NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
83 reports100,000 miles · Jan 28, 2010
Unknown Or OtherCrashInjury
I WAS DRIVING MY FAMILY TO THE JFK AIRPORT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART THEN A CAR SMASHED INTO ME SO NOW BECAUSE JAGUAR MAKES DEFECTIVE PARTS MY FAMILY WAS HURT, THEN THE NEXT DAY I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HERITEGE JAGUAR AND THEY HAD INFORMED ME THAT THE TENSIONERS IN THIS MODEL WERE MAD…
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I WAS DRIVING MY FAMILY TO THE JFK AIRPORT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART THEN A CAR SMASHED INTO ME SO NOW BECAUSE JAGUAR MAKES DEFECTIVE PARTS MY FAMILY WAS HURT, THEN THE NEXT DAY I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HERITEGE JAGUAR AND THEY HAD INFORMED ME THAT THE TENSIONERS IN THIS MODEL WERE MADE OF PLASTIC BUT JAGUAR TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY SO THAT COST ME $1700 FOR REPAIR TW*
NHTSA ODI #10303087
150,786 miles · Dec 28, 2009
Power Train
TRANSMISSION FAULT LIGHT HAS COME ON IN THE CAR. MANY OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. THIS COST ABOUT $2700 TO FIX. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10297099
116,000 miles · Nov 16, 2009
Air BagsInjury
SPONTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVERS SEAT AIR BAG. I WAS SEATED IN MY CAR, WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION BUT THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING . AS I TURNED TO EXIT THE CAR THE AIR BAG IN THE DRIVERS SEAT DEPLOYED STRIKING ME IN THE LEFT SHOULDER AND KNOCKING ME INTO THE CAR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10292376
106,000 miles · Mar 10, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING TENSIONER WAS FAILING. THE COST FOR REPAIR WOULD BE $1,500. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE F…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE TIMING TENSIONER WAS FAILING. THE COST FOR REPAIR WOULD BE $1,500. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,050.
NHTSA ODI #10261447
94,874 miles · Oct 2, 2008
Power Train
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING FORWARD AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH. SHE LATER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A U-TURN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NO…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING FORWARD AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH. SHE LATER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A U-TURN AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. SHE HAD TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND HAS NOT BEEN MOVED. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED AND A DIAGNOSIS HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94,878 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,874.
NHTSA ODI #10244228
82,000 miles · Oct 29, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
VEHICLE STALLS RANDOMLY BRINGING ABOUT A FAILURE OF ALL SYSTEMS SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF CROWDED AND FAST FREEWAYS. DOING RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A SOLUTION WITH THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY DESIGN BUT APARENTLY THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR IT A…
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VEHICLE STALLS RANDOMLY BRINGING ABOUT A FAILURE OF ALL SYSTEMS SOMETIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF CROWDED AND FAST FREEWAYS. DOING RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A SOLUTION WITH THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY DESIGN BUT APARENTLY THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR IT AND MANY PEOPLE GO TO THE DEALERSHIPS SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS THAT DO NOT SOLVE THE ACTUAL PROBLEM. THE FAILURE OCURRS RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10207283
66,000 miles · Apr 4, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8, AND STATED THAT THE TIMING TENSIONER FAILED AND CAUSED THE VALVES TO STAY OPEN ,WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 66,000.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10187046
63,000 miles · Mar 30, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONTACT DETECTED A LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VALES TO BEND. THE PISTONS AND CONNECTING ROD WERE ALSO DAMAGED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT A NEW ENGINE …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONTACT DETECTED A LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VALES TO BEND. THE PISTONS AND CONNECTING ROD WERE ALSO DAMAGED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE NEEDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS UNEXPECTED, AND THE VEHICLE'S ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS UP-TO-DATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 63,000. *AK THE CONSUMER PROVIDED REPAIR INVOICES FOR VEHICLE AND VARIOUS INFORMATION FROM DIFFERENT WEBSITES PERTAINING TO THE SAME DEFECT. UPDATED 06/26/07 *TR
NHTSA ODI #10186535
Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline
I HAVE A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. THE VEHICLE STALLS AT HIGH SPEEDS, GENERALLY AFTER I ACCELERATE OVER 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND CAN ONLY BE RESTARTED IF YOU BRING IT TO A STOP. I HAD THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN CA. I WAS ALMOST KILLED WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. JAGUAR DEALER, SANTA MONICA,REPAIRE…
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I HAVE A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. THE VEHICLE STALLS AT HIGH SPEEDS, GENERALLY AFTER I ACCELERATE OVER 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND CAN ONLY BE RESTARTED IF YOU BRING IT TO A STOP. I HAD THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN CA. I WAS ALMOST KILLED WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. JAGUAR DEALER, SANTA MONICA,REPAIRED AS CYL BURN OUT. MECHANIC TOLD ME STALLING HAPPENED FREQUENTLY WITH THIS MODEL. A FEW YEARS LATER,SAN ANTONIO TX ON THE 183 HIGHWAY RUSH HOUR. CAR STALLED CAUSING ME TO SWERVE NEXT TO CENTER MEDIAN RIPPING OFF THE ENGINE COVER ON DEBRIS. JAGUAR FIXED THROTTLE BODY NOT ENGINE COVER.SERVICE BULLETIN, DEFECTIVE THROTTLE BODY. CAR RAN POORLY THEREAFTER. STALLED AGAIN YEAR LATER. DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR. $3,000 TO FIX.. RECENTLY DISCOVERED CONSUMERS WORLD WIDE HAVE SAME PROBLEM. SERVICE BULLETIN REPAIR ONLY SHORT TERM FIX. JAGUAR BLOG IN THE UK -CONSUMER DISCOVERED FROM A JAGUAR MECHANIC , MOST THROTTLE BODIES NEEDED TO BE CLEANED PERIODICALLY AS THE LINING BAD AND BUILD UP OR DEPOSITS WOULD FORM ON THE WALLS OF THE THROTTLE BODY AND CAUSE IT TO MALFUNCTION. MY MECHANIC HAD HEARD OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I CALLED SEVERAL JAGUAR DEALERSHIPS. I WAS TOLD, OFF THE RECORD, THAT I COULD CLEAN THE THROTTLE AND GET BY, BUT CERTAIN CLEANERS WOULD CAUSE THE LINING TO DETERIORATE. I WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT WAS A RIP OFF, OFF THE RECORD. USING THE APPROPRIATE CLEANER, THE ASSEMBLY WAS CLEANED WITHOUT REMOVAL. WHEN WE TURNED ON THE VEHICLE SMOKE BILLOWED OUT OF THE EXHAUST FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND THEN SUBSIDED. THE VEHICLE NOW RUNS PERFECTLY. JAGUAR IS PROFITING FROM REPLACEMENT OF PARTS THAT COULD BE CLEANED AND NEED TOP BE CLEANED REGULARLY. REPLACEMENTS EFFECTIVE SHORT TERM ONLY. YOUR FORM ALLOWS ONLY "S" TYPE EQUIP". THIS IS A XJ8. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10185249
56,000 miles · Jan 22, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling
TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE INDICATOR WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON BRIEFLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHOUT RESISTANCE. *AK UPDATED 03/28/07.
NHTSA ODI #10179339