1999 Jaguar XK8

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY MODULE, ELECTRICAL WIRING, AND SPARK PLUGS. A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE GOES INTO A LYMPH MODE. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, IT BEGAN TO MAKE NOISE AND HAD A ROUGH IDLE. THE RESTRICTED PERFORMANCE MESSAGE FLASHED AND THEN THE ENGINE DIED. THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED AND JUMPED MECHANICAL TIMING, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WERE LOST WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION. IF YOU READ ON ANY JAGUAR FORUM, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS COMMON WITH THE JAGUAR 4.0 V8 FROM 1998 THROUGH 2000.

1999 XK8 CONVERTIBLE WITH @37000 MILES. I LEASE THIS VEHICLE AND KEEP IT IMPECCABLY MAINTAINED AT THE JAGUAR SERVICE DEPT. IN THE PAST YEAR ONCE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY THE ENGINE STOPPED/STALLED AT HIGH SPEED AND ENGINE LIGHTS WENT ON. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 3 TIMES. I NOTIFIED OUR JAGUAR SERVICE PERSON WHO CHECKED OUT THE CAR AT NEXT SERVICE AND DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING: FAN AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED. ON SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2004 AFTER DRIVING 7 MILES TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ETC. CAME HOME AND AN HOUR LATER ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND IT SOUNDED AT FIRST LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO TURN OVER AND SIMPLY MADE LOUD ALMOST FLOODING TYPE SOUND AND DIED. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SNAPPED AND WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. SINCE THE MILEAGE IS SO LOW AND OUTSIDE INITIAL WARRANTY WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE NATURE OF THE PRODUCT DEFECT WITH JAGUAR AND HAVE NOW LEARNED ON LINE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE PRIOR COMPLAINTS AND NEED FOR COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENTS. FURTHER, DESPITE DIRECTIVES ETC IT APPEARS JAGUAR IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THIS PROBLEM AS A PRODUCT DEFECT ETC. OUR CAR IS AT THE HORNBURG JAGUAR DEALER AND WE ARE WAITING FOR JAGUAR TO RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST THAT THEY PAY TO REPAIR AND OR REPLACE THE ENGINE. WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT THIS TYPE OF SUDDEN TIMING CHAIN RUPTURE COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY AND OR DEATH IF CAR OWNERS AND OR LESSEES ARE NOT TOLD TO HAVE THEIR CARS CHECKED AND OR RECALLED. PLEASE ASSIST US IF POSSIBLE.*AK

MY LOW (20,000) MILEAGE BUT OUT-OF-WARRANTY CAR UNEXPECTEDLY (NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER) THREW ITS TIMING CHAIN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE CHAIN AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO THE ENGINE. A DAMAGED ENGINE WILL COST MORE THAN $10,000 TO REPLACE. BASED ON WEB RESEARCH, ITS A NOT-UNCOMMON PROBLEM (WITH THE TIMING CHAIN) THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE SUFFERED, REGARDLESS OF SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH THE COMPANY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS SERVICE ADVISES THAT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM BUT STILL THEY REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BEYOND STANDARD WARRANTY. *JB