AI Damage1999 Jaguar XJ8: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Jaguar XJ8 filed 11 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 11
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 45% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 36% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (45% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (36% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 11 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 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.
The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The police came and documented the accident. The vehicle was completely destroyed. The contact sustained bruises to the shoulder and chest. The manufacturer was contacted. The dealer stated that the air bag would not deploy until the vehicle came to a complete stop.
Then while in d and car won't move until I give it gas to about 2000rpms and it'll clunk real loud and stall sometime or drive very slowly and sluggish. Anyways my car is a 1999 and there is a recall campaign number=99v138000 recall date of 06/02/1999 and its with the powertrain system.
While driving unknown speeds, the transmission failed to shift into gear and the transmission indicator illuminated. Additionally, the accelerator pedal was applied, but the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The local dealer was not contacted.
Our 1999 jaguar xj8 has had numerous throttle body failures. It has been replaced by jaguar and I have had to have it replaced twice. The problem with failure is that it causes a stability control failure which causes the car to be uncontrollable.
The vehicle would not start and the contact took it to the dealer. Because the timing chain tensioner was made of plastic, the plastic shears kept entering into the engine timing chain tensioner. The repair cost over $1,000 and the manufacturer was unable to assist because the vehicle was out of warranty.
Also, while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle feels as if it is losing power. Prior to the failures, the contact noticed that the transmission warning indicator illuminated on the instrument control panel. The vehicle has not yet been inspected to determine the cause of the failure.
Engine failure `99 jaguar xj8 vanden plaas ("lower engine disfunction," due to deficient tensioner malfunction per dealership diagnosis) at 61,400 miles. Vehicle well maintained and checked on numerous occasions.
Dt: the contact states vehicle would not start. She had it towed to the dealership, and they determined there was sludge in the oil pan and the timing chain broke. The engine needed to be replaced. The plastic timing chain tensioner failed and jammed in the timing chain which caused the chain to break in half.
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 10,521 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 29% most complained about).
On average one model year of the XJ8 has 22 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 11, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Jaguar XJ8?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, powertrain, air bags. Total complaints: 11. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: won't start (18%), airbags did not deploy (9%), engine failure or replacement (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Jaguar XJ8?
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 1999 Jaguar XJ8 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 1999 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 2026-11-06.