2004 Jaguar XJ8 Suspension Problems

THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WITH ONLY 54,000 MILES ON THIS JAGUAR, THAT IS NOT NORMAL AS I HAVE OWNED JAGUAR CARS FOR 3 DECADES. ALSO THE AIR SUSPENSION FAILURE OCCURRED AT 55,000 MILES WHICH IS THE CURRENT MILEAGE AND THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR TWO WEEKS WITHOUT ANY MOVEMENTS. THIS VEHICLE DRIVES LESS THAN 3000 MILES A YEAR NOW AND I'M SUPER DISAPPOINTED IN THIS FACTOR WHERE AS MY WIFE'S MERCEDES S500 WITH 139,000 MILES ON IT HAS NO ISSUES ON IT AT ALL.

NHTSA ID

11181222

Incident

Feb 11, 2019

Mileage

55,968 mi

SUSPENSION FAULT LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR DROPS DOWN,CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AND CAUSE A ACCIDENT,THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY JAGUAR

NHTSA ID

11056026

Incident

Dec 20, 2017

Mileage

30,800 mi

I HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL THAT I CAN'T DRIVE BECAUSE OF SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. VEHICLE TOO LOW AND SUSPENSION FAULT WARNINGS CAME ON. YOU'D THINK BY NOW THAT JAGUAR WOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE VEHICLES AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. I CANNOT BELIVE A CAR THAT COSTS THIS MUCH HAS SUCH PROBLEMS. MY GM TRUCK WITH OVER 300,000 MILES - I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW - DOESN'T HAVE NEARLY THE AMOUNT OF ISSUES THIS JAG DOES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10644848

Incident

Jun 11, 2013

Mileage

78,000 mi

JUST RIDING AROUND THE CITY (MACON, GA) AND THE VEHICLE LOW LIGHT CAME ON. WENT OUT AFTER A WHILE SO DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT IT. THE NEXT MORNING NOTICED THE FRONT END WAS LOW. STARTED THE CAR AND THE VEHICLE LOW LIGHT WAS ON AND AFTER THAT THE AIR SUSPENSION FAULT LIGHT CAME ON. THESE TWO LIGHTS KEPT FLASHING ONE AFTER THE OTHER. TOOK VEHICLE TO AN IMPORT REPAIR FACILITY..NO JAGUAR DEALERS NEAR. WAS QUOTED AIR SHOCK REPLACEMENT/ INSTALL FOR ABOUT 2500 DOLLARS. SO I ORDERED THE EXACT SAME PART ONLINE AND HAD THEM INSTALLED FOR HALF THAT AMOUNT. EXACTLY ONE MONTH LATER A FEW DAYS AGO..THE SAME LIGHTS ARE ON AGAIN AND THE FRONT END IS ONCE AGAIN TOO LOW TO DRIVE. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW, NO JAGUAR DEALER NEAR AND CAN'T BELIEVE A LUXURY CAR APPARENTLY HAS AN INHERENT PROBLEM THAT JAGUAR HASN'T RECALLED. VERY FRUSTRATING NOT BEING ABLE TO DRIVE THIS BEAUTY..!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10629169

Incident

Jul 3, 2014

Mileage

94,500 mi

THE VEHICLE TOO LOW SIGN APPEARS, AS WELL AS, AIR SUSPENSION FAULT SIGN. THE CAR IS LOW AND DIFFICULT TO HANDLE AND THE RIDE IS VERY ROUGH. *JB

NHTSA ID

10542081

Incident

Sep 1, 2013

Mileage

52,000 mi

VEHICLE LIGHT COMES ON INDICATING "LOW SUSPENSION". THE SITS NEARLY GROUND LEVEL, RIDES HORRIBLY. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR. SPENT OVER $4,500.00 (6 DAYS WITHOUT MY CAR) FOR PARTS AND LABOR FOR REPAIRS AND THE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. I AM AT LOSS AND FRUSTRATED TO NO END!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10498528

Incident

Jan 8, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED STATING THAT THE AIR SUSPENSION WAS AT HALTS AND THE SUSPENSION LOWERED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR COMPRESSOR HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS LOOKING INTO THE MATTER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 49,900.

NHTSA ID

10493724

Incident

Dec 1, 2012

Mileage

49,900 mi

TOOK VEHICLE OUT TO FUEL UP AND DROVE HIGHWAY TO OTHER LOCATIONS. NOTICED IT WAS SLIGHTLY LOWER ON THE RIGHT PRIOR TO TAKING IT OUT. VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE ON RIGHT SIDE LIKE TIRE WAS GETTING LOW. I HAD TIRE CHECKED FOR ANY LEAKS AND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. ON MY WAY BACK HOME THINGS GOT WORSE AND HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO NEARLY A CRAWL. LIGHT INDICATOR STATED THAT CAR WAS TOO LOW (NEARLY DRAGGING THE GROUND) AND THE SUSPENSION FAULT INDICATOR CAME ON SHORTLY THEREAFTER. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT BACK TO MY GARAGE WITHOUT ANY DISASTROUS RESULTS TO MYSELF OR THE VEHICLE. I THINK IT IS INCREDIBLE THAT A $90,000 CAR OF THIS CALIBER , WITH ONLY 50,000 MILES ON IT HAS NO CREDIBLE VALUE TO IT AT ALL! THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS VEHICLE. THE REPAIR COST IS WELL INTO THE 3 TO 4 THOUSAND DOLLAR RANGE. I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10478587

Incident

Oct 2, 2012

Mileage

59,759 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 40 MPH WHEN THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO BOUNCE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE AIR SUSPENSION AND VEHICLE TOO LOW WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR AIR BAGS FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 100,400.

NHTSA ID

10470755

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

100,400 mi

I REPLACED THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM 2 YEARS AGO WHEN I LIVED IN GEORGIA BECAUSE I KEPT GETTING A MESSAGE THAT SAID THE VEHICLE WAS TOO LOW. I'VE SINCE MOVED TO THE NORTHEAST AND EVERYTIME THE TEMPERATURE GETS BELOW 40 DEGREES THE SUSPENSION LEAKS AIR AND THE VEHICLE IS LOWERED. AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ONCE THE DAY WARMS UP THE SUSPENSION BEGIN TO WORK AND THE CAR RISES TO A LEVEL THAT'S SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10439733

Incident

Nov 2, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

ENTERING PARKING GARAGE, WARNING LIGHT APPEARS "VEHICLE TOO LOW" VEHICLE UNDERBODY SCRAPES ON GARAGE ENTRANCE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MY INDEPENDENT JAGUAR DEALER. HE SAID LEFT FRONT STRUT WAS LEAKING AIR CAUSING THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THIS NORMAL AND IF I REPLACE THE ONE THE OTHER STRUTS WILL DO THE SAME THING JUST A MATTER OF TIME. RECOMMENDED A KIT THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE AIR STRUTS COMPLETELY. I AM FORCED TO REMOVE THE AIR STRUTS (AT A COST OF $3500.00) AS THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. I LOOKED FOR A RECALL NOTICE BUT FOUND NONE. DID FIND ALOT OF COMPLAINTS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WOULD NOT BE A RECALL ITEM. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REAL SAFETY ISSUE IF THIS CONDITION WOULD HAPPEN AT A HIGH SPEED. WHEN A COMPANY GOES TO THE TROUBLE TO MAKE A KIT TO ELIMINATE THIS SO CALL "JAGUAR AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM" . JAGUAR SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10434018

Incident

Nov 1, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

AIR SUSPENSION FAULT- DURING EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES..(32 DEGREES F OR BELOW). THE CAR WILL LEAK AIR FROM THE SUSPENSION AND CAN'T BE DRIVEN. FAULT MESSAGES APPEAR. DURING THE COLD PERIOD THIS YEAR,HUNDREDS OF JAGUARS HAD THE SAME ISSUE. ATLANTA HAD 18 RECORDED SUSPENSION ISSUE AT ONE DEALER..BUT THEY CLAIMED THEY WERE ALL FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. MATHENY JAGUAR IN JACKSONVILLE SAID THEY ALSO RECEIVED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS BUT DIDN'T WISH TO COMMENT FURTHER. THERE IS A PART THAT MAY BE CONTRACTING DURING EXTREME COLD CAUSING THE AIR TO LEAK FROM THE SUSPENSION. NEVER HAPPENS DURING NORMAL TEMPS. CAR ALSO LOWERED DURING OPERATION AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10383988

Incident

Dec 5, 2010

Mileage

78,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 15 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE STRUT FRACTURED CAUSING THE SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE STRUT, DAMPER SPRING AND AIR SUSPENSION SPRING COMPRESSOR REPLACED. WITHIN FIVE WEEKS, THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION FAILED, CAUSING ALL FOUR SHOCKS AND STRUTS TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,200.

NHTSA ID

10351465

Incident

Aug 23, 2010

Mileage

73,200 mi

AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10331001

Incident

Mar 5, 2010

Mileage

23,000 mi

ON 01/04/10, CAR SHOWED "VEHICLE TOO LOW" WARNING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO LET THE CAR WARM UP WHICH I DID AND WARNING DISAPPEARED. WARNING APPEARED EACH DAY & I LET CAR WARM UP EACH DAY TO CORRECT. ON 01/08/10, ADDITIONAL WARNING "AIR SUSPENSION FAULTY" APPEARED AND VEHICLE'S FRONT END WAS VERY LOW TOO THE GROUND. I CALLED DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO IMMEDIATELY STOP DRIVING AND HAVE CAR TOWED IN B/C THE STRUTS HAD FAILED AND COULD CAUSE THE TIRES TO BLOW. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE EXTREMES IN TEMP IN ATLANTA HAD RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF CARS BEING BROUGHT IN FOR SAME PROBLEM -- AIR BAG COMPRESSORS COLLAPSED B/C OF CAR SITTING OUTSIDE DURING THE DAY. WHEN I ASKED IF THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT (SINCE NUMEROUS 04 JAG XJ8S), I WAS TOLD "DON'T KNOW". WHEN I TRIED TO GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SUCH AS TEMPERATURE SPEC RATINGS FOR THE STRUTS, THE DEALERSHIP CLAMMED UP. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP, I COMMENTED ON THE 14 CARS IN THE PICK UP AREA WHICH WAS UNUSUAL, I WAS TOLD THE DAMAGE TO ALL THE CARS STRUTS WAS "NORMAL WEAR & TEAR". NO ONE WOULD EVEN ENTERTAIN MY QUESTIONS RE: A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR THE MANUFACTURER BILSTEIN. HAD THE COLLAPSE HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING ON I-285, IT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED TO PREVENT FUTURE COLLAPSES OF STRUTS BY REPLACING THOSE STRUTS WHICH DO NOT SATISFY TEMPERATURE SPEC RATINGS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10306626

Incident

Jan 8, 2010

Mileage

131,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 JAGUAR XJ8. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE LOWERED AND BEGAN BOUNCING UP AND DOWN. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF SUSPENSION, WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. A FEW WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, TWO OF WHICH STATED "VEHICLE TOO LOW" AND "ERROR SUSPENSION FAULT". THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A JAGUAR DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE SUSPENSION RELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND DROVE NORMALLY FOR APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY REPLACED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT, WHICH WAS LEAKING AIR. THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO DROP DOWN. THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL EXPERIENCE THE SAME SUSPENSION FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 10-29-08 *BF THE AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM LEAKED AIR AND THE CAUSSED THE ENTIRE FRONT END TO RUST. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STEERED AS THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE FELL DOWN. UPDATED 10/30/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10242908

Incident

Jul 27, 2007

Mileage

50,000 mi

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING HIS 2004 JAGUAR XJ8. THE FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF AT THE UPPER BALL JOINT. THE POLICE REPORT READ THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT TWO PARKED UNATTENDED VEHICLES . NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10128559

Incident

Jun 16, 2005

Mileage

16,668 mi