AI Damage1991 Jaguar XJS: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Jaguar XJS filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 13% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints
- Fuel system: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (25% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 5.3 L · petrol · 12 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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.
When braking at low speed, a loud thunk is heard from the left front suspension, investigation showed that the top of the front crossmember had broken away, the inner end of the control arm was no longer attached to the car. Nlm
Vehicle would overheat and stall out completely due to defective catalytic converter. Dealer said that catalytic converter system needed to be replaced.
Fuel line failure caused vehicle to caught fire on three different occasions.
Jaguar has been awear of frequent engine fires in the v12 model cars for several years and has run out of replacement ignition harnesss world wide b/c of the problem.
Design/location of ignition coil could possibly cause coil to move close to fuel injector hose, resulting in fire.
Had just shifted vehicle into reverse to back out, when vehicle took off. Had foot on brakes at the time. The engine was revving at the time. Did not hit anything.
Vehiclepulls strongly to the right when brakes are applied.
When applying the brakes the vehicle violently veers to the right. Please describe. 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 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the XJS has 4 complaints (21 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Jaguar XJS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (25%), overheating, coolant loss (13%), stalls while driving (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Jaguar XJS?
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 1991 Jaguar XJS 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 1991 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.