1998 Jaguar XK8 Owner Complaints

WOULD NOT START, BATTERY RUN DOWN IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK. STATIONARY

NHTSA ID

11090878

Incident

Apr 28, 2018

Mileage

110,572 mi

WHY HASN'T JAGUAR BEEN ORDERED TO RECALL THE 1997 THROUGH 2002 1/2 MODELS FOR THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER PLASTIC GUIDE ISSUE? IT HAS BEEN REPORTED HERE IN THE PAST, AND IS WIDELY KNOWN ACROSS THE INTERNET. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHY NHTSA HASN'T CONSIDERED THIS DESIGN DEFECT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A RECALL WHEN IT IS CLEARLY A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10649705

Incident

Oct 23, 2014

Mileage

38,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XK8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 35-50 MPH, THERE WAS A GROWLING NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HESITANT WHEN ACCELERATING AND THE NOISE DOES WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL THE VEHICLE REACHED 50 MPH AND ABOVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD ALSO OCCUR WHEN DECELERATING. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ASSUMED THAT THE PLANETARY GEARS WERE FAILING AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,700.

NHTSA ID

10426888

Incident

Aug 23, 2011

Mileage

50,600 mi

1998 XK8 STALLED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THIRD INCIDENT. DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE; NO REPAIR SUGGESTIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10331851

Incident

Apr 25, 2010

Mileage

72,000 mi

IN TWO SEPARATE INSTANCES, MY 1998 JAGUAR XK8 HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IN BOTH CASES, I HAD STARTED THE ENGINE FROM COLD AT ABOUT 50 DEGREES AMBIENT TEMPERATURE, DRIVEN ABOUT THREE MILES IN CITY TRAFFIC, AND THEN ENTERED THE FREEWAY. WITHIN ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES, AT A SPEED NEAR 60MPH, THE CAR STALLED. AN ENGINE MONITORING SYSTEM MESSAGE READ: 'ENGINE STALLED" AND "CHECK ENGINE". THESE MESSAGES WERE NOT PRESENT PREVIOUS TO THE INCIDENTS, NOR AFTER I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY. IN BOTH CASES, I TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO OFF, AND WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY RESTART THE CAR. NO FURTHER INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN THE MINUTES/DAYS FOLLOWING THE EVENTS. I USE PREMIUM UNLEADED FUEL FROM CHEVRON OR UNION 66. THESE TWO INCIDENTS WERE SEPARATED IN TIME BY ABOUT 2 MONTHS. I AM NOW VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AS THESE INCIDENTS EXPOSED ME TO POSSIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. THE LOCAL DEALER HAS OFFERED TO 'DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM' AT MY COST, WHILE ALSO INDICATING THAT THEY HAVE HAD SOME SIMILAR COMPLAINTS THAT THEY ARE LINKING TO HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF ETHANOL IN THE FUEL. THEIR ADVICE IS TO WAIT A COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM NOW WHEN ETHANOL LEVELS WILL BE REDUCED AND/OR SWITCH TO REGULAR GASOLINE! AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I NOW FIND THAT THIS SITUATION HAS OCCURRED FREQUENTLY AMONG JAGUAR OWNERS, AND POSSIBLY OTHERS. TO ME, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ENGINE MANAGEMENT ISSUE THAT WOULD BE CONTROLLED BY THE CAR'S COMPUTERIZED EFI SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10321074

Incident

Mar 15, 2010

Mileage

60,000 mi

MY REAR VISION MIRROR FAILED. IT FOGGED UP AND BEGAN LEAKING AN OILY SUBSTANCE. I COULDN'T SEE; IT WAS RAINING AND I HAD A PERILOUS JOURNEY HOME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10273558

Incident

Apr 16, 2009

Mileage

84,000 mi

1998 JAGUAR XK8 HAS A HISTORY OF STALLING ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 55-60MPH. THIS OCCURRED TWICE (PRIOR OWNER - 38,246 MILES) - PRIOR OWNER TOLD BY JAGUAR THAT AUTOMOBILE HAD BEEN REPAIRED BY REPLACING THROTTLE. SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED AT LATER. ON-LINE INFORMATION SHOWS THAT SEVERAL OTHER 1998 XK8 OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE THAT ENGINE TURNS OFF WITHOUT WARNING - THE CAR HAS A DESIGN FLAW. THERE HAS BEEN RECALLS REGARDING THE THROTTLE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE NHTSB HAS NOT FORCED JAGUAR TO REPAIR THIS 1998 XK8. THE MODEL, 1998 JAGUAR XK8, HAS A DESIGN FLAW AND IS A SAFETY RISK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10273282

Incident

Oct 20, 2008

Mileage

85,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XK8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AND IS NOT SHIFTING GEARS CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V138000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

NHTSA ID

10262150

Incident

Mar 1, 2009

Mileage

65,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XK8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD SOUND UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A LOCK-UP IN THE AUTOMATIC GEAR BOX. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY IS NOT OPERABLE. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10239821

Incident

Aug 22, 2008

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE VEHICLE, WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND INSTANTANEOUSLY AT SPEED LIMIT IN A FREEWAY TRAVEL LANE, CEASED TO OPERATE. THIS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SINCE FIRST ACQUIRED WITH LESS THAN 4,000 MILES USE. EACH TIME THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER (MY WIFE) TO CONDUCT AN EMERGENCY PROCEDURE - HIT THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS, SHIFT TO NEUTRAL, AND RESTART THE CAR WHILE IT WAS DECELERATING. THE LAST TIME WAS ON JULY 14, 2008. THE POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, SAFETY HANDLING SYSTEMS, AND ENGINE WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED JAGUAR DEALERSHIP WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS ACKNOWLEDGED, DIAGNOSED, AND OSTENSIBLY REPAIRED. THE REPAIR WAS INEFFECTIVE AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF THE FIRST REPAIR THE VEHICLE FAILED IN THE SAME WAY AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN A SECOND TIME TO THE AUTHORIZED JAGUAR DEALER WHERE ANOTHER REPAIR WAS CONDUCTED. FOLLOWING THIS REPAIR THE INCIDENT DID NOT REOCCUR UNTIL JULY 14, 2008. THAT DAY, WHILE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS IN A TRAVEL LANE, THE VEHICLE CEASED OPERATION WITH NO WARNING ONCE AGAIN. THIS TIME HOWEVER IT WOULD NOT RESTART AS STATED ABOVE AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A SMALL GORE-POINT BETWEEN TWO CONCRETE TOLL BOOTHS WHILE TRAFFIC AVOIDED THE VEHICLE TO EACH SIDE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START FROM NEUTRAL, BUT HAD TO BE PLACED IN PARK IN ORDER TO RESTART. FOR THE THIRD TIME, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED JAGUAR DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SERVICE TECHNICAL ATTEMPTED THE JAGUAR "SERVICE ACTION". THE PROCEDURE FAILED, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY DISABLED, AND THE CAR COULD NOT BE STARTED FOR TWO WEEKS. A JAGUAR FACTORY FIELD EMPLOYEE AND A MECHANIC FROM OUT OF THE AREA WORKED ON IT AND NOW REPORT THAT "EVERYTHING IS FINE". THEY HAVE REINSTALLED THE DEFECTIVE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT AND REPORT THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT THAT THIS TIME THERE WILL BE NO MORE TROUBLE OF THIS NATURE. I DO NOT SHARE THEIR CONFIDENCE. I ASK THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND ASSESS THE SAFETY RISK OF THE JAGUAR CARS "SERVICE ACTION" PROCEDURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10236623

Incident

Jul 14, 2008

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XK8. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V022000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) ONLINE AND WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT SERVICE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE TIME. HE ALSO TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A JAGUAR DEALER IN DARIAN, CT FROM 1998-2004 FOR SERVICE AND THEY NEVER PERFORMED A REPAIR OR INFORMED HIM OF THE RECALL. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ID

10210343

Incident

Nov 28, 2007

TIMING TENSIONER DEFECT- 1998 JAGUAR XK8 WITH 50000 MILES. ENGINE FAILED TO START AFTER LOUD POPPING NOISE. NO PREVIOUS ISSUES PRIOR. CAUSE-PLASTIC TIMING TENSIONERS FAILED, CAUSING TIMING CHAIN TO BREAK AND DAMAGE PISTONS. SOLUTION NEW ENGINE. DEALER QUOTED $14,000. THIS CAR WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED. MY MECHANIC STATED HE WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH TENSIONERS, AND JAGUAR HAD REDESIGNED THEM FOR LATER MODELS. THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT ON LOW MILEAGE VEHICLES! THERE WERE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES. JAGUAR REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10190101

Incident

Apr 11, 2007

Mileage

50,000 mi

I HAVE A 1998 JAGUAR XK8 CONVERTIBLE. CURRENT MILEAGE 37,334. TWICE, WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE ENGINE JUST CUT OUT. AFTER PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I ATTRIBUTED TO POSSIBLE A BAD TANK OF GAS ON MARCH 2006. AFTER THE SECOND TIME ON MARCH 2007. I FEARED IT HAD ANOTHER CAUSE. JUST ABOUT THAT TIME I RECEIVED FROM JAGUAR A "SERVICE ACTION" S-514 STATING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH CLOSED THROTTLE OPERATION, AND IT SOUNDED LIKE MY PROBLEM. I E-MAILED THEM SEVERAL TIMES TO ASK ABOUT AN AUTHORIZED SERVICE FACILITY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. THEY REFERRED ME TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. A REP CALLED TO SAY I COULD ONLY HAVE IT FIXED ON THE MAINLAND! THAT OF COURSE, WOULD COST ME FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS. I ASKED IF IT COULD BE FIXED BY SOMEONE HERE LOCALLY AT MY COST. SHE SAID "WE CAN'T RECOMMEND THAT". NOT HELPFUL AT ALL. MY COMPLAINT, HOWEVER, HAS MORE TO DO WITH HOW THIS PROBLEM IS CLASSIFIED. THIS SHOULD BE A "SAFETY RECALL" NOT SIMPLY A SERVICE ACTION. BOTH INCIDENTS PUT ME AND OTHERS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. ONCE I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE NO ONE DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. THE SECOND TIME I CAUSED SEVERAL CARS BEHIND ME TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD OR SKID INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I WAS JUST LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I CHECKED YOUR SITE FOR COMPLAINTS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS!!! APPARENTLY, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE FORCED INTO A DANGEROUS SITUATION HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY RECALL? BY BEING A "SERVICE ACTION" JAGUAR CAN JUST IGNORE ME. I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT TO FIX MY CAR OR HELP IN FINDING SOMEONE WHO WILL...AT THEIR COST. CAN THEY DO THIS LEGALLY? *AK

NHTSA ID

10187076

Incident

Mar 3, 2007

Mileage

37,300 mi

JAGUAR XK8. VEHICLE WITH 54K MILES ALWAYS DEALER SERVICES. TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING, WAS ABLE TO GET CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT INCIDENT. CONTACTED JAGUAR AND THEY DID NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. JAGUAR HAS KNOWN THE PLASTIC TIMING CHAIN GUIDES TO BE DEFECTIVE. THE HAVE HAD TWO DESIGN REVISIONS AND NOW PUT A METAL GUIDE IN THE CARS SINCE 2002. JAGUAR DOES NOT ADVISE OWNERS OR DEALERS TO REPLACE THE GUIDES WHICH EVEN WITHOUT THEIR ASSISTANCE I WOULD HAVE HAD DONE AT $800. THE DEFECTIVE GUIDE CAUSES THE CHAIN TO BREAK AND VALVE DAMAGE, A $7K REPAIR. THE DEALER AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS TELL ME THEY ARE REPAIRING THESE ALL THE TIME IN LOW MILEAGE ENGINES 45-70K AND THE INTERNET IS LITTERED WITH THE SAME. HARD TO BELIEVE JAGUAR HAS NOT BEEN FORCED IN TO A RECALL OR SOME TYPE OF VOLUNTARY REPAIR PROGRAM. BOTTOM LINE - ENGINE PART WITH KNOWN, DOCUMENTED DEFECT, THAT CAUSES CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE, WITH NO ACTION BY THE MANUFACTURER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10168076

Incident

Jul 28, 2006

Mileage

54,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF RAIN STORM CAUSING ME TO LOSE VISIBILITY. NO WARNING - THE WIPERS JUST STOP AS THE NUT HOLDING THE WIPER ARM HAS BECOME LOOSENED/STRIPPED. TWO PREVIOUS TIMES THIS HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10151327

Incident

Feb 24, 2006

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY 1998 XK8 JAGUAR TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND RUINED THE ENGINE REQUIRING A NEW ONE FOR $11,000 WITH ONLY 49,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE THE ENTIRE TIME. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM OCCURING WITHIN THE JAGUAR LINE. JAGUAR REFUSES TO HELP AND TRIES TO KEEP IT UNDER WRAP UNTIL THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. IT IS A WELL KNOWN DESIGN FLAW THAT HAS COST TONS OF PEOPLE THOUSANDS. MY CAR ALSO STALLED WITHOUT WARNING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS TOO IS A COMMON PROBLEM. BOTH OF THESE COULD HAVE CAUSED ME SERIOUS INJURY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10104810

Incident

Dec 24, 2004

Mileage

49,000 mi

CONSUME RECEIVED RECALL 99V138000 FOR THE THROTTLE BODY. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A TEST AFTER INSTALLATION OF THE THROTTLE BODY, AND THE THERMOSTAT WENT OUT. VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED, AND THE CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR THE NEW PARTS. DEALER WAS INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO MAKING REPAIRS TO THE THROTTLE BODY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10097751

Incident

Oct 22, 2004

Mileage

56,950 mi

I PURCHASED A USED 1998 JAGUAR XK8 WITH 40000 MILES IN NOV 2004. IT IMMEDIATELY STARTED STALLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALER IN LITTLE ROCK ARKANSAS, AND THAY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR BUT CHARGED ME $1,600.00 FOR SERVICE THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY. WITHIN WEEKS IT AGAIN BEGAN DYING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WOULD NOT RE-START WITHOUT PULLING OFF THE ROAD, WHICH IS AT TIMES IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO I-30 BEING UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND HAVING NO SHOULDER OR EXITS, ONLY 6-FOOT CONCRETE BARRIERS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TWO LANE HIGHWAY. I WAS AT THE MERCY OF EVERY DRIVER BEHIND ME. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION THAT JAGUAR DENIES HAVING ANY KNOWLEGE OF. I HAVE RECENTLY FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE WITH JAG OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD HAS ISSUED A FIELD ACTION THAT ADMITS THAT THE THROTTLE-BODY IS DEFECTIVE, BUT THEY'RE NOT FIXING THE CARS IN THE U.S., ONLY IN OTHER COUNTRIES. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10088188

Incident

Aug 16, 2004

Mileage

40,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY FAILED FOR NO APPARENT REASON-ELECTRICAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075254

Incident

Jun 8, 2004

Mileage

66,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BOX, AND THE OXYGEN SENSORS, BUT THE STALLING CONTINUED. *AK *TT *JB

NHTSA ID

10044776

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS UPON REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY INTO TRAFFIC THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO DRIVE FROM REVERSE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO SIT AND GO BACK INTO DRIVE UNTIL IT WORKS. TWICE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY (70) MPH THE CAR HAD JUST STOPPED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AFTER GETTING IT OFF THE LANE AND NUMEROUS TRIES IT STARTED AGAIN. *MR *CB *JB

NHTSA ID

10032497

WHEN DRIVING IN REVERSE, CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO PLACE GEAR IN DRIVE UNLESS MOVES TO PARK FIRST. DEALER HAS REPLACED SHIFTER 5 TIMES, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR. VEHICLE IS A 1998 JAGUAR XK8. *AK *CB

NHTSA ID

10024133

Mileage

12,000 mi

THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING.*AK THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED TO COME OUT OF PARK. *TS ALSO THE ANTENNA AND POWER MIRROR SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10024136

Incident

Jun 16, 2003

Mileage

12,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH DRIVERS SEAT BROKE AWAY FROM TRACK PUTTING ME INTO THE BACK SEAT CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL AND RUNNING OFF SIDE OF ROAD RIPPING FRONT SPOILER OFF CAR. WENT INTO DEALER WHO CALLED JAGUAR ABOUT PROBLEM. MFG. DECLINE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS STATING CAR OUT OF WARRANTY. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10016295

Incident

Mar 10, 2003

Mileage

107,065 mi

CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 65 MPH, ENGINE STALLED AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN...RESTARTED AND HAS RAN FINE SINCE....JUST WORRIED IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN IN TRAFFIC!

NHTSA ID

762866

Incident

Jun 5, 2002