NHTSA Complaint #10147401 — 1998 JAGUAR XJ8

1998 JAGUAR XJ8 ZF-TRANSMISSION FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS 105, 542 MILES. VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND SHUDDER UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION (2ND &3RD GEARS). TRANSMISSION IS A ZF- 5 SPEED, SEALED UNIT-NO SERVICING. THIS HAPPENED 3-4 TIMES BUT DID NOT TRIGGER A FAULT CODE. WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP SIGN, THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE GEARS WERE NOT MESHING. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE VEHICLE FOR LEAKS OR OBVIOUS DAMAGE- NONE NOTED. STARTED VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. MORE GRINDING, TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING (OVER SPEED) WHICH TRIGGERED GEAR BOX FAULT CODE. TRANSMISSION WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND I DROVE IT ONE MILE TO MY HOME. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED JAGUAR MECHANIC. FAULT CODES WERE READ. CODES= 1732 (GEAR CONTROL), 1732 GEAR CONTROL-2ND GEAR, 1733 GEAR CONTROL 3RD GEAR, 1722 STALL SPEED FAILURE. REMEDY IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION- $7800.00. VEHICLE TOWED HOME. CONTACTED JAGUAR CARS CUSTOMER SERVICE REGARDING NHTSA RECALL 99V138000 POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THIS RECALL HAS TO DO WITH FINE CRACKS IN GEARS WITHIN THE GEAR BOX, POTENTLY CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP. JAGUAR SAID "THERE ARE NO OUTSTANDING SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION FOR MY VEHICLE. JAGUAR WAS NOT EVEN AWARE OF THE 99V138000 CAMPAIGN RECALL. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE IN ANY FORWARD GEARS AND HAS MINIMAL, JERKY MOVEMENT IN REVERSE. VEHICLE MOVES FORWARD WHEN IN NEUTRAL. THIS TRANSMISSION HAS NO MAINTENANCE NO FILTER CHANGES, NO FLUID CHANGE INTERVALS. IF YOU CAN'T CHECK THE FLUID, FILTERS OR SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION, HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO KNOW ITS CONDITION? THE VEHICLE IS NON-OPERATIONAL AT THIS TIME. *JB