AI Damage1988 Jaguar XJ6: common problems
Owners of the 1988 Jaguar XJ6 filed 10 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 10
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 50% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 20% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 20% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 10% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 10% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 10% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 10% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (50% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 2 complaints (20% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (10% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 10 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I have a jaguar xj6 1988 for about 3 years I never use it until december 2007. I became involved in an accident around dec. 15 2007. The police say that it was my fault because I was moving to flordia during that time I did not fight the case because this is the only vehicle that I have now am using it more often.
Tire began to cause vibration caused by thread separation. Eventually all four of a new set of cooper lifeliner tourer 205/70/r15 had tread separation. Failure cause lack of control of vehicle at speed. Tire was replaced but subsequent tires continue to fail.
Hydraulic system for power brakes and rear suspension repeat failures with each repair. Loss of brakes
While the vehicle was parked owner noticed a puddle of green fluid under the car on right front side. Mechanic stated that the accumulator fluid leaked out from one side completely, and was leaking very fast from the other side. The problem has not been corrected.
Door handles cannot be opened from the outside. First on the drivers door now on the back left and now on the front passenger. Please explain. Tt
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 10,921 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 30% most complained about).
On average one model year of the XJ6 has 8 complaints (17 years in the data). This year has 10, above average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1988 Jaguar XJ6?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, fuel system, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 10. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (20%), door locks, latches, handles (10%), steering or power steering problems (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1988 Jaguar XJ6?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1988 Jaguar XJ6 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1988 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.