← New search

1998 Jaguar XJ8L

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

Other model years Selected year
Compare all XJ8L years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 14 of 15 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Power Train complaints

3 reports
Clear category filter
72,500 miles · Jan 12, 2006
Power Train

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 OCCURRE…

Read full complaint

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 BELT TENSIONER. I AM FILING A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST JAGUAR FOR A PRODUCT DEFECT/MALFUNCTION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10147631

72,400 miles · Dec 29, 2005
Power Train

I CURRENTLY OWN A 1998 XJ8L JAGUAR. THE VEHICLE STARTED EXPERIENCING A SLIPPAGE APPARENTLY FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED JAGUAR REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING ON THE VEHICLE. FROM THIS POINT I CONTACTED ALPINE JAGUAR TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE…

Read full complaint

I CURRENTLY OWN A 1998 XJ8L JAGUAR. THE VEHICLE STARTED EXPERIENCING A SLIPPAGE APPARENTLY FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN ACCELERATING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED JAGUAR REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING ON THE VEHICLE. FROM THIS POINT I CONTACTED ALPINE JAGUAR TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. THERE WERE RECALLS BUT NOT ON MY VEHICLE. THE RECALL # IS R478. THE DEALERSHIP INSISTED THAT I BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION, BUT WOULD NOT WAIVE THE $104.00 INSPECTION FEE. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MECHANIC AND HE STATED MY VEHICLE HAD HIGH MILEAGE (72,400 MI) FOR THAT VEHICLE. I ASKED HIM HOW JAGUAR COULD BUILD A VEHICLE THAT COSTS $65,000 TO ONLY LAST 70,000 MI. IF THAT INFORMATION IS TRUE IT NEEDS TO BE ATTACHED TO ALL OF THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS LIKE CIGARETTES ADVERTISEMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO WARN AGAINST LUNG CANCER. FROM RESEARCH ON JAGUAR FORUMS AND TALKING TO VARIOUS MECHANICS, I FOUND THAT THE 1998 AND 1999 XK8S AND XJ8S HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES WHEN OVER 50,000 MI. THE THREE MAJOR ISSUES ARE NAKISIL ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND SLIPPAGE ON THE SERPENTINE BELT. MY QUESTION IS WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES WHICH EXPERIENCE THESE RELATED PROBLEMS. IF JAGUAR IS NOT WILLING TO STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT, I WILL BE CONTACT OTHERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUES AND EXPERIENCES TO JOIN ME IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST THE COMPANY. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10146365

62,000 miles · Jul 20, 2004
Power Train

1) TRANSMISSION FAULT LIGHT 2) TOW TO MECHANIC 3) TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT 62,000 MILES - 2ND OWNER - LESS THAN 6 MONTHS *LA

NHTSA ODI #10082283

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.