Jaguar XJ8 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
173 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
63,750 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 to 2006 model years. Data snapshot: . 120 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 173 complaints (11.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 44 | 25.4% |
| Braking behavior | 33 | 19.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 27 | 15.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 5.8% |
| Steering behavior | 7 | 4.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 3.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 18 |
| Suspension | 18 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 17 |
| Electrical System | 14 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 12 |
| Power Train | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 11 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 20; Engine And Engine Cooling: 18; Suspension: 18; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 17; Electrical System: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 12; Power Train: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 11
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 20 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 20 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 31 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 25 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 19 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 31; 75,000 to 99,999: 25; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 5
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 53 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 21 |
| 2004 | 25 |
| 2005 | 14 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 12 |
| 2008 | 12 |
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 11 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2000: 5; 2001: 4; 2002: 9; 2003: 21; 2004: 25; 2005: 14; 2006: 7; 2007: 12; 2008: 12; 2009: 9; 2010: 11; 2011: 6; 2012: 7; 2013: 8; 2014: 3; 2015: 4; 2016: 4; 2017: 2; 2018: 4; 2019: 4; 2020: 1; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 44 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 33 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 27 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000822 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)
1998 JAGUAR XJ8 - ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHEN CAR IS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ONLY STALLS WITH SPEEDS OVER 55 MPH. HAVE TAKEN AUTO TO DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX PROBLEM YET. I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL. NO FACTORY RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001379 · 2002-12-23 (December 23, 2002)
CONSUMER STATES ENGINE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS CHECKED 4X. DEALER HAS BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, BUT CAN NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021396 · 2003-06-11 (June 11, 2003)
ENGINE STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH NO ADVANCE WARNING. POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES ARE THEREFORE ALSO INOPERABLE. VEHICLE MUST BE COASTED IN THIS CONDITION TO A STOP AND PUT IN "PARK" BEFORE IT WILL RESTART. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS A LIFE-THREATENING MANEUVER IN MULTIPLE LANES OF 70 MPH TRAFFIC.DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO REPAIR VEHICLE. *AK CONDITION HAS OCCURED MULTIPLE TIMES; THE DATE BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT.
Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021396 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10058353 · 2004-02-17 (February 17, 2004)
THE REAR WINDOW MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT FIXTURE OVERHEATED AND MELTED. IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE 5 BULBS IN THE FIXTURE IS ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF THE PLASTIC MATERIAL. IN THIS CASE THE BULB BURNED OUT BEFORE A FIRE STARTED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10058353 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022472 · 2003-06-05 (June 5, 2003)
WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION JUMP FORWARD. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022472 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10134612 · 2005-10-26 (October 26, 2005)
DT: 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONSUMER STATES THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED. THE VEHICLE IS AT A TRANSMISSION PLACE NOW. THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP IN THE DRIVEWAY, AFTER IT SAT FOR APPROXIMATELY HALF AN HOUR HE TOOK IT TO DEALER. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THIS HAPPENED. THERE WAS RECALL 99V138000 CONCERNING TRANSMISSION. WHEN HE CALLED JAGUAR, THEY STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THIS IS A COMPLAINT FROM CANADA, THE MILEAGE IS IN KILOMETERS.*AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 122,947 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134612 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 724795 · 2000-06-30 (June 30, 2000)
I HAVE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED BY TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES FOR THE SAME DEFECTS WHICH STILL REMAIN. THE DRIVERS ELECTRIC SEAT OCCASIONALLY MOVES BOTH FORWARD AND BACK WHILE DRIVING MOVING YOU EITHER AWAY FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL OR INTO THE DASH. THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH IS TIED INTO THE SAME SYSTEM SOMETIMES REFUSES TO MOVE OUT OF ITS RETRACTED POSITION AGAINST THE DASHBOARD. ADDITIONALLY, THE REAR DOORS WON'T OPEN AT ALL UNLESS THE DRIVER FIRST OPENS THEIR OWN DOOR…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 724795 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 756982 · 2002-01-17 (January 17, 2002)
BATTERY EXPLODED, FILLED TRUNK WITH SMOKE, BLEW ELECTRICAL COVERS OFF OF FUSE AND RELAY BLOCKS WHICH ARE LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE BATTERY UNDER THE FLOOR OF THE TRUNK..EXPLODED WHEN TURNED IGNITION KEY TO START CAR--VERY VIOLENT--IF TRUNK HAD BEEN OPEN, ACID WOULD HAVE COVERED ANYONE NEARBY. BETTER SHIELDING OF THE BATTERY NEEDS TO BE UNDERTAKEN.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 756982 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10065259 · 2004-05-11 (May 11, 2004)
VEHICLE STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK DEALER CLEANED THROTTLE BODY, BUT AFTER 9 TO 12 MONTHS PROBLEM RECURRED. WHENEVER VEHICLE STALLS, IGNITION HAS TO BE TURNED OFF AND THEN ON TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, WHEN VEHICLE STALLS, ACCELERATOR PEDAL DELIVERED NO FUEL. VEHICLE MUST BE PULLED OVER, TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND TURN IT ON AGAIN IN ORDER FOR VEHICLE TO RUN NORMAL. DEALER ALSO PERFORMED REPAIR ON STEERING WHEEL BECAUSE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEED. WIPER BLADES WERE REP…
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10065259 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046667 · 2003-11-04 (November 4, 2003)
VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE ENGINE STALLINGS WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *MR ON MANY OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FELT AS IF THE FUEL HAD BEEN SHUT OFF. THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AND PERFORMED TSB # 310-05. THE EMS RELAY WAS REPLACED, FUEL INJECTION RELAY, THROTTLE MOTOR RELAY, IGNITION COIL RELAY, STARTER RELAY, FUEL PUMP RELAY AND BOTH IGNITION POSITIVE. *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 32,328 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046667 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11355622 · 2020-09-17 (September 17, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OR AT A STAND STILL, THE GEARS FAILED TO ENGAGED PROPERLY WIT THE FUEL INJECTOR, POWER TRAIN, TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BROWN'S JAGUAR (10505 MIDLOTHIAN TURNPIKE, RICHMOND, VA 23235) WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION MODULE WAS…
Owner-reported narrative. 121,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11355622 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
1998: 0; 1999: 0; 2001: 0; 2002: 0; 2003: 0; 2004: 0; 2005: 0; 2006: 0