1999 Jaguar XK8 Complaints

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

THE RIGHT AND LEFT CONTROL ARMS WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AFTER CONSUMER NOTICED THE TWO RIGHT FRONT TIRES WERE WEARING OUT. MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE.*AK

1999 XK8 CONVERTIBLE WITH @37000 MILES. I LEASE THIS VEHICLE AND KEEP IT IMPECCABLY MAINTAINED AT THE JAGUAR SERVICE DEPT. IN THE PAST YEAR ONCE WHILE ON THE FREEWAY THE ENGINE STOPPED/STALLED AT HIGH SPEED AND ENGINE LIGHTS WENT ON. THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 3 TIMES. I NOTIFIED OUR JAGUAR SERVICE PERSON WHO CHECKED OUT THE CAR AT NEXT SERVICE AND DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING: FAN AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED. ON SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2004 AFTER DRIVING 7 MILES TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ETC. CAME HOME AND AN HOUR LATER ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND IT SOUNDED AT FIRST LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO TURN OVER AND SIMPLY MADE LOUD ALMOST FLOODING TYPE SOUND AND DIED. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SNAPPED AND WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. SINCE THE MILEAGE IS SO LOW AND OUTSIDE INITIAL WARRANTY WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE NATURE OF THE PRODUCT DEFECT WITH JAGUAR AND HAVE NOW LEARNED ON LINE THAT T...

MY LOW (20,000) MILEAGE BUT OUT-OF-WARRANTY CAR UNEXPECTEDLY (NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER) THREW ITS TIMING CHAIN, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE CHAIN AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO THE ENGINE. A DAMAGED ENGINE WILL COST MORE THAN $10,000 TO REPLACE. BASED ON WEB RESEARCH, ITS A NOT-UNCOMMON PROBLEM (WITH THE TIMING CHAIN) THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE SUFFERED, REGARDLESS OF SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH THE COMPANY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS SERVICE ADVISES THAT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM BUT STILL THEY REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BEYOND STANDARD WARRANTY. *JB

AT SLOW SPEEDS REAR END, WHEN SHIFTING, CLANGS AND DOESN'T CATCH QUICKLY. *AK