Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
3033112/01/199810011365Replacement cylinder heads - preparation for normally aspirated engines with vvt feature - procedure. *tt01/19/2005
3033012/01/199810011367Noise during start up - install revised timing chain tensioners. *tt01/19/2005
3032402/01/199810011370Limited throttle opening - secure throttle cable adjusting nut - recall r466. *tt01/19/2005
3033902/01/20033033910011316Long cranking - difficult warm/hot start - diagnosis procedure - aj 26 normally aspirated engines. this bulletin replaced bulletin 303-39, dated 03/00. *tt this is the original bulletin 303-39, dated 03/00. *tt01/14/2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
3100602/01/200231006629943Customers may complain of no-start or idle/driveability issues due to the throttle body bore and throttle blade becoming coated with a soft sticky carbon deposit. *tt04/10/2002
6000309/01/200160003625472Service action s474 regarding routine cleaning procedures for vehicles experiencing partial blockage of the restricter in the engine part-load breather. *tt11/28/2001
3034304/01/2001619991Various engine drivability concerns. *tt07/09/2001
3033504/01/200130335619989Customers may complain of difficulty in starting the engine, from cold, on vehicles within certain vin ranges, under certain running conditions. *tt07/06/2001
3100606/01/200031006613493Some vehicles may exhibit an engine non-start or unsatisfactory idle / driveability condition as well as a condtion where the throttle body bore and throttle blade become coated with a soft sticky carbon deposit. *tt07/19/2000
3033503/01/200030335612630Customers may complain of difficulty in starting the engine, from cold, on vehicles within certin vin ranges, under certain running conditions. *tt06/09/2000
3033511/01/1999610182Difficulty in starting the engine, from cold. engine control module (ecm) flash reprogramming - service action s479. *tt04/20/2000
303-3304/01/1999605050Some vehicles within various vin ranges may experience difficulty in starting the engine when cold. *tt05/24/1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL
C0910/01/2000618510Subject regarding carbon canister adapter for vehicles within vin range 001001 - 042775. *tt04/14/2001

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
10/20/2008850001
 1998 jaguar xk8 has a history of stalling on the freeway at speeds of 55-60mph. this occurred twice (prior owner - 38,246 miles) - prior owner told by jaguar that automobile had been repaired by replacing throttle. same incident occurred at later. on-line information shows that several other 1998 xk8 owners have the same issue that engine turns off without warning - the car has a design flaw. there has been recalls regarding the throttle. i do not understand why the nhtsb has not forced jaguar to repair this 1998 xk8. the model, 1998 jaguar xk8, has a design flaw and is a safety risk. *tr
07/14/2008400001
 The vehicle, without any warning and instantaneously at speed limit in a freeway travel lane, ceased to operate. this happened on numerous occasions since first acquired with less than 4,000 miles use. each time this caused the driver (my wife) to conduct an emergency procedure - hit the emergency flashers, shift to neutral, and restart the car while it was decelerating. the last time was on july 14, 2008. the power steering, power brakes, safety handling systems, and engine were inoperable. the vehicle was taken to an authorized jaguar dealership where the problem was acknowledged, diagnosed, and ostensibly repaired. the repair was ineffective and within a few days of the first repair the vehicle failed in the same way again. the vehicle was taken a second time to the authorized jaguar dealer where another repair was conducted. following this repair the incident did not reoccur until july 14, 2008. that day, while at freeway speeds in a travel lane, the vehicle ceased operation with no warning once again. this time however it would not restart as stated above and the vehicle coasted to a small gore-point between two concrete toll booths while traffic avoided the vehicle to each side. the vehicle would not start from neutral, but had to be placed in park in order to restart. for the third time, the vehicle was taken to an authorized jaguar dealership where the service technical attempted the jaguar service action. the procedure failed, the vehicle was totally disabled, and the car could not be started for two weeks. a jaguar factory field employee and a mechanic from out of the area worked on it and now report that everything is fine. they have reinstalled the defective electronic control unit and report that they are confident that this time there will be no more trouble of this nature. i do not share their confidence. i ask that nhtsa investigate this problem and assess the safety risk of the jaguar cars service action procedure. *tr
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
06/16/200312000112/02/2002
 The vehicle stalled intermittently without warning.*ak the gear shift failed to come out of park. *ts also the antenna and power mirror switch was replaced and the coolant light illuminated. *jb
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
07/28/200654000106/15/2005
 Jaguar xk8. vehicle with 54k miles always dealer services. timing chain broke while driving, was able to get car out of traffic without incident. contacted jaguar and they did not even acknowledge there was a problem. jaguar has known the plastic timing chain guides to be defective. the have had two design revisions and now put a metal guide in the cars since 2002. jaguar does not advise owners or dealers to replace the guides which even without their assistance i would have had done at $800. the defective guide causes the chain to break and valve damage, a $7k repair. the dealer and independent repair shops tell me they are repairing these all the time in low mileage engines 45-70k and the internet is littered with the same. hard to believe jaguar has not been forced in to a recall or some type of voluntary repair program. bottom line - engine part with known, documented defect, that causes catastrophic engine failure, with no action by the manufacturer. *jb
101/01/1999
 While driving approximately 60 mph on the highway, the vehicle stalled without any warning. dealer replaced the throttle box, and the oxygen sensors, but the stalling continued. *ak *tt *jb
06/16/200312000112/02/2002
 The vehicle stalled intermittently without warning.*ak the gear shift failed to come out of park. *ts also the antenna and power mirror switch was replaced and the coolant light illuminated. *jb
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
08/16/2004400001211/28/2003
 I purchased a used 1998 jaguar xk8 with 40000 miles in nov 2004. it immediately started stalling at highway speeds. i took it to a local dealer in little rock arkansas, and thay told me that they could find nothing wrong with the car but charged me $1,600.00 for service that was not necessary. within weeks it again began dying at highway speeds and would not re-start without pulling off the road, which is at times impossible due to i-30 being under construction and having no shoulder or exits, only 6-foot concrete barriers on either side of the two lane highway. i was at the mercy of every driver behind me. this is a life threatening situation that jaguar denies having any knowlege of. i have recently found hundreds of complaints on this issue with jag owners who have had the same problem. ford has issued a field action that admits that the throttle-body is defective, but they're not fixing the cars in the u.s., only in other countries. please do something before someone is killed.*ak
06/05/2002105/01/2002
 Cruise control set at 65 mph, engine stalled and completely shut down...restarted and has ran fine since....just worried it may happen again in traffic!
 Vehicle had to be flatbed to dalership numerous times due to not starting after stalling out in middle of traffic. sometimes, vehicle could be restarted but would stall out. was informed by mechanic would need a new engine and new controller box. owner feels it was an electrical problem. *ak
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
04/11/200750000111/15/2004
 Timing tensioner defect- 1998 jaguar xk8 with 50000 miles. engine failed to start after loud popping noise. no previous issues prior. cause-plastic timing tensioners failed, causing timing chain to break and damage pistons. solution new engine. dealer quoted $14,000. this car was regularly maintained. my mechanic stated he was aware of a problem with tensioners, and jaguar had redesigned them for later models. this was a known defect on low mileage vehicles! there were many documented cases. jaguar refused to acknowledge and offered no assistance. *ak
12/24/200449000510/15/1998
 My 1998 xk8 jaguar timing chain broke and ruined the engine requiring a new one for $11,000 with only 49,000 miles on it. i had taken it to the dealer for service the entire time. this is a very common problem occuring within the jaguar line. jaguar refuses to help and tries to keep it under wrap until the warranty expires. it is a well known design flaw that has cost tons of people thousands. my car also stalled without warning on the highway and this too is a common problem. both of these could have caused me serious injury.*ak