Research · Midsize Cars

2012 Jaguar XFRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 38 owner complaints for the 2012 Jaguar XF. Most complaints involve fuel/propulsion system (13) and engine (13). The EPA rates it 17–19 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
17–19mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
5campaigns
Latest Jan 2018
Owner complaints
38
Top: fuel/propulsion system
Fuel cost / yr
$4,050est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

5 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Jaguar XF vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Unless included in "Zone A" above, Jaguar is also recalling certain 2011-2015 Jaguar XF vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Unless included in Zone A and Zone B above, Jaguar is also recalling certain 2010-2015 Jaguar XF vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 8, 2018NHTSA 18V010000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain 2012 Jaguar XF vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Unless included in "Zone A" above, Jaguar is recalling certain 2009 Jaguar XF vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Vehicles not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 10, 2017NHTSA 17V027000

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Jaguar) is recalling certain model year 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015 XF vehicles manufactured February 6, 2008 to October 20, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver frontal air bags may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage deployment, resulting in the second stage deploying improperly in certain crashes.

Air bagsReported Apr 20, 2016NHTSA 16V229000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

38 complaints filed with NHTSA · Nov 2012 – Aug 2026
  1. Fuel/propulsion system13
  2. Engine13
  3. Air bags5
  4. Fuel system, gasoline2
  5. Vehicle speed control2
  6. Structure2
  7. Service brakes2
  8. Power train1
  9. Electrical system1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each XF model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
200990
2010106
201181
201238
201335
201411
201519
20165
20175
20182
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Fuel/propulsion system

13 reports1 crash1 fire
“Fuel tank is leaking fuel from the top of the tank. Fuel is visibly leaking, I must exit the vehicle to air out and breathe. I’ve had multiple medical visits for headaches. Jaguar/Land Rover has had multiple fuel recalls, but have told me my car is not covered.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 9, 2022Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11492927

Engine

13 reports1 crash1 fire
“The dealer said that they fixed the recall, which is not true, because it came back so fast, it just unreal, the manufacture is one who should care about that, i was driving my kid to school wen the car started to shake badly, so i thought its kunda danger to my family !”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2022Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11478039

Air bags

5 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JAGUAR XF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V010000 (AIR BAGS) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT PROVIDING A LOANER VEHICLE UNTIL PARTS BECAME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTIFICATION ADVISED THAT PARTS WERE EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE IN 2019. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 12, 2018Air bagsODI 11078630
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars
Engines
5.0L 8-cyl · 5.0L 8-cyl supercharged
Transmissions
Automatic (S6)
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
XF
Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 5.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
162319$4,050468
XF
Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 5.0 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive
152117$4,550523
  • XF
    Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 5.0 L
    16 city · 23 hwy · $4,050/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • XF
    Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 5.0 L, Sup Charg
    15 city · 21 hwy · $4,550/yr
    17
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Jaguar XF as of Nov 10, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 10, 2026Vehicle 6117
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2012 XF questions

How many recalls does the 2012 Jaguar XF have?

5 safety recalls as of Nov 10, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2012 Jaguar XF problems?

Owners filed 38 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are fuel/propulsion system (13), engine (13), air bags (5). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2012 Jaguar XF get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Jaguar XF at 17–19 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 10, 2026