Total Complaints
12 filings
JAGUAR XJ · model year
1998 JAGUAR XJ
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998JAGUARXJ carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 XJ is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by exterior lighting (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1998 XJ. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140424FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I HAVE HAD THE COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM AND WATER PUMP REPLACED. THERE APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE PLACEMENT OF WHERE THE GAS CAP IS LOCATED ON THE VEHICLE (ON TOP NEAR THE TRUNK) RATHER THAN ON THE SIDE. WHEN THERE IS A HARD RAIN, WATER LEAKS INTO THE GAS TANK; DIRT AND DEBRIS GATHER IN THE OPENING FOR THE GAS TANK AND MUST BE FREQUENTLY CLEANED OUT. THE VEHICLE WILL HESITATE WHILE DRIVING AND THEN WILL REFUSE TO START AGAIN. IN READING COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS ABOUT THE PLASTIC PARTS USED IN THE ENGINE, PERHAPS THIS IS MY PROBLEM. AS FAR BACK AS THE COMPLAINTS GO ABOUT THE UNRELIABILITY OF THE VEHICLE, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL TO DETERMINE WHY THE CAR WILL JUST STOP RUNNING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR
Mileage: 68,000
20140424ENGINE
NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I HAVE HAD THE COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM AND WATER PUMP REPLACED. THERE APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE PLACEMENT OF WHERE THE GAS CAP IS LOCATED ON THE VEHICLE (ON TOP NEAR THE TRUNK) RATHER THAN ON THE SIDE. WHEN THERE IS A HARD RAIN, WATER LEAKS INTO THE GAS TANK; DIRT AND DEBRIS GATHER IN THE OPENING FOR THE GAS TANK AND MUST BE FREQUENTLY CLEANED OUT. THE VEHICLE WILL HESITATE WHILE DRIVING AND THEN WILL REFUSE TO START AGAIN. IN READING COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS ABOUT THE PLASTIC PARTS USED IN THE ENGINE, PERHAPS THIS IS MY PROBLEM. AS FAR BACK AS THE COMPLAINTS GO ABOUT THE UNRELIABILITY OF THE VEHICLE, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL TO DETERMINE WHY THE CAR WILL JUST STOP RUNNING FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR
Mileage: 68,000
20040404ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
UPPER RADIATOR HOSE BLEW OFF ENGINE AFTER BEING PARK IN MY GARAGE. *NM
Mileage: 49,901
19990908POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
GEAR SHIFT LOCKED UP.
19990908POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
DRIVE SHAFT--WHEELS, U JOINTS OUT OF BALANCE.
19990713STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
VEHICLE INSPECTED BY FOREST FLOCK, MOTOR VEHICLE FORENSIC SERVICE. FOUND DESIGN FLAW IN FRONT AND REAR SUB-FRAME. RESULTING IN OSCILLATION FROM FRONT TO REAR OF VEHICLE. OSCILLATION OCCURS FROM 50 MPH TO 80 MPH DURING TEST. MR. FLOCK STATES THIS WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO COMPONET FAILURE SUPPORTING ENGINE AND ALL COMPONENTS THE SUB-FRAMES . *AK
19990621ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED. NLM
19990611EXTERIOR LIGHTING
DOOR LIGHT LENS FAILED.
19990608UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DESIGN OF SUNKEN GAUGES MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR DRIVER TO READ THEM IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. NLM
19990421EXTERIOR LIGHTING
LIGHT BULB FAILED. *YC
19990421ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
ENGINE BELT TENSION FAILURE, VERY NOISY. *YC
19980114ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHILCE LOSES POWER DURING TRAVEL.
Compare 1998JAGUARXJ to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 JAGUAR XJ have?▼
The 1998 JAGUAR XJ has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 JAGUAR XJ?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 JAGUAR XJ is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS.
Is the 1998 JAGUAR XJ safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.