1999 JAGUAR XK8 Recalls, Complaints & Safety

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO LIMP HOME MODE AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 5 MPH. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE COMPUTER MODULE WOULD INDICATE THAT THERE WAS AN ANTI SLIP DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO REPLACED AGAIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

I REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR AND APPLIED BRAKE. CAR SURGED FORWARD. I SHIFTED FOOT FARTHER TO LEFT AND CONTINUED BRAKE APPLICATION AND CAR STOPPED. I DISCOVERED THAT BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER SO THAT, WHEN FOOT APPLIED TO BRAKE, RIGHT SIDE OF FOOT CAN INADVERTENTLY PRESS DOWN ON ACCELERATOR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY MODULE, ELECTRICAL WIRING, AND SPARK PLUGS. A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE GOES INTO A LYMPH MODE. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

I OWN A JAGUAR 1999 XK8- IT HAS REPEATEDLY GONE INTO THE "LIMP HOME MODE" WHILE ON THE FREEWAY TWICE CAUSING CARS AROUND ME TO CRASH WHILE AVOIDING ME. I HAVE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND SPENT THOUSANDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BUT IT STILL RECURS. I HAVE JUST HAD A DIFFERENT SHOP WORK ON IT AND HAVE GONE BACK 3 TIMES WITH OUT IT BEING FIXED. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE IN ANY LANE OTHER THAN THE RIGHT LANE. IN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION I FOUND THAT IT HAS BEEN THE CAUSE OF SOME ACCIDENTS AND IS NOT UNCOMMON. MOST OF THE DEALERS I HAVE TALKED TO AND THE ONLINE FORUMS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT RELATES TO THE THROTTLE BODY JUST SHUTTING DOWN. IT OCCURS RANDOMLY. I HAVE GONE TO DRIVING WITH A "ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC" READER PLUGGED IN TO THE PORT SO THAT IF WHEN IT HAPPENS I CAN QUICKLY CLEAR THE CODE AND MOVE SAFELY OUT OF TRAFFIC. IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME IF PROBLEM THIS HAS CAUSED A LARGE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS. JAGUAR MUST BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DEALERS SURE ARE. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN GET THEM TO TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED. THANKS FOR YOU CONSIDERATION. THE DATE OF MY LAST SERVICE FOR THIS PROBLEM WAS 4/22/09 WHICH IS THE 5TH SERVICE CALL FOR THIS IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. DURING THAT TIME I HAVE ONLY DRIVEN IT ABOUT 6,500 MILES AND AM AFRAID TO SELL IT. *TR

HYDRAULIC LINES, LOCATED OVER WINDSHIELD, WHICH OPERATE CONVERTIBLE TOP, LEAK AND SPRAY HYDRAULIC FLUID INTO EYES OF DRIVER. THIS NEARLY RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *TR

I OWN A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. ON AUGUST 8TH I WAS RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN HYDRAULIC FLUID STARTED TO POUR FROM THE OVERHEAD NEAR THE INTERNAL LIGHTS. THE HYDRAULIC LINES WHICH FEED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP RUPTURED; MY CAR HAS ONLY 62,000 MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED JAGUAR TO LODGE A COMPLAINT. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUCH EVENTS OCCURRING IN THE XK8 MODEL. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER SERVICE THEY HAD A READY PRICE TO FIX THE ITEM. ACCORDINGLY IN THE BAY AT THE TIME WERE 3 OTHER OWNERS WHO WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS WELL OF 2500 DOLLARS NOT INCLUDING REPLACING SEATS AND ELECTRONICS OR MY CLOTHES AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER ME. JAGUAR TAKES NO CULPABILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE TOP WERE DOWN THE HYDRAULIC SPRAY COULD HAVE BLOWN IN TO MY EYES AND CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT DUE TO MY INABILITY TO SEE. THUS AFTER NUMEROUS LETTERS JAGUAR HAS NOT ACCEPTED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS OBVIOUS AS A DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE RETAINED THE RUPTURED HYDRAULIC LINES AND THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THIS IS A RECALL ITEM. *TR

TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP OR HARD DOWNSHIFTS AT SPEEDS OF FIFTEEN MILES OR BELOW ON DECELLATERATION. FOUND RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 99V138000, DATED JUNE 02, 1999, HOWEVER WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ON RECALL LIST. I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF BLOGS OF COMPLAINTS INVOLVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IF THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE AND A RECALL WAS ISSUED WHY NOT TO SOME VEHICLES AND NOT TO ALL TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE AFFECTED. THE JAGUAR PERSON I SPOKE TO WAS VERY DEFENSIVE AND WOULD NOT LET ME GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE, KEPT REPEATING THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ASSOCIATED TO THAT PARTICULAR RECALL. THIS IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT HUNDREDS OF OWNERS ARE FACING AND SHOULD NOT BE ASSOCIATED TO A PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE XJ8 HAS THE SAME TRANSMISSION AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE BEYOND 15 MPH. THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WAS $10,000. THE VEHICLE'S 80,000 MILE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON DECEMBER 12, 2006. THE DEALER STATED THAT RECALL # 99V138000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) IS NOT RELATED TO HIS VIN, ALTHOUGH THE FAILURE IS DIRECTLY RELATED. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE RECALL IS NOT RELATED. THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE RECEIPTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 85,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,712.

SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE @44K MILES. *JB

DT*:THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING DUE TO A TENSIONER FAILURE ON THE TIMING CHAIN. THE CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND SUNNY. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT NOR POLICE REPORT FILED.

SUDDEN LOOSE STEERING, COULD RESULT IS LOSS OF CONTROL. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF UPPER AND LOWER STEERING COLUMN. REPLACEMENT LOWER COLUMN SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURED IS REDESIGNED AND STRENGTHENED. DEALER RESPONSE WAS "OUT OF WARRANTY". SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE - COMPLETE FAILURE OF STEERING WOULD BE LIKELY IF CONTINUED USE. *JB

AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, IT BEGAN TO MAKE NOISE AND HAD A ROUGH IDLE. THE RESTRICTED PERFORMANCE MESSAGE FLASHED AND THEN THE ENGINE DIED. THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED AND JUMPED MECHANICAL TIMING, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WERE LOST WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION. IF YOU READ ON ANY JAGUAR FORUM, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS COMMON WITH THE JAGUAR 4.0 V8 FROM 1998 THROUGH 2000.

I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND BECAUSE I HEARD A NOISE LIKE SOMETHING WAS LOOSE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT A LARGE BOLT THAT CONNECTS THE CROSSBEAM AND UPPER CONTROL ARM CAUSED WEAR ON THESE PARTS AND THAT THESE AS WELL AS BEAM MOUNTING BRACKES AND VARIOUS BOLT ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID IT WAS GOOD THAT I BROUGHT IT IN WHEN I DID BECAUSE THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL COULD COME OFF AT ANY TIME. THEY ALSO SAID THAT JAGUAR WOULD NOT COVER THIS REPAIR UNDER THEIR SELECT EDITION WARRANTY. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS OVER $4000.00

MY TRANSMISSION APON TAKE OFF(UNDER 15 MPH) LOCKS VERY HARD AND LUNGES, LEAVING ME TO BELIEVE THAT PERHAPS THE TRANS GEARS MAY BE CRACKING AND NOT MESHING THE WAY THEY SHOULD.AT HIGH SPEEDS IT SHIFTS PERFECTLY.

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS DUE TO THE STABLIITY CONTROL CHIP LOCATED IN THE THROTTLE BODY GOING BAD. WHEN THE WHEELS BREAK LOOSE, A SENSOR SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE CHIP IN THE THROTTLE BODY TO SLOW THE ENGINE SO IT DOES NOT OVER-REV. THIS CHIP ACCORDING TO THE DEALER IS MALFUNCTIONING AND 'FIRING' ON ITS OWN RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED. THIS FIRST OCCURRED 18 MONTHS AGO AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY ($1800). IT JUST STARTED TO HAPPEN AGAIN AND THE NEW THROTTLE BODY ONLY HAD 13K MILES ON IT. I JUST HAD TO REPLACE AGAIN AND THEY ONLY CHARGED ME ANOTHER $730. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND THIS IS DANGEROUS AS SOMEONE ALMOST REAR ENDED HER. I KNOW THAT THERE IS A DEALER ADVISORY REGARDING A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH ANOTHER JAGUAR MODEL. I SAVED BOTH THROTTLE BODIES SO YOU MAY BORROW THEM IF YOU WOULD LIKE. OTHERWISE THEY WILL BE SOME EXPENSIVE BOOK ENDS. WE WILL NOT OWN ANOTHER JAGUAR DUE TO THIS RECURRING PROBLEM BUT I HOPE SOMEONE DOES NOT HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY START TREATING THEIR CUSTOMERS RIGHT ARD CORRECT THIS ISSUE.

DT: CONSUMER STATES: BROUGHT IN VEHICLE DUE TO DEFECTIVE CONVERTIBLE TOP. FOUND OUT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS BRACKETS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE FRAME WERE BREAKING. THEY WERE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME AND WERE COMING LOOSE. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER TO STOP DRIVING VEHICLE RIGHT AWAY. THE FRONT TWO TIRES TREAD WAS WORN. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAD 18,000 MILES. *AK

THE RIGHT AND LEFT CONTROL ARMS WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AFTER CONSUMER NOTICED THE TWO RIGHT FRONT TIRES WERE WEARING OUT. MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE.*AK

1999 XK8 CONVERTIBLE WITH @37000 MILES. I LEASE THIS VEHICLE AND KEEP IT IMPECCABLY MAINTAINED AT THE JAGUAR SERVICE DEPT. IN THE PAST YEAR ONCE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY THE ENGINE STOPPED/STALLED AT HIGH SPEED AND ENGINE LIGHTS WENT ON. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 3 TIMES. I NOTIFIED OUR JAGUAR SERVICE PERSON WHO CHECKED OUT THE CAR AT NEXT SERVICE AND DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING: FAN AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED. ON SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2004 AFTER DRIVING 7 MILES TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ETC. CAME HOME AND AN HOUR LATER ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND IT SOUNDED AT FIRST LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO TURN OVER AND SIMPLY MADE LOUD ALMOST FLOODING TYPE SOUND AND DIED. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SNAPPED AND WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. SINCE THE MILEAGE IS SO LOW AND OUTSIDE INITIAL WARRANTY WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE NATURE OF THE PRODUCT DEFECT WITH JAGUAR AND HAVE NOW LEARNED ON LINE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE PRIOR COMPLAINTS AND NEED FOR COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENTS. FURTHER, DESPITE DIRECTIVES ETC IT APPEARS JAGUAR IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THIS PROBLEM AS A PRODUCT DEFECT ETC. OUR CAR IS AT THE HORNBURG JAGUAR DEALER AND WE ARE WAITING FOR JAGUAR TO RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST THAT THEY PAY TO REPAIR AND OR REPLACE THE ENGINE. WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THIS TYPE OF SUDDEN TIMING CHAIN RUPTURE COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY AND OR DEATH IF CAR OWNERS AND OR LESSEES ARE NOT TOLD TO HAVE THEIR CARS CHECKED AND OR RECALLED. PLEASE ASSIST US IF POSSIBLE.*AK

MY LOW (20,000) MILEAGE BUT OUT-OF-WARRANTY CAR UNEXPECTEDLY (NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER) THREW ITS TIMING CHAIN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE CHAIN AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO THE ENGINE. A DAMAGED ENGINE WILL COST MORE THAN $10,000 TO REPLACE. BASED ON WEB RESEARCH, ITS A NOT-UNCOMMON PROBLEM (WITH THE TIMING CHAIN) THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE SUFFERED, REGARDLESS OF SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH THE COMPANY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS SERVICE ADVISES THAT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM BUT STILL THEY REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BEYOND STANDARD WARRANTY. *JB

AT SLOW SPEEDS REAR END, WHEN SHIFTING, CLANGS AND DOESN'T CATCH QUICKLY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 10MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF ACCELERATION ALMOST CAUSING A REAR END COLLISON. *JB *TS

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 15 MPH COLLISION HITTING A TREE IN WHICH PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING PASSENGER TO RECEIVE FACE BURNS AND A FRACTURED ARM.*AK *SLC

Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 15 MPH COLLISION HITTING A TREE IN WHICH PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING PASSENGER TO RECEIVE FACE BURNS AND A FRACTURED ARM.*AK *SLC

Crash 1 injured

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING BRAKES WILL INTERMITTENTLY ACTIVATE OR LOSE BRAKING ABILITY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE . DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK