I HAD TO TRAIL ACROSS 4 LANES TO REACH THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO PULL OFF. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. IT WAS A HORRENDOUSLY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE BY JAGUAR TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE RATHER WIDESPREAD AND OF SERIOUS DANGER TO THE OWNER AND OTHERS ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME THE CAR STALLS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10074913
Incident
Jun 5, 2004
Mileage
65 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 30, 2004

CAR STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE ON A BRIDGE. NEED TO TURN IGNITION SWITCH OFF TO RESTART. TO DO THIS YOU EITHER HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND COAST WHILE TURNING VEHICLE OFF THEN BACK ON, OR YOU NEED TO PULL OFF ROAD AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO TURN VEHICLE OFF THEN ON. (HARD TO DO WHILE ON BRIDGE WITH NO SHOULDER) . *AK

NHTSA ID
10064162
Incident
Mar 27, 2004
Mileage
54,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 4, 2003

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE ENGINE STALLINGS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *MR ON MANY OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FELT AS IF THE FUEL HAD BEEN SHUT OFF. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AND PERFORMED TSB # 310-05. THE EMS RELAY WAS REPLACED, FUEL INJECTION RELAY, THROTTLE MOTOR RELAY, IGNITION COIL RELAY, STARTER RELAY, FUEL PUMP RELAY AND BOTH IGNITION POSITIVE. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10046667
Incident
Apr 1, 2001
Mileage
32,328 mi
Electrical
Filed May 23, 2003

THE 1998 XJ8 WHILE AT HIGHWAY / INTERSTATE SPEED 55 AND UP HAS GONE INTO LIMP OR STALL MODE AT RANDOM (6 TIMES IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS) EXPOSING THE OCCUPTANTS TO SEVERE TRAFFIC HAZARDS FROM FAST MOVING VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE COAST TO A STANDSTILL AND MUST BE PUT IN PARK TO RESTART. THE JAGUAR DEALER HAS CHANGED OUT PARTS BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. MANY 1998 JAGUAR OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS MAY 18, 2003

NHTSA ID
10019176
Incident
Dec 10, 2002
Mileage
32,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 20, 2003

WE HAVE HAD REPEATED COMPLETE POWER FAILURES WHILE DRIVING OUR JAGUAR XJ8 - 1998. THE POWER FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVE CAUSED US TO PULL OVER TO EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE LANES. HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP: APRIL 2001 - COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM IN THE SHOP, BUT REPLACED THE ECM. JUNE 2001 - THROTTLE WAS ADJUSTED AND THEY REPLACED 4 RELAYS. JAN2002 - REPLACED A STUCK THERMOSTAT AND CLEANED THE GASKETS. MAY 2002 - THEY DROVE THE CAR 181 MILES TO REPLICATE, CLEANED ALL PARTS AND REPLACED THE CED SENSOR. CAR RETURNED TO SERVICE CENTER ON 12/17/02 FOR SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10003024
Incident
Apr 1, 2001
Electrical
Filed Nov 15, 2002

THIS IS THE 6TH TIME THIS CAR HAS STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. PRIOR SUBMITTAL HAVE BEEN MADE TO NHTSA (SEE ODI 74783 AND 76465). I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I CANNOT ALLOW MY WIFE TO DRIVE THE CAR. JAGUAR HAS MADE 5 ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BUT HAS FAILED EACH TIME. ON AVERAGE I HAVE SUFFERED THIS SAFETY RELATED FAILURE ON AVERAGE, EVERY 261 DAYS!**** DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****769759. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
10008569
Incident
Nov 14, 2002
Mileage
29,960 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 17, 2002
Fire reported

BATTERY EXPLODED, FILLED TRUNK WITH SMOKE, BLEW ELECTRICAL COVERS OFF OF FUSE AND RELAY BLOCKS WHICH ARE LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE BATTERY UNDER THE FLOOR OF THE TRUNK..EXPLODED WHEN TURNED IGNITION KEY TO START CAR--VERY VIOLENT--IF TRUNK HAD BEEN OPEN, ACID WOULD HAVE COVERED ANYONE NEARBY. BETTER SHIELDING OF THE BATTERY NEEDS TO BE UNDERTAKEN.*AK

NHTSA ID
756982
Incident
Jan 10, 2002
Electrical
Filed Jun 30, 2000

I HAVE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED BY TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME DEFECTS WHICH STILL REMAIN. THE DRIVERS ELECTRIC SEAT OCCASIONALLY MOVES BOTH FORWARD AND BACK WHILE DRIVING MOVING YOU EITHER AWAY FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL OR INTO THE DASH. THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH IS TIED INTO THE SAME SYSTEM SOMETIMES REFUSES TO MOVE OUT OF ITS RETRACTED POSITION AGAINST THE DASHBOARD. ADDITIONALLY, THE REAR DOORS WON'T OPEN AT ALL UNLESS THE DRIVER FIRST OPENS THEIR OWN DOOR OR HITS A CENTRAL RELEASE BUTTON PRIOR TO EITHER REAR PASSENGER TOUCHING THEIR INTERIOR HANDLES. UP UNTIL NOW THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN TRYING TO REPAIR THIS SITUATION BUT HAS NOW CHANGED THEIR POSITION TO BEING "IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK THAT WAY". THIS CREATES A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION IN THE EVENT OF A FRONT END COLLISION WHERE THE DRIVER IS EITHER RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS OR THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS. IN EITHER CASE THE REAR SEAT PASSENGERS ARE TRAPPED IN A POTENTIALLY BURNING VEHICLE. IT ALSO CREATES A VERY INCONVENIENT SITUATION EVERY TIME A REAR PASSENGER TRIES TO GET OUT BEFORE THE DRIVER. IN THOSE INSTANCES, THE CAR MUST BE SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES TO RESET THE SYSTEM BEFORE THE REAR DOORS CAN BE OPENED EVEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID
724795
Incident
Jul 13, 1999

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .