1999 JAGUAR XJ8 Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS, A NOISE WAS HEARD IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE GEARS SHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED IF A TRANSMISSION CLEANING DOES NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED.

LTR FM (CA) RE A DEFECTIVE PLASTIC TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER INSTALLED IN THEIR 1999 JAGUAR XJ8. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PROPERLY MAINTAINED PRIOR TO PURCHASING IT. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WAS OIL SLUDGE BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. SHE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE OIL PAN AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE PLASTIC TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED AND JAMMED IN THE TIMING CHAIN WHICH CAUSED THE CHAIN TO BREAK IN HALF. THIS RESULTED IN THE VALVES BEING STUCK OPEN AND THE PISTONS TO COLLIDE. THE CONSUMER LEARNED OF SB X303-68 AND 303-30 WHICH ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM. *NM THE CONSUMER LEARNED A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WAS INSTALLED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. UPDATED 01/25/06 *JB

ENGINE FAILURE `99 JAGUAR XJ8 VANDEN PLAAS ("LOWER ENGINE DISFUNCTION," DUE TO DEFICIENT TENSIONER MALFUNCTION PER DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS) AT 61,400 MILES. VEHICLE WELL MAINTAINED AND CHECKED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. WE WERE SENT MANY WARNINGS AND SUGGESTIONS ABOUT OTHER MAINTENANCE OBJECTIVES, BUT A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH TENSIONERS WAS NEVER MENTIONED. WE KNOW OF WELL OVER A HUNDRED CASES. ONE DEALER TOLD US THEY SEE AT LEAST ONE CASE LIKE OURS A MONTH AND SUGGESTED THAT A LARGER DEALERSHIP IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA WOULD MAKE THEIR NUMBERS LOOK SKIMPY. THE IGNORANCE OF THIS PROBLEM HAS NEARLY CAUSED SOME CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENTS THAT COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF LIMB OR LIFE. IF THAT IN ITSELF FAILS TO MOVE THE NHTSA WE HAVE TO WONDER WHAT WILL. THERE ARE SEVERAL RESPECTED AUTOMOTIVE EXPERTS WHO CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY JAGUAR AND FORD HAVE NOT SOLVED THIS SITUATION (I.E. REPLACED THE FAULTY PARTS AND/OR TAKEN CARE OF THE COST OF INSTALLING A NEW POWER PLANT IN THE `98, `99, AND SOME `00 XJ8 MODELS). THIS VEHICLE IS STILL DISABLED BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT A REP. FROM JAGUAR PLANNED ON "HELPING US OUT." AND, WE HAVE BEEN QUOTED A WIDE RANGE OF ENGINE REPLACEMENT COSTS, NONE BY FORMAL WRITTEN QUOTE, NOT EVEN THE 12 MONTH WARRANTY TEXT PROMISED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. WE FEEL JAGUAR NEEDS TO "COME TO THE TABLE" AS FAR AS THIS EXAMPLE OF POTENTIAL CONSUMER FRAUD AND REQUEST PROPER INVESTIGATION RELATIVE TO WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST RAMPANT DISREGARD FOR WHAT MOST CONSUMERS EXPECT WHEN BUYING A VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SALES PITCH CENTERS ON DEPENDABILITY THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO RESULT FROM THE ACQUISITION OF JAGUAR BY FORD. THESE ALLEGATIONS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED AND COULD HOLD UP IN ANY COURT IN VIRGINIA AS FAR AS STATING OUR CASE OF MISINFORMATION AND THE AFOREMENTIONED FALSE PROMISE. WE WOULD GLADLY "JOIN IN" AS FAR AS ANY CLASS ACTION IS CONCERNED YET ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE NHTSA WILL DO WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THEIR "DUE DILIGENCE." *NM

I WAS THE THIRD CAR IN A FIVE-CAR ACCIDENT. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AND ABOUT 0.5 CAR LENGTH FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHEN CAR NUMBER 2, A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA PICKUP, HIT ME FROM BEHIND. MY CAR, A 1999 XJ8L, SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN THE REAR, BUT ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT SECTION, NO DAMAGE TO BODY SHEET METAL; ONLY ONE BUMPER SHOCK NEEDS REPLACED. THE DRIVER?????S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE DRIVER?????S SEAT COLLAPSE INTO THE REAR BENCH SEAT. THE POSITION OF MY SEAT WHEN I DRIVE IS; THE BACK ADJUSTMENT IS SET AT OR VERY CLOSE TO STRAIGHT UP (90 DEGREES), THE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT IS SET ALMOST ALL THE WAY UP, AND THE SEAT DISTANCE FROM THE PEDALS IS VERY CLOSE TO ALL THE WAY BACK. AS A RESULT OF BEING HIT FROM BEHIND, MY BODY WAS THROWN FORWARD ABOUT 10 DEGREES AND WAS WHIPPED BACKWARDS TO A FULL-RECLINED POSITION (ABOUT 175DEGREES). THE ACCIDENT CAUSED MY SEAT TO COLLAPSE INTO THE BACK REAR BENCH SEAT AND AS A RESULT, I WAS IN A FULLY RECLINED POSITION AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IS THE JAGUAR'S FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE? I DID HAVE MY SHOULDER HARNESS AND LAP BELT ON AND THERE WERE NO PASSANGERS IN MY CAR. *NM

WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM 50 TO 60 MPH UP AN ONRAMP MY AMBER LIGHT COMES ON SHOWING "RESTRICTED PERFORMANCE". IT NOW OCCURRS ANY TIME I ACCELERATE TO 65.

1999 XJ-8 SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. PLASTIC SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER BROKE INTO PIECES, DISABLING ENGINE AND CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. DAMAGE INCLUDED 3 VALVES, ONE CONSTANTLY VARIABLE VALVE TIMING UNIT (CVVT), TIMING CHAINS AND SPROCKETS. REQUIRED REMOVAL OF B BANK HEAD FOR MACHINING NECESSARY TO REPLACE VALVES AND REPAIR VALVE SEATS. NO TSB OR RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY JAGUAR WITH REGARD TO THIS DESIGN DEFICIENCY. CONTACT WITH OTHER JAGUAR OWNERS HAS IDENTIFIED THAT THIS PROBLEM AFFECTS MANY OWNERS. JAGUAR REPAIR IS TO REPLACE ENTIRE ENGINE ($7,000-10,000). I REBUILT ENGINE MYSELF, AND CONTACTED JAGUAR TO QUESTION WHY REPLACEMENT OF THE TENSIONERS IS NOT SPECIFIED AT SOME REASONABLE INTERVAL TO PREVENT TENSIONER FAILURE. JAGUAR RESPONSE TO DATE HAS BEEN TO DENY THAT ANY DESIGN DEFICIENCY EXISTS. FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT WILL DISABLE THE ENGINE, AND IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT LEADING TO LOSS OF PROPERTY OR LIFE. COST TO REPAIR BY OWNER WAS OVER $3,000 (PARTS AND HEAD MACHINING); DEALER REPLACES ENTIRE ENGINE VICE REBUILD/REPLACE DAMAGED. COMPONENTS. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ,THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER WA ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMERS SUNROOF AUTOMATICALLY OPENED AND A BURNING SMELL PERMEATED THE COCKPIT. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY CUT THE ENGINE OFF AND PULLED ALL THE FUSES OUT, HOWEVER A FEW MINUTES LATER THE SMOKE TURNED INTO FIRE. IT SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THE SUNROOF BUTTON CLUSTER. THE FORENSIC SPECIALIST SAID THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS THE SUNROOF CONTROL MODULE. THE CONSUMER INFORMED JAGUAR OF NORTH AMERICA, HOWEVER THEY WERE NOT CONCERNED AND WOULD NOT FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE FAILED MODULE. *CB A FIRE REPORT IS ENCLOSED. ALSO THE RIGHT FOG LAMP WAS REPLACED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK, INCREASING THE SPEED TO 90 MPH. CONSUMER SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND SHUT OFF ENGINE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT PIN OF METAL CLIP UNDER ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD WEDGED ITSELF INTO THE RUBBER, CAUSING ACCELERATION.*AK