2003 JAGUAR XK8 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

INFORMED BY JAGUAR SERVICE DEALER IN CERRITOS ON 02/07 AND 09/27/13 THAT TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. CONDUCTED ONLINE RESEARCH DURING THE LAST TWO MONTHS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE AUTO WAS DEMONSTRATING THE EXACT FAILURE AS 1999 JAGUAR XK8 (RECALL NO. 478 - REPLACE TRANSMISSION), AS FOLLOWS: "IT IS IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT ANY FAILURE OF A TRANSMISSION WHICH INVOLVES COMPLETE LOCKUP IS ONLY LIKELY TO OCCUR AT VERY LOW VEHICLE SPEED, AS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS DOWN INTO 1ST GEAR WITH THE VEHICLE ALMOST AT A SANDSTILL AFTER BEING IN HIGHER GEARS WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS." EACH OF THE INCIDENTS I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH THE CAR STALLING AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT APPEARING HAS OCCURRED WHILE SLOWING DOWN ON THE FREEWAY DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC OR EXITING THE FREEWAY. RESPONSE FROM MS. CARMEN BAKER OF JAGUAR WAS THAT THE CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, THEREFORE SHE IS UNABLE TO HONOR MY REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WITH TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE CAR WAS EQUIPPED WITH A DEFECTIVE AND/OR RECYCLED (REFURBISHED) TRANSMISSION. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 59,877. BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTOR OF THE CAR STALLING, I AM VERY RELUCTANT TO DRIVE ON THE FREEWAYS OR ROADS WHERE THE AVERAGE SPEED IS ABOVE 40 MILES. ON ONE OCCASION ON THE FREEWAY, A KIND DRIVER FOLLOWED ME UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. JAGUAR ONLY CONSIDERED THE AGE OF THE CAR, NOT THE DEFECT OR CUSTOMER SAFETY. TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED ON 04/23/2004 AND 02/26/09. UPDATED 7/23/2015 *JS

AFTER SLOWING THE CAR, THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED IN A HARSH, SUDDEN MANNER, AND THEN THE CAR ACCELERATES ABRUPTLY AND SURGES FORWARD WITH A "CLUNKING" SOUND. AN AMBER WARNING WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASH SAYING "GEARBOX FAULT". IF SOMEONE WAS IN FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN IT SURGED FORWARD THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN STRUCK. *TR

I OWN A 2003 XK8 JAGUAR CONVERTIBLE WITH STANDARD FACTORY WHEELS.. MY TIRE WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. THE FLAT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE WHEEL HAD CRACKED ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL, CAUSING THE AIR TO LEAK FROM THE TIRE. THE WHEEL WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY MAJOR COLLISION BUT DID SHOW CURB BUMP DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE AND A SMALL AREA OF FLATTENING ON THE INSIDE. NO DIRECT DAMAGE TO THE AREA OF THE CRACK. OBVIOUSLY, A WHEEL SHOULD NOT TRACK FROM MINOR ROAD HAZARDS. I BECAME MOST SUSPICIOUS WHEN I TRIED TO REPLACE THE WHEEL AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE WHEEL HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. I CONCLUDED THAT THE WHEEL MANUFACTURE HAD EITHER MADE DEFECTIVE WHEELS OR ? MY JAGUAR DEALER IS IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE /THOUSAND OAKS CA. A DEALER IN SAN FRANCISCO APPARENTLY CONTACTED MY DEALER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS COULD BE A HIGHLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY. IT IS NOT REASONABLE THAT A WHEEL WOULD CRACK WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT. *NM

PROBLEMS WITH 2003 JAGUAR XK8 STALLING. *MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WHEN HIS KNEE ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. *NM

CONSUMER HAD CONSIDERABLE PROBLEMS WITH A DEAD BATTERY. *PH *SC *JB