1998 JAGUAR XJ8 Complaints

VEHICLE RECENTLY PURCHASED USED FROM AUTO BROKER. SINCE PURCHASE, THERE HAS BEEN A VIBRATION SEEMINGLY ORIGINATING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AREA. DURING AN EXCEPTIONALLY WINDY DAY (30+ KNOT CROSSWINDS ON HIGHWAY), THE VIBRATION WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE ME QUESTION MY ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I ASSUMED THIS WAS DUE TO TIRES OUT OF ROUND/BALANCE OR VEHICLE OUT OF ALIGNMENT SO PURCHASED 4 NEW TIRES AND HAD VEHICLE ALIGNED. VIBRATION IS STILL NOTICEABLE ALTHOUGH NOT NEARLY AS STRONG AS BEFORE. STILL NOTICE THAT WHEN STRONG GUSTY CONDITIONS ARE IN THE AREA THAT THE VIBRATION INCREASES ACCORDINGLY. POSSIBLY RELATED CONDITION IS THAT WHEN SUNROOF IS OPEN AND VIBRATION OCCURS I CAN HEAR A STRUMMING SOUND LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AERODYNAMICS OF THE VEHICLE.

1998 JAGUAR XJ8 PERIODICALLY STALLED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *PH

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BOLTS BROKE OFF WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE SEAT ROCKED BACK AND FORTH. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT IN AN EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT WOULD BE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. *AK *SC *JB *CB

SEAT RAIL SUPPORT BROKE. *PH THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST $2000.00 TO FIX THE SEAT RAIL. *JB

CAR STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE ON A BRIDGE. NEED TO TURN IGNITION SWITCH OFF TO RESTART. TO DO THIS YOU EITHER HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND COAST WHILE TURNING VEHICLE OFF THEN BACK ON, OR YOU NEED TO PULL OFF ROAD AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO TURN VEHICLE OFF THEN ON. (HARD TO DO WHILE ON BRIDGE WITH NO SHOULDER) . *AK

CAR REPEATEDLY STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CAR MUST BE PULLED OVER WITH NO POWER AND RESTARTED.*AK

THE REAR WINDOW MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT FIXTURE OVERHEATED AND MELTED. IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE 5 BULBS IN THE FIXTURE IS ABOVE THE MELTING POINT OF THE PLASTIC MATERIAL. IN THIS CASE THE BULB BURNED OUT BEFORE A FIRE STARTED. *JB

MY 1998 JAGUAR XJ8L CONTINUALLY STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEED...JAGUAR KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND USES IT AS A SOURCE OF CASH FLOW, CHARGING SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH 10,000 MILES TO REMEDY THE SITUATION THROUGH REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE BODY OR CLEANING OF THE BREATHER PORTS...THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED.*AK

THE CAR HAS EXPERIENCED A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE ENGINE STOPPING WHILE DRIVING. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAR WAS REPAIRED, THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE THROTTLE PLATE CLOSING FOR A SELF-CLEANING MODE DURING NORMAL DRIVING OPERATION, THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SHUT-OFF FROM LACK OF AIR. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR ENGINE STOPS WHEN DRIVING THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR (JAGUAR XJ8 VANDEN PLAS) INTO THE DEALER (BAUER JAGUAR- SANTA ANA, CA) TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY ON ALL OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN THE MILEAGE WAS 39,860 (FEB 28, 2002) - THE SECOND TIME MILEAGE WAS 44,898 (DEC 3, 2002) AND THE LAST TIME IT WAS 46,746 (MARCH 24, 2003). THE SERVICE WRITERS AT THE DEALERSHIP WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE SEEN IT ON SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLES. THE DEALERSHIP (BAUER JAGUAR) INSTITUTED A FIX (SEE BELOW) WHICH IS NOT FACTORY APPROVED THAT APPEARS TO HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THIS COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND POSSIBLE DEATHS TO OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE "FIX" PERFORMED ON THEIR CARS. THE PROBLEM AS THE SERVICE WRITER EXPLAINED TO ME, IS DUE TO THE THROTTLE BODY GOING INTO A "SELF CLEANING" MODE WHILE THE CAR IS OPERATING. THIS "SELF CLEANING" MODE MEANS THE THROTTLE PLATE CLOSES WHICH SHUTS-OFF AIR TO THE ENGINE, CAUSING ENGINE SHUTDOWN. THE "FIX" IS TO INSTALL A STOP ON THE THROTTLE PLATE SO THAT THE PLATE CANNOT COMPLETELY CLOSE.

I HAVE AN 1998 JAGUAR XJ. THE INSIDE REAR-VIEW MIRROR, WHICH HAS A FLUID INSIDE THAT DIMS THE IMAGE IN THE EVENING. THE CAR HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES AND IS WELL-TREATED. NEVERTHELESS, THE FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT ALL OVER THE SHIFT CONSOLE. THE MIRROR OF COURSE NO LONGER WORKS PROPERLY. THE DEALER HAS ADVISED ME THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CAR'S WARRANTY. THIS IS INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THIS NECESSARY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE MADE IN A MANNER THAT ALLOWS DURABILITY AND UTILITY FOR THE ANTICIPATED LIFE OF THE CAR'S INTERIOR. *JB