1998 Jaguar XJ8L Owner Complaints

ABOUT 2-3 TIMES A MONTH, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY (AND ONLY ON FREEWAYS, NEVER HAS THIS HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS), ALWAYS ABOUT 10 MINUTES ON THE ROAD FROM A COLD START, MY ACCELERATOR WILL SUDDENLY FAIL TO RESPOND WHILE I'VE HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS DURING STEADY DRIVING OF 55-75 MPH. NO INDICATOR COMES ON AT THE TIME. I'M FORCED TO MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ON THE MOMENTUM PROVIDED BY THE CAR AS I AM UNABLE TO GET ACCELERATION FROM THE PEDDLE. ONCE I BRAKE TO A STOP & PUT THE CAR IN PARK I GET AN "ENGINE FAILED" INDICATOR AND THE RED ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. SO FAR, WHEN I'VE TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED IT, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN WITHOUT PROBLEM AND CONTINUE ON MY WAY. HOWEVER, THESE INCIDENTS ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS GIVEN THAT OUR FREEWAYS OFTEN HAVE NO EMERGENCY LANE TO PULL OFF TO WHEN THEY ARE UNDER REPAIR. THERE ARE VARIOUS PLACES ON OUR FREEWAYS WHERE I WOULD HAVE TO STOP IN A MOVING LANE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO GO AGAIN. I PURCHASED THE CAR USED FROM A DEALER IN 2001. IT WAS OFF A 3-YR LEASE BY ANOTHER OWNER. I HAD THIS PROBLEM IN THE EARLY YEARS OF OWNERSHIP (AROUND 2002 @ 65,000) UNDER A 6 YEAR WARRANTY AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY REBUILT AND THEN ULTIMATELY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT THAT TIME TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I DIDN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM AGAIN UNTIL 2012 BUT HAVE SINCE EXPERIENCED IT ABOUT 6 TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR (AT 160,000). I CALLED A LOCAL DEALER TO CHECK ON RECALL INFO AND WAS TOLD THERE'S NOTHING CURRENTLY, BUT THAT IN 1999 MY CAR HAD HAD A THROTTLE CABLE ADJUSTER MODIFICATION UNDER WARRANTY. MY RESEARCH ON THIS SITE TELLS ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE THROTTLE BODY BEING DIRTY BUT THAT THE ONLY GOOD SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE IT. THE DEALER IS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM BUT CAN'T TELL ME HOW LONG A REPLACEMENT WILL LAST ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10492906

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

Mileage

60,000 mi

RELATED TO JAGUAR SERVICE ACTION PUBLICATION NUMBER 303-S514, "THROTTLE CLOSED POSITION OPERATION" THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT FOR JAGUAR. IN THE JAGUAR SERVICE BULLETIN, JAGUAR STATES "UNDER EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES THIS CONCERN COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO CUT OUT... THE ENGINE SHOULD RESTART WITHOUT DIFFICULTY ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STANDSTILL." THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REPORTED AS A RESULT OF THIS "COMPLETE STANDSTILL" HAPPENING ON MAJOR MOTORWAYS WHERE THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC IS IN EXCESS OF 60MPH. MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L HAS HAD THE SERVICE ACTION PERFORMED, WHICH REPLACED THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WITH THE EXACT SAME THROTTLEBODY FROM THE SAME VENDOR. THE NEW PARTS USED FOR THE REPLACEMENT IS THE SAME ONE THAT FAILS, IT IS DEFECTIVE AND ONLY COMES WITH A ONE YEAR WARRANTY. THE CAR IS STALLING AGAIN, AND JAGUAR REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. ON MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 17, 2008 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, MY CAR RECENTLY STALLED WHILE HEADING ON I-35N THROUGH AUSTIN TEXAS, AT WHICH TIME THE TRAFFIC VOLUME WAS HEAVY AND THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC WAS NEAR 70 MPH, AND I WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY EXIT FOR A CONSTRUCTION BARRICADE. IN DOING THIS, ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING BEHIND ME HAD TO VEER OUT OF THE WAY TO AVOID A REAR-END COLLISION, AND PUMMELED THROUGH THE ORANGE CONSTRUCTION BARRELS. I HAD TO ALSO PULL HARD INTO THE CONSTRUCTION BARRELS TO AVOID THE COLLISION, AND MY VEHICLE SUFFERED FRONT PANEL DAMAGE. BOTH OF OUR VEHICLES SUFFERED DAMAGES AS A RESULT, AND BOTH MYSELF, AND THE OTHER VEHICLES DRIVER SUFFERED WHIP LASH INJURIES. I AM CURRENTLY UNDER THE CARE OF DR VIET TRAN, FOR A TORE DISC VERTEBRAE CAUSED BY WHIPLASH, AND WILL BE MAKING REGULAR VISITS TO A PHYSICAL THERAPIST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222021

Incident

Mar 17, 2008

Mileage

70,000 mi

MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L KEEPS STALLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, VERY VERY DANGEROUS. I AM ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT ON 95 EVERYTIME THIS HAPPENS. THE DEALER HAS SAID IT IS A DIRTY THROTTLE THAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS, BUT EVEN AFTER SERVICING IT JUST STARTS UP AGAIN...AFTER INVESTIGATING HERE ON THE WEB I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME BACK ON SEPTEMBER 2004, WHEN MY ENGINE JUST COMPLETELY FROZE UP ON 95 AND HAD TO REPLACE IT AT A COST OF $15,874.00. THIS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE POSTED FOR THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. I HAVE A SNEAKY FEELING THAT THIS IS STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN WITH THE ENGINE STALLING AND NOW I ONLY HAVE 13,000 MILES ON MY NEW ENGINE. PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ID

10211798

Incident

Dec 13, 2007

Mileage

60,895 mi

1998 JAGUAR XJ8L CAR WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING, WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP AND START,HEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF,INTERMITTENTLY. THIS MADE THE CAR UNSAFE TOP DRIVE. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED I THOUGHT IT WAS A COMPUTER BOOT PROBLEM SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THE PROBLEMS SEEMED TO DISAPPEAR. I FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD COME AND GO AND WAS SO INTERMITTENT IT COULD NOT BE PICKED UP WHILE AT THE CAR SHOP, DOWNTOWN JAGUAR IN MINNEAPOLIS, MN. I AM A CONTROLS ENGINEER AND THOUGHT THAT I WOULD TROUBLE SHOOT THE PROBLEM. I PURCHASED FROM THE INTERNET THE ELECTRICAL SCHEMATICS FOR THIS CAR. I FOUND THAT ALL OF THE SYSTEMS HAD A COMMON SOURCE. THIS SOURCE WAS A COMPUTER LOCATED UNDER THE DASH BEHIND THE GLOVE COMPARTMENTED WAS CALLED BODY PROCESSOR MODULE OR BPM. IT WAS SEALED AND KNOT OPENED. IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN SOUTH AMERICA BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I FOUND ON THE UNDER SIDE OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD, SOLDER FLASHING WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE BLOWN OFF AT THE END OF ITS SOLDER BATH. THIS BOARD SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLEANED AS WELL BUT IT STILL HAD LARGE AMOUNTS OF SOLDER FLUX WHICH ACTED LIKE GLUE AND KEPT THE SOLDER BALLS IN A SEMI STABLE CONDITION. I CLEANED THE CIRCUIT BOARD WITH A APPROVED CIRCUIT BOARD CLEANER, THEN USED A SOFT BRUSH TO REMOVE ANY ADDITIONAL SOLDER BALLS. I HAD FOUND AN ESTIMATED FIVE HUNDRED TO A THOUSAND SMALL SOLDER BALLS SOME SO SMALL THAT THEY WERE .005 INCHES IN SIZE TO .125 INCHES. WHEN I REMOVED THESE SOLDER BALLS I HAD KNOW FURTHER OCCURRENCES OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I REPORTED THIS TO JAGUAR OVER THE INTERNET AND THEY REPLIED WITH AN ANSWER THAT IT WAS KNOT THEIR PROBLEM DO TO THE FACT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM WHEN I DID A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET. I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND IT IS A MANUFACTURE??S DEFECT. IF YOU FIND THIS TO BE THE CASE FOR OTHER JAGUARS. PLEASE LET EVERYONE KNOW SO THEY DON'T HAVE A DANGEROUS ACCIDENT.*JB

NHTSA ID

10150338

Incident

Jul 1, 2005

Mileage

40,000 mi

THIS IS A SECOND ENTRANCE FOR THIS COMPLAINT. THE FIRST ENTRANCE WAS A MISTAKE DUE TO WRONG DATE OF PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL 2005. I AM THE THIRD OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE A CARFAX WITH THE VEHICLES HISTORY. I DID HAVE A PASSENGER AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE AND ALMOST HAD A WRECK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT AN INTERSECTION. MY PASSENGERS COMPLAINED OF A STRAINED NECK POSSIBLY WHIPLASH? ANYWAY THE DESCRIPTION IS LISTED BELOW: I OWN A 1998 XJ8L. RECENTLY, MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN THE VEHICLE. I ONLY HAVE 72,500 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. I CONTACTED JAGUAR AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO THEM. THEY STATED THAT THIS IS HIGH MILEAGE. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT NO IT IS NOT HIGH MILEAGE ENGINES ARE BUILT TO LAST 100,000 MILES. I STATED THAT JAGUAR IS NOT WANTING TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS. THERE IS A RECALL R478. IT COVERS THE O RING INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. THE TEETH BREAK AND CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IN VARIOUS FORUMS, I FOUND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THE THREE OTHER ISSUES WITH THESE MODELS IS THE NAKESIL ENGINE, AND THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER. I AM FILING A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST JAGUAR FOR A PRODUCT DEFECT/MALFUNCTION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10147631

Incident

Jan 5, 2006

Mileage

72,500 mi

I CURRENTLY OWN A 1998 XJ8L JAGUAR. THE VEHICLE STARTED EXPERIENCING A SLIPPAGE APPARENTLY FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED JAGUAR REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING ON THE VEHICLE. FROM THIS POINT I CONTACTED ALPINE JAGUAR TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE WERE RECALLS BUT NOT ON MY VEHICLE. THE RECALL # IS R478. THE DEALERSHIP INSISTED THAT I BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION, BUT WOULD NOT WAIVE THE $104.00 INSPECTION FEE. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MECHANIC AND HE STATED MY VEHICLE HAD HIGH MILEAGE (72,400 MI) FOR THAT VEHICLE. I ASKED HIM HOW JAGUAR COULD BUILD A VEHICLE THAT COSTS $65,000 TO ONLY LAST 70,000 MI. IF THAT INFORMATION IS TRUE IT NEEDS TO BE ATTACHED TO ALL OF THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS LIKE CIGARETTES ADVERTISEMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO WARN AGAINST LUNG CANCER. FROM RESEARCH ON JAGUAR FORUMS AND TALKING TO VARIOUS MECHANICS, I FOUND THAT THE 1998 AND 1999 XK8S AND XJ8S HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES WHEN OVER 50,000 MI. THE THREE MAJOR ISSUES ARE NAKISIL ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND SLIPPAGE ON THE SERPENTINE BELT. MY QUESTION IS WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES WHICH EXPERIENCE THESE RELATED PROBLEMS. IF JAGUAR IS NOT WILLING TO STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, I WILL BE CONTACT OTHERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES AND EXPERIENCES TO JOIN ME IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST THE COMPANY. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *NM

NHTSA ID

10146365

Incident

Dec 26, 1998

Mileage

72,400 mi

THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS FOR MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L HAVE DISINTEGRATED IN THE ENGINE. LUCKILY WE FOUND THE PIECES IN THE OIL CHANGE BEFORE THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND CAUSED FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. BUT THIS IS CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO REBUILD THIS AREA OF THE ENGINE. JAGUAR HAS ALL BUT ADMITTED INSTALLING FAULTY PARTS BY REVISING THIS PART TWICE, ONCE WITH A REINFORCED PLASTIC TENSIONER WITH A SPRING, AND FINALLY WITH A METAL TENSIONER THAT WILL NOT BREAK OR CRACK UNDER THE STRESS OF TENSIONING THE TIMING CHAIN.*AK

NHTSA ID

10116597

Incident

Apr 4, 2005

Mileage

105,000 mi

1) TRANSMISSION FAULT LIGHT 2) TOW TO MECHANIC 3) TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT 62,000 MILES - 2ND OWNER - LESS THAN 6 MONTHS *LA

NHTSA ID

10082283

Incident

Jul 10, 2004

Mileage

62,000 mi

THE VEHICLES ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON A 4-LANE LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY READ ENGINE STALLED. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO A SAFE STOP. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY. THE ENGINE RESTARTED ONCE THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR INTERMITTENT STALLING OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, BUT NEVER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. LAST JULY (2003) A LOCAL JAGUAR DEALER REPLACED THREE (3) ENGINE RELAYS AND DECLARED THE PROBLEM FIXED, BUT IT STARTED RE-OCCURRING AGAIN WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP HAVING THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT AGAIN. THE INITIAL RESPONSE FROM THE TECHNICIAN WAS THAT THE SAME THREE ENGINE RELAYS ARE BAD AGAIN, BUT I ASK FOR A MORE THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM TO BE PERFORMED& WHY ARE THE RELAYS GOING BAD? OUR EXPERIENCE SOUNDS SIMILAR TO NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS (SEE LIST OF IDS BELOW) LOGGED ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE FOR OUR MAKE, YEAR AND MODEL (AND OTHER SIMILAR MODELS). THERE ARE ALSO MANY, MANY OTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR EXPERIENCES ON JAGUAR-RELATED BULLETIN BOARDS ALL OVER THE WEB. THERE ARE EVEN INDICATIONS THAT A RECALL MIGHT BE PENDING, BUT I COULDNT FIND ANY DEFINITIVE INFORMATION TO VERIFY THAT. THE DEALER SERVICE TEAM DOESNT HAVE, OR ISNT WILLING TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT ANY PENDING ACTIONS. UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITION, THIS FAILURE COULD LEAD TO DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES. OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA: ODI ID NUMBER : 548127. *AK ODI ID NUMBER : 10014366 ODI ID NUMBER : 10038465 ODI ID NUMBER : 10040883 ODI ID NUMBER : 10057140 ODI ID NUMBER : 10065259 ODI ID NUMBER : 10074913 ODI ID NUMBER : 10001379 ODI ID NUMBER : 10070414 ODI ID NUMBER : 10024745 ODI ID NUMBER : 10031410 ODI ID NUMBER : 10072764 ODI ID NUMBER : 890973 ODI ID NUMBER : 895022 ODI ID NUMBER : 10042999

NHTSA ID

10078731

Incident

Jun 13, 2004

Mileage

67,800 mi

MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L CONTINUALLY STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEED...JAGUAR KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND USES IT AS A SOURCE OF CASH FLOW, CHARGING SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH 10,000 MILES TO REMEDY THE SITUATION THROUGH REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE BODY OR CLEANING OF THE BREATHER PORTS...THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10057140

Incident

Feb 12, 2004

Mileage

20,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK *PH *NLM

NHTSA ID

10038465

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

Mileage

60,160 mi

MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L STALLED AT HIGH SPEED (70 MPH) ON THE FREEWAY FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THE LAST SIX MONTH WITH NO WARNING. THIS CAUSE ME TO HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER MY CAR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND RESTART WITH NO PROBLEM. I CHECKED AN INTERNET SITE WHICH HAS A FORUM DOCUMENTING THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM ON THE FREEWAY. VERY SCARY.

NHTSA ID

10040883

Incident

Sep 19, 2003

Mileage

66,800 mi

MY VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY STALL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AFTER ACCELERATING. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014366

Incident

Apr 14, 2003

Mileage

32,000 mi

THE ENTIRE REAR BRAKE LIGHTING ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC, MELTED BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT BULB WAS TOO HOT. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10012522

Mileage

61,500 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT LEFT FENDER LINER BEGAN RUBBING THE TIRE AND THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR LOUD GRINDING NOISE, THIS RUBBING CAUSED THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL TO LOCK UP, DESTROYED THE WHEEL BEARING AND RESULTED IN BRAKE FAILURE. NLM LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING COMPLETELY FAILED, THE CALIPER AND ROTOR WERE CAUSING MOST OF THE NOISE, THE ROTOR HAD GRINDED ABOUT 3/16 OF AN INCH OF METAL AWAY FROM CALIPER MOUNT BRACKET, DEALER CHECKED RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND FOUND IT WAS LOOSE BUT HAD NOT CAME APART, DEALER REPLACED BOTH FRONT AXLE WHEEL BEARINGS AND REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS DUE TO THE DAMAGED CALIPER AND ROTOR ON LEFT FRONT. *SLC

NHTSA ID

559543

Incident

Feb 8, 2001