JAGUAR XK8 · model year

1999 JAGUAR XK8

30 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999JAGUARXK8 carries 30 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 1999 XK8 is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (3) and vehicle speed control (3). 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 1999 XK8. 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.

30
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

30 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW1
AIR BAGS1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM1
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER1
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS1

Recent Complaints

20101118VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO LIMP HOME MODE AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 5 MPH. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE COMPUTER MODULE WOULD INDICATE THAT THERE WAS AN ANTI SLIP DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO REPLACED AGAIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

Mileage: 75,000

20100221VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR AND APPLIED BRAKE. CAR SURGED FORWARD. I SHIFTED FOOT FARTHER TO LEFT AND CONTINUED BRAKE APPLICATION AND CAR STOPPED. I DISCOVERED THAT BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER SO THAT, WHEN FOOT APPLIED TO BRAKE, RIGHT SIDE OF FOOT CAN INADVERTENTLY PRESS DOWN ON ACCELERATOR. *TR

Mileage: 89,020

20100221SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

I REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR AND APPLIED BRAKE. CAR SURGED FORWARD. I SHIFTED FOOT FARTHER TO LEFT AND CONTINUED BRAKE APPLICATION AND CAR STOPPED. I DISCOVERED THAT BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER SO THAT, WHEN FOOT APPLIED TO BRAKE, RIGHT SIDE OF FOOT CAN INADVERTENTLY PRESS DOWN ON ACCELERATOR. *TR

Mileage: 89,020

20090428FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

I OWN A JAGUAR 1999 XK8- IT HAS REPEATEDLY GONE INTO THE "LIMP HOME MODE" WHILE ON THE FREEWAY TWICE CAUSING CARS AROUND ME TO CRASH WHILE AVOIDING ME. I HAVE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND SPENT THOUSANDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BUT IT STILL RECURS. I HAVE JUST HAD A DIFFERENT SHOP WORK ON IT AND HAVE GONE BACK 3 TIMES WITH OUT IT BEING FIXED. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE IN ANY LANE OTHER THAN THE RIGHT LANE. IN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION I FOUND THAT IT HAS BEEN THE CAUSE OF SOME ACCIDENTS AND IS NOT UNCOMMON. MOST OF THE DEALERS I HAVE TALKED TO AND THE ONLINE FORUMS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT RELATES TO THE THROTTLE BODY JUST SHUTTING DOWN. IT OCCURS RANDOMLY. I HAVE GONE TO DRIVING WITH A "ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC" READER PLUGGED IN TO THE PORT SO THAT IF WHEN IT HAPPENS I CAN QUICKLY CLEAR THE CODE AND MOVE SAFELY OUT OF TRAFFIC. IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME IF PROBLEM THIS HAS CAUSED A LARGE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS. JAGUAR MUST BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DEALERS SURE ARE

Mileage: 51,000

20090428ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

I OWN A JAGUAR 1999 XK8- IT HAS REPEATEDLY GONE INTO THE "LIMP HOME MODE" WHILE ON THE FREEWAY TWICE CAUSING CARS AROUND ME TO CRASH WHILE AVOIDING ME. I HAVE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND SPENT THOUSANDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM BUT IT STILL RECURS. I HAVE JUST HAD A DIFFERENT SHOP WORK ON IT AND HAVE GONE BACK 3 TIMES WITH OUT IT BEING FIXED. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE IN ANY LANE OTHER THAN THE RIGHT LANE. IN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION I FOUND THAT IT HAS BEEN THE CAUSE OF SOME ACCIDENTS AND IS NOT UNCOMMON. MOST OF THE DEALERS I HAVE TALKED TO AND THE ONLINE FORUMS ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT RELATES TO THE THROTTLE BODY JUST SHUTTING DOWN. IT OCCURS RANDOMLY. I HAVE GONE TO DRIVING WITH A "ON BOARD DIAGNOSTIC" READER PLUGGED IN TO THE PORT SO THAT IF WHEN IT HAPPENS I CAN QUICKLY CLEAR THE CODE AND MOVE SAFELY OUT OF TRAFFIC. IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME IF PROBLEM THIS HAS CAUSED A LARGE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS. JAGUAR MUST BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DEALERS SURE ARE

Mileage: 51,000

20090428ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

Mileage: 53,000

20090428ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

Mileage: 53,000

20080805SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

HYDRAULIC LINES, LOCATED OVER WINDSHIELD, WHICH OPERATE CONVERTIBLE TOP, LEAK AND SPRAY HYDRAULIC FLUID INTO EYES OF DRIVER. THIS NEARLY RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 51,278

20070906STRUCTURE

I OWN A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. ON AUGUST 8TH I WAS RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN HYDRAULIC FLUID STARTED TO POUR FROM THE OVERHEAD NEAR THE INTERNAL LIGHTS. THE HYDRAULIC LINES WHICH FEED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP RUPTURED; MY CAR HAS ONLY 62,000 MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED JAGUAR TO LODGE A COMPLAINT. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUCH EVENTS OCCURRING IN THE XK8 MODEL. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER SERVICE THEY HAD A READY PRICE TO FIX THE ITEM. ACCORDINGLY IN THE BAY AT THE TIME WERE 3 OTHER OWNERS WHO WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS WELL OF 2500 DOLLARS NOT INCLUDING REPLACING SEATS AND ELECTRONICS OR MY CLOTHES AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER ME. JAGUAR TAKES NO CULPABILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE TOP WERE DOWN THE HYDRAULIC SPRAY COULD HAVE BLOWN IN TO MY EYES AND CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT DUE TO MY INABILITY TO SEE. THUS AFTER NUMEROUS LETTERS JAGUAR HAS NOT ACCEPTED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS OBVIOUS AS A

Mileage: 61,200

20070906LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

I OWN A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. ON AUGUST 8TH I WAS RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN HYDRAULIC FLUID STARTED TO POUR FROM THE OVERHEAD NEAR THE INTERNAL LIGHTS. THE HYDRAULIC LINES WHICH FEED THE CONVERTIBLE TOP RUPTURED; MY CAR HAS ONLY 62,000 MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED JAGUAR TO LODGE A COMPLAINT. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUCH EVENTS OCCURRING IN THE XK8 MODEL. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER SERVICE THEY HAD A READY PRICE TO FIX THE ITEM. ACCORDINGLY IN THE BAY AT THE TIME WERE 3 OTHER OWNERS WHO WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS WELL OF 2500 DOLLARS NOT INCLUDING REPLACING SEATS AND ELECTRONICS OR MY CLOTHES AS THE HYDRAULIC FLUID SPRAYED ALL OVER ME. JAGUAR TAKES NO CULPABILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THE TOP WERE DOWN THE HYDRAULIC SPRAY COULD HAVE BLOWN IN TO MY EYES AND CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT DUE TO MY INABILITY TO SEE. THUS AFTER NUMEROUS LETTERS JAGUAR HAS NOT ACCEPTED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT IS OBVIOUS AS A

Mileage: 61,200

20070602POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP OR HARD DOWNSHIFTS AT SPEEDS OF FIFTEEN MILES OR BELOW ON DECELLATERATION. FOUND RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 99V138000, DATED JUNE 02, 1999, HOWEVER WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ON RECALL LIST. I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF BLOGS OF COMPLAINTS INVOLVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IF THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE AND A RECALL WAS ISSUED WHY NOT TO SOME VEHICLES AND NOT TO ALL TRANSMISSIONS THAT WERE AFFECTED. THE JAGUAR PERSON I SPOKE TO WAS VERY DEFENSIVE AND WOULD NOT LET ME GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE, KEPT REPEATING THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ASSOCIATED TO THAT PARTICULAR RECALL. THIS IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT HUNDREDS OF OWNERS ARE FACING AND SHOULD NOT BE ASSOCIATED TO A PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE XJ8 HAS THE SAME TRANSMISSION AND HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 70,204

20070523POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 JAGUAR XK8. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE BEYOND 15 MPH. THE TRANSMISSION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WAS $10,000. THE VEHICLE'S 80,000 MILE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON DECEMBER 12, 2006. THE DEALER STATED THAT RECALL # 99V138000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) IS NOT RELATED TO HIS VIN, ALTHOUGH THE FAILURE IS DIRECTLY RELATED. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE RECALL IS NOT RELATED. THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE RECEIPTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 85,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,712.

Mileage: 83,712

20070201ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE @44K MILES. *JB

Mileage: 49,000

20060628VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

DT*:THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING DUE TO A TENSIONER FAILURE ON THE TIMING CHAIN. THE CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND SUNNY. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT NOR POLICE REPORT FILED.

Mileage: 58,000

20060106STEERING:COLUMN

SUDDEN LOOSE STEERING, COULD RESULT IS LOSS OF CONTROL. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF UPPER AND LOWER STEERING COLUMN. REPLACEMENT LOWER COLUMN SUPPLIED BY MANUFACTURED IS REDESIGNED AND STRENGTHENED. DEALER RESPONSE WAS "OUT OF WARRANTY". SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE - COMPLETE FAILURE OF STEERING WOULD BE LIKELY IF CONTINUED USE. *JB

Mileage: 55,100

20050726ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

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.

Mileage: 60,000

20050708STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND BECAUSE I HEARD A NOISE LIKE SOMETHING WAS LOOSE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT A LARGE BOLT THAT CONNECTS THE CROSSBEAM AND UPPER CONTROL ARM CAUSED WEAR ON THESE PARTS AND THAT THESE AS WELL AS BEAM MOUNTING BRACKES AND VARIOUS BOLT ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID IT WAS GOOD THAT I BROUGHT IT IN WHEN I DID BECAUSE THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL COULD COME OFF AT ANY TIME. THEY ALSO SAID THAT JAGUAR WOULD NOT COVER THIS REPAIR UNDER THEIR SELECT EDITION WARRANTY. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS OVER $4000.00

Mileage: 65,000

20050606FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS DUE TO THE STABLIITY CONTROL CHIP LOCATED IN THE THROTTLE BODY GOING BAD. WHEN THE WHEELS BREAK LOOSE, A SENSOR SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE CHIP IN THE THROTTLE BODY TO SLOW THE ENGINE SO IT DOES NOT OVER-REV. THIS CHIP ACCORDING TO THE DEALER IS MALFUNCTIONING AND 'FIRING' ON ITS OWN RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED. THIS FIRST OCCURRED 18 MONTHS AGO AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY ($1800). IT JUST STARTED TO HAPPEN AGAIN AND THE NEW THROTTLE BODY ONLY HAD 13K MILES ON IT. I JUST HAD TO REPLACE AGAIN AND THEY ONLY CHARGED ME ANOTHER $730. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND THIS IS DANGEROUS AS SOMEONE ALMOST REAR ENDED HER. I KNOW THAT THERE IS A DEALER ADVISORY REGARDING A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH ANOTHER JAGUAR MODEL. I SAVED BOTH THROTTLE BODIES SO YOU MAY BORROW THEM IF YOU WOULD LIKE. OTHERWISE THEY WILL BE SOME EXPENSIVE BOOK ENDS. WE WILL NOT OWN ANOTHER JAGUAR DUE TO THIS RECURRING PROBLEM BUT I HOPE SOMEONE DOES NOT HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THEY S

Mileage: 72,000

20050606POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

MY TRANSMISSION APON TAKE OFF(UNDER 15 MPH) LOCKS VERY HARD AND LUNGES, LEAVING ME TO BELIEVE THAT PERHAPS THE TRANS GEARS MAY BE CRACKING AND NOT MESHING THE WAY THEY SHOULD.AT HIGH SPEEDS IT SHIFTS PERFECTLY.

Mileage: 53,900

20050601STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

DT: CONSUMER STATES: BROUGHT IN VEHICLE DUE TO DEFECTIVE CONVERTIBLE TOP. FOUND OUT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS BRACKETS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE FRAME WERE BREAKING. THEY WERE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME AND WERE COMING LOOSE. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER TO STOP DRIVING VEHICLE RIGHT AWAY. THE FRONT TWO TIRES TREAD WAS WORN. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAD 18,000 MILES. *AK

Mileage: 18,000

Compare 1999JAGUARXK8 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 JAGUAR XK8 have?
The 1999 JAGUAR XK8 has 30 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 JAGUAR XK8?
The most-complained component for the 1999 JAGUAR XK8 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1999 JAGUAR XK8 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.