IllustrationNORMAL CRUISING HIGHWAY SPEED, LET OFF THE ACCELARATOR AND CAR STALLS. HAVE TO WEAVE MY WAY OUT OF TRAFFIC AS CAR IS DECELERATING. HAD TO COME TO FULL STOP AND THEN ATTEMPTED RESTART WITH NO PROBLEMS. HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES AT HIGHWAY CRUISING SPEEDS, LUCKILY LIGHT TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY AT ALL TIMES.
1997 Jaguar XK8
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all XK8 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 14 of 30 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
30 reportsJAGUAR HAS 40,000 L997 MODEL XK8 SOLD FOR $75,0000. NEEDS NEW ENGINE! DEALER WONT TAKE OF EXPENSE OF REPLACING IT. WEB SAYS THEY HAVE FAULTY TENSIONERS, AND CYLINDER LINERS. *LA
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THROTTLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A WORN OUT SHUT OFF VALVE PART. *AK
PLASTIC GUIDE ON TIMING CHAIN BROKE,WHICH BROKE TIMING CHAIN,WHICH BROKE 2 VALVES AND SCOURED THE PISTON AND CYLINDER WALL.
REAR VIEW MIRROR HAS TURNED BLACK, AND CANNOT BE USED SAFELY. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE "FLUID" IS BAD IN THE MIRROR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK *PH *NLM
THE 1/4" THICK STEEL BRACKETS THAT ARE WELDED TO THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME AND HAVE HOLES FOR THE SEAT FRAME TO BE BOLTED TO THE FLOOR OF THE CAR SHEARED OFF (I.E. COMPLETELY FAILED) WHILE DRIVING. THE SEAT BECAME UNATTACHED AT THE FRONT CAUSING THE SEAT TO ROCK BACKWARD LEAVING THE HEADREST ON THE BACK SEAT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT LOS ANGELES FREEWAY AT 55MPH AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE GOT SHUT OFF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. THIS PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK
1997 JAGUAR XK8 SUDDENLY STALLS OUT COMPLETELY DURING FREEWAY DRIVING. OTHER LISTINGS AT NHTSA REGARDING THIS. POTENTIALLY FATAL ISSUE AS THE CAR CANNOT BE STEERED OFF THE ROAD EASILY. NO WARNING OF FAILURE - RESULTING IN FOLLOWING TRAFFIC HAVING TO BREAK LANE SUDDENLY TO AVOID THE STALLED JAG. THIS IS REALLY SERIOUS STUFF.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON DUAL HIGHWAY THE ENGINE SIMPLY STOPPED! WITH NO POWER ASSIST, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE SHOULDER. I WAITED A SHORT TIME THEN RESTARTED AND CONTINUED ON. DEALER COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE FAILURE. DT
FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT UNITS REPLACED - ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE REPLACED ECM UNIT TO BE REPLACED - CAR NOW AT DEALER 11/11/02. DT
Official recalls
197V045000 · Suspension:rear
Mar 20, 1997
THE DIFFERENTIAL OUTPUT SHAFT RETAINING RINGS ON THE REAR SUSPENSION CAN BECOME DISPLACED ALLOWING THE OUTPUT SHAFT TO BECOME DETACHED FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE OUTPUT SHAFT SEPARATES, THE REAR SUSPENSION WOULD COLLAPSE ON THE AFFECTED SIDE RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S DIFFERENTIAL SERIAL NUMBER AND REPAIR OR REPLACE THE NECESSARY PARTS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.