SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN BROKE DESTROYED THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IN ADDITION TO ENGINE DAMAGE
1998 Jaguar XJ8
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all XJ8 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
48 reports with mileage · 35 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine complaints
3 reportsOPERATING MY VEHICLE, THE ENGINE STARTING RUNNING POOR. JAGUAR DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED POORLY DESIGNED TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS AND ARMS HAVE FAILED BECAUSE JAGUAR MADE THE COMPONENTS OUT OF A CHEAP PLASTIC, THAT IS KNOWN TO CRACK AND CAUSE THE VALVES TO CONTACT THE PISTONS. JAGUAR UPDATED THE TENSIONERS TO METAL , BUT REFUSES TO A…
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OPERATING MY VEHICLE, THE ENGINE STARTING RUNNING POOR. JAGUAR DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED POORLY DESIGNED TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS AND ARMS HAVE FAILED BECAUSE JAGUAR MADE THE COMPONENTS OUT OF A CHEAP PLASTIC, THAT IS KNOWN TO CRACK AND CAUSE THE VALVES TO CONTACT THE PISTONS. JAGUAR UPDATED THE TENSIONERS TO METAL , BUT REFUSES TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW AND WANT TO CHARGE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO UPGRADE TO THE BETTER DESIGNED PARTS. THEY REFEREED ME TO SERVICE BULLETIN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NO. X303-68 , BUT IT STATES IF YOU HAERA A RATTLING NOISE, HOWEVER IT ALSO STATES YOU MAY NOT HEAR A RATTLING NOISE, MY CAR DID NOT, AND OUT OF NO WHERE , THENGINE STOPPED RUNNING DUE TO THIS DESIGN FLAW, THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED. IN FACT, THIS EFFECT EVERY SINGLE 4.0 ENGINE, THAT'S MILLIONS! IT'S TIME THIS BECOMES A RECALL TO REPLACE THESE PARTS FREE AND REPAIR ANY ENGINE COMPONENT DAMAGED FROM THEIR FAILURE.A CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THOUSANDS FOR AN DEFECTIVE PLASTIC TENSIONER, SOME ONE PUT INSIDE A HOT RUNNING ENGINE, THAT WAS A VERY DUMB IDEA, AND THE FAILURE MAY EVEN OCCUR AS YOUNG AS 32,000 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MIL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 JAGUAR XJ8. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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