2003 Jaguar XK8 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 Jaguar XK8, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical233.3%
- Powertrain (other)233.3%
- Driver assistance116.7%
- Other / unspecified116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER HAD CONSIDERABLE PROBLEMS WITH A DEAD BATTERY. *PH *SC *JB
PROBLEMS WITH 2003 JAGUAR XK8 STALLING. *MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WHEN HIS KNEE ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
INFORMED BY JAGUAR SERVICE DEALER IN CERRITOS ON 02/07 AND 09/27/13 THAT TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. CONDUCTED ONLINE RESEARCH DURING THE LAST TWO MONTHS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE AUTO WAS DEMONSTRATING THE EXACT FAILURE AS 1999 JAGUAR XK8 (RECALL NO. 478 - REPLACE TRANSMISSION), AS FOLLOWS: "IT IS IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT ANY FAILURE OF A TRANSMISSION WHICH INVOLVES COMPLETE LOCKUP IS ONLY LIKELY TO OCCUR AT VERY LOW VEHICLE SPEED, AS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN INTO 1ST GEAR WITH THE VEHICLE ALMOST AT A SANDSTILL AFTER BEING IN HIGHER GEARS WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS." EACH OF THE INCIDENTS I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE CAR STALLING AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT APPEARING HAS OCCURRED WHILE SLOWING DOWN ON THE FREEWAY DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC OR EXITING THE FREEWAY. RESPONSE FROM MS. CARMEN BAKER OF JAGUAR WAS THAT THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, THEREFORE SHE IS UNABLE TO HONOR MY REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WITH TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE CAR WAS EQUIPPED WITH A DEFECTIVE AND/OR RECYCLED (REFURBISHED) TRANSMISSION. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 59,877. BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTOR OF THE CAR STALLING, I AM VERY RELUCTANT TO DRIVE ON THE FREEWAYS OR ROADS WHERE THE AVERAGE SPEED IS ABOVE 40 MILES. ON ONE OCCASION ON THE FREEWAY, A KIND DRIVER FOLLOWED ME UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. JAGUAR ONLY CONSIDERED THE AGE OF THE CAR, NOT THE DEFECT OR CUSTOMER SAFETY. TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED ON 04/23/2004 AND 02/26/09. UPDATED 7/23/2015 *JS
AFTER SLOWING THE CAR, THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED IN A HARSH, SUDDEN MANNER, AND THEN THE CAR ACCELERATES ABRUPTLY AND SURGES FORWARD WITH A "CLUNKING" SOUND. AN AMBER WARNING WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH SAYING "GEARBOX FAULT". IF SOMEONE WAS IN FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN IT SURGED FORWARD THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN STRUCK. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE COMBINATION OF THE TIRES AND THE NEW DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM PRODUCED A SITUATION WHERE IF THERE'S LOW TEMPERATURE/SNOW ON THE GROUND, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE AT A CRAWL. *PH *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I OWN A 2003 XK8 JAGUAR CONVERTIBLE WITH STANDARD FACTORY WHEELS.. MY TIRE WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE FLAT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE WHEEL HAD CRACKED ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL, CAUSING THE AIR TO LEAK FROM THE TIRE. THE WHEEL WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY MAJOR COLLISION BUT DID SHOW CURB BUMP DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE AND A SMALL AREA OF FLATTENING ON THE INSIDE. NO DIRECT DAMAGE TO THE AREA OF THE CRACK. OBVIOUSLY, A WHEEL SHOULD NOT TRACK FROM MINOR ROAD HAZARDS. I BECAME MOST SUSPICIOUS WHEN I TRIED TO REPLACE THE WHEEL AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE WHEEL HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. I CONCLUDED THAT THE WHEEL MANUFACTURE HAD EITHER MADE DEFECTIVE WHEELS OR ? MY JAGUAR DEALER IS IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE /THOUSAND OAKS CA. A DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO APPARENTLY CONTACTED MY DEALER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS COULD BE A HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. IT IS NOT REASONABLE THAT A WHEEL WOULD CRACK WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .