1998 JAGUAR XJ Complaints

MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L STALLED AT HIGH SPEED (70 MPH) ON THE FREEWAY FOR THE THIRD TIME IN THE LAST SIX MONTH WITH NO WARNING. THIS CAUSE ME TO HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER MY CAR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND RESTART WITH NO PROBLEM. I CHECKED AN INTERNET SITE WHICH HAS A FORUM DOCUMENTING THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM ON THE FREEWAY. VERY SCARY.

PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE'S THROTTLE PLATE.*MR CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE TWICE WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER. THE FIRST REPAIR FAILED AFTER THE YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED ON THE THROTTLE PLATE. THE SECOND REPAIR FAILED AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE PART FOR $1800. *PH *JB

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEED OF APPROX. 60 MILES PER HOUR THE VEHICLE LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND COASTED TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR. THE LOSS OF POWER RESULTED IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON ONE OCCASION AS I WAS STUCK BETWEEN A CEMENT TRUCK IN FRONT AND A CAR CARRIER TO THE REAR. I DEFINITELY FEARED FOR MY LIFE. AFTER THE THIRD EVENT I CONTACTED RUSNAK JAGUAR IN PASADENA AND THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP IN THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE SOLUTION IS TO REMOVE THE THROTTLE BODY AND CLEAN AND READJUST. I HAD THIS WORK DONE ON THE 50,000 MILE SERVICE AT A COST OF $200. I WAS TOLD THIS PROBLEM IS ONLY ON THE 1998 AND 1999 MODELS AND THAT A "FIX" CAME ON LATER MODELS. I BELIEVE A RECALL IS IN ORDER ON THIS CAR. *PH

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. *JB ALSO FLUID LEAKED FROM THE REAR AXLE AND THE SHAFT AXLE, O-RING, AND LOCKTAB WERE REPLACED. *TS *JB

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH AND WITH NO WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

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.

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

THE 1998 XJ8 WHILE AT HIGHWAY / INTERSTATE SPEED 55 AND UP HAS GONE INTO LIMP OR STALL MODE AT RANDOM (6 TIMES IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS) EXPOSING THE OCCUPTANTS TO SEVERE TRAFFIC HAZARDS FROM FAST MOVING VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE COAST TO A STANDSTILL AND MUST BE PUT IN PARK TO RESTART. THE JAGUAR DEALER HAS CHANGED OUT PARTS BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. MANY 1998 JAGUAR OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE LAST INCIDENT WAS MAY 18, 2003

THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT TURN OFF. THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THEY NEEDED TO CLEAN AND ADJUST THE THROTTLE HOUSING, AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO STALL WHEN MAINTENANCE WAS NEEDED. MR SCC *JB