1998 Jaguar XJ8LRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

“MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L KEEPS STALLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, VERY VERY DANGEROUS. I AM ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT ON 95 EVERYTIME THIS HAPPENS. THE DEALER HAS SAID IT IS A DIRTY THROTTLE THAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS, BUT EVEN AFTER SERVICING IT JUST STARTS UP AGAIN...AFTER INVESTIGATING HERE ON THE WEB I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME BACK ON SEPTEMBER 2004, WHEN MY ENGINE JUST COMPLETELY FROZE UP ON 95 AND HAD TO REPLACE IT AT A COST OF $15,874.00. THIS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AND A RECALL SHOULD BE POSTED FOR THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. I HAVE A SNEAKY FEELING THAT THIS IS STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN WITH THE ENGINE STALLING AND NOW I ONLY HAVE 13,000 MILES ON MY NEW ENGINE. PLEASE HELP! *TR”

“THIS IS A SECOND ENTRANCE FOR THIS COMPLAINT. THE FIRST ENTRANCE WAS A MISTAKE DUE TO WRONG DATE OF PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL 2005. I AM THE THIRD OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE A CARFAX WITH THE VEHICLES HISTORY. I DID HAVE A PASSENGER AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE AND ALMOST HAD A WRECK. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT AN INTERSECTION. MY PASSENGERS COMPLAINED OF A STRAINED NECK POSSIBLY WHIPLASH? ANYWAY THE DESCRIPTION IS LISTED BELOW: I OWN A 1998 XJ8L. RECENTLY, MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN THE VEHICLE. I ONLY HAVE 72,500 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. I CONTACTED JAGUAR AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION TO THEM. THEY STATED THAT THIS IS HIGH MILEAGE. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT NO IT IS NOT HIGH MILEAGE ENGINES ARE BUILT TO LAST 100,000 MILES. I STATED THAT JAGUAR IS NOT WANTING TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS. THERE IS A RECALL R478. IT COVERS THE O RING INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. THE TEETH BREAK AND CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH IN VARIOUS FORUMS, I FOUND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THE THREE OTHER ISSUES WITH THESE MODELS IS THE NAKESIL ENGINE, AND THE SERPENTINE…”

“RELATED TO JAGUAR SERVICE ACTION PUBLICATION NUMBER 303-S514, "THROTTLE CLOSED POSITION OPERATION" THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT FOR JAGUAR. IN THE JAGUAR SERVICE BULLETIN, JAGUAR STATES "UNDER EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES THIS CONCERN COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO CUT OUT... THE ENGINE SHOULD RESTART WITHOUT DIFFICULTY ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STANDSTILL." THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REPORTED AS A RESULT OF THIS "COMPLETE STANDSTILL" HAPPENING ON MAJOR MOTORWAYS WHERE THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC IS IN EXCESS OF 60MPH. MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L HAS HAD THE SERVICE ACTION PERFORMED, WHICH REPLACED THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WITH THE EXACT SAME THROTTLEBODY FROM THE SAME VENDOR. THE NEW PARTS USED FOR THE REPLACEMENT IS THE SAME ONE THAT FAILS, IT IS DEFECTIVE AND ONLY COMES WITH A ONE YEAR WARRANTY. THE CAR IS STALLING AGAIN, AND JAGUAR REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. ON MONDAY MORNING, MARCH 17, 2008 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, MY CAR RECENTLY STALLED WHILE HEADING ON I-35N THROUGH AUSTIN TEXAS, AT WHICH TIME THE TRAFFIC VOLUME WAS HEAVY AND THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC WAS NEAR 70 MPH, AND I WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY EXIT FOR A CONSTRUCTION BARRICADE. IN DOING…”