2004 Jaguar XJ8 Problems
- Complaints
- 54filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 50,000miles, 43 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 19 mpgcombined, 4.2L 8-cyl RWD · 16 city / 25 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often describe air suspension faults, including vehicle too low warnings, a low or sagging front or rear end, and compressor or strut failures. Sudden acceleration, especially while braking or stopping, and sudden engine power loss while driving also come up often, along with brakes that fail to stop the car or pull unexpectedly. Most mileage figures given fall between about 50,000 and 100,000 miles, and the complaint trend for this model year is rising.
- Suspension
Air suspension faults and vehicle too low warnings
- 16 complaints (30%)
- median 73,200 mi at 8.9 yrs old (15 state mileage)
- filed 2008–2019
Owners describe vehicle too low or air suspension fault warnings, with the car sitting low, scraping the underbody, or riding roughly. Complaints say air struts or springs leaked air, a compressor failed, or a strut fractured, and that some cars could not be driven until towed. According to complaints, dealers or independent shops replaced struts, air shocks, or compressors, and owners say the warnings sometimes returned, with repair bills in the thousands of dollars. Most reported mileage falls between about 50,000 and 100,000 miles, and some warnings appear during extreme cold.
What to check: Check that the warning lights stay off after startup and that the car sits level at all four corners, and ask for records of any strut, compressor, or air shock repairs.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I have this beautiful that I can't drive because of suspension problems. Vehicle too low and suspension fault warnings came on. You'd think by now that Jaguar would have recalled these vehicles and fixed the problem. I cannot belive a car that costs this much has such problems. My GM truck with over 300,000 miles - I purchased it brand new - doesn't have nearly the amount of issues this jag does.”
NHTSA complaint #10644848, filed 2014-10, 78,000 miles“Entering parking garage, warning light appears vehicle too low vehicle underbody scrapes on garage entrance. Had vehicle towed to my independent Jaguar dealer. He said left front strut was leaking air causing the entire suspension system to malfunction. He also informed me this normal and if I replace the one the other struts will do the same thing just a matter of time. Recommended a kit that would eliminate the air struts completely. …”
NHTSA complaint #10434018, filed 2011-11, 80,000 miles - Vehicle speed control
Sudden unintended acceleration, often at low speed
- 15 complaints (28%)
- median 29,450 mi at 5.0 yrs old (11 state mileage)
- 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2005–2015
Owners describe the engine revving or the car lurching forward without input, often while the brake is applied, when stopping, or when parking. Some say the car kept accelerating until they shifted into neutral or reverse, and in some cases it struck another vehicle, a tree, or a ditch. According to complaints, dealers sometimes found no fault, while in other cases a fuel pump, wiring harness, or transmission problem was suspected or replaced. Mileage ranges widely, from about 4,000 to 115,000 miles, and the episodes often happen while braking, at stops, or when parking.
What to check: Ask for records of throttle body, accelerator sensor, fuel pump, or transmission repairs, and check that the engine does not surge while the car is held stopped with the brake during a test drive.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I was making a left turn at 15 MPH when the car suddenly accelerated for a few moments and then settled down. I then took 2 right turns at 10 MPH and was attempting to apply the brake in a parking spot when the car suddenly accelerated running over a bush, 10 ft tree, and in to a ditch on east side of highway 41 in bonita springs before I could get the car to stop. I then drove in gingerly in to a parking spot and left it until it was towed to naples Jaguar the next morning. …”
NHTSA complaint #10559367, filed 2014-01, 42,000 miles“I was braking into a parking spot at the local bank when without notice my vehicle accelerated wildly. I pressed on the brake with all of my weight as if my life depended on it. The roar of the transmission was like someone was stepping full force on the gas pedal, but my foot was solidly on the brake and not even touching the gas pedal. It was terrifying. I could hardly keep from driving into the side of the bank. If there happened to be someone walking on the sidewalk in front of me, I would have hit them. …”
NHTSA complaint #10215686, filed 2008-01, 29,000 miles - Engine
Sudden engine power loss while driving
- 7 complaints (13%)
- median 71,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2004–2018
Owners describe the engine suddenly losing power, cutting out, or shutting down while driving, often at highway speeds and sometimes with warning lights on. Some complaints point to a throttle position or accelerator pedal sensor, while others point to the fuel system or wiring, and a dealer replaced a sensor in some cases. Owners say the car sometimes restarted after stalling, and a complaint says the power loss repeated many times during a short drive home. Mileage ranges from about 1,000 to 119,000 miles, and the power loss often occurs at highway speeds of about 60 to 70 mph.
What to check: Ask whether the accelerator pedal or throttle position sensor has been checked or replaced, and whether any fuel system or wiring fault codes are on record.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Well I was driving along and all of a sudden just lost fuel power, so I pull over, cut the car off, and started the car up again and drove about a 100 yards and it repeated the same thing over again. I must have did it at least 6 times till I got home. So I'm thinking that it might be the throttle box, it's a fuel and electrical problem.”
NHTSA complaint #10672343, filed 2015-01, 119,236 miles“Vehicle cut out on ca freeway 57 at 70 MPH due to throttle position sensor fault, (fault code p0121) luckily I managed to get to the hard shoulder without incident. This condition is extremely dangerous especially if this had happened while I was turning in front of oncoming traffic. I was a toyota/mercedes tech for 30 years.”
NHTSA complaint #10365351, filed 2010-11, 74,302 miles - Brakes
Brakes that fail to stop the car or pull unexpectedly
- 17 complaints (31%)
- median 29,450 mi at 4.3 yrs old (13 state mileage)
- 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2004–2023
Owners describe a brake pedal that went to the floor, cars that kept rolling after the brakes were applied, and a vehicle that pulled hard to the right when braking at highway speed in rain. Some complaints describe all four wheels locking at highway speed after an electronic parking brake was applied, which the owner had not known about, and a lurch forward while the foot was on the brake. According to complaints, dealers in some cases could not find the reason, while others replaced a brake pressure switch or brake parts. Mileage ranges widely, from about 200 to 149,000 miles, and some reports come from under about 2,000 miles.
What to check: Ask whether any brake pressure switch or stability control faults have been checked, and confirm during a test drive that the car stops straight and the pedal feels firm.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Was waiting for a light change, when suddenly my car lurched forward whilse my foot was still on brake, bumping the two cars in front of me. The dsc fault light was on after this happened.stating ``dsc not available``had vechical towed to heritage Jaguar in freeport, they replaced the fault brake pressure switch. I now feel very nervous driving sense all this happened.”
NHTSA complaint #10121408, filed 2005-05“On two separate occasions when brakes were applied vehicle failed to stop and continued to roll. The first time this occurred vehicle stopped before hitting the motorist bumper. The second time the bumper was hit. Dealership nor insurance company could not find the cause of the failure.”
NHTSA complaint #10109561, filed 2005-03, 200 miles
Buying note. Someone considering this model year may want to check the air suspension warnings and ride height during a test drive, and ask for records of strut, compressor, and throttle or accelerator sensor repairs. Brake and unexpected-acceleration complaints also appear in this group, so asking whether those systems have been inspected is a reasonable step.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 52 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 54 consumer complaints for the 2004 Jaguar XJ8. 43 of the complaints include a mileage, and 49% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 50,000 miles. Of all complaints, 10 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 13 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Suspension17 31%
- Vehicle speed control12 22%
- Brakes9 17%
- Electrical system5 9.3%
- Engine5 9.3%
- Engine cooling4 7.4%
- Body and structure4 7.4%
- Air bags2 3.7%
Also reported: Exterior lighting (2), Fuel system (2), Other or unknown (2), Tires (2), Seat belts (1), Steering (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Suspension: “The airbag light came on with only 54,000 miles on this Jaguar, that is not normal as I have owned Jaguar cars for 3 decades. Also the air suspension failure occurred at 55,000 miles which is the current mileage and the car was parked for two weeks without any movements. This vehicle drives less than 3000 miles a year now and I'm super disappointed in this factor where as my wife's mercedes s500 with 139,000 miles on it has no issues on it at all.”
NHTSA complaint #11181222, filed 2019-02, 55,968 milesVehicle speed control: “An incident with the vehicle occurred sometime around christmas 2011. The motor surged while I was fully stopped at a street light. The motor was running, the car was in drive gear, and my foot was on the brake. I was able to quickly bring the car under control. A second event occurred in 2012, may 15th, at 11:00 p.m. While I was fully stopped at a drive through window. Again the motor surged, this time with a loud screeching sound. I applied maximum brake pressure but the car continued to surge forward, approximately six feet. …”
NHTSA complaint #10504702, filed 2013-03, 97,500 milesBrakes: “Vehicle will intermittently pull hard to the right when braking at highway speeds of 70mph during rain. Force will pull vehicle deep into right hand lane. Has occurred approximately 8 times since purchase, including purchase date of 4/20/05, when driving home from dealership in boise, id to st. Louis, mo. Vehicle was a new demo with approximately 1900 miles at purchase. Most recent incident occurred may, 2008 with approximately 10,500 miles. Vehicle has mainly been driven locally in town and in dry weather at speeds well under 55mph. …”
NHTSA complaint #10230784, filed 2008-06, 1,900 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “Problems with 2004 Jaguar XJ8 transmission. Transmission fluid was leaking due to a faulty output flange and seal. The transmission also leaked. The consumer researched the NHTSA website and found two recall. One was for the automatic transmission and the other one was for the frontal air bags. The consumer would like to know if her vehicle is part of or potentially could be part of the safety recall.”
NHTSA complaint #10089122, filed 2004-08, 3,555 milesMileage when problems were reported
49% of the 43 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 16,668 and 78,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2004 Jaguar XJ8 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XJ8 4.2 Litre RWD | 4.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 16 | 25 | 19 | $4,350 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 13 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 10212845Apr 14, 2021Electrical system. Attachment.
- 10212844Apr 14, 2021Electrical system. Attachment.
- 10212843Apr 14, 2021Electrical system. Attachment.
- 10146032Aug 20, 2018Electrical system. A customer may report "Hood Open" message displays on IP with hood closed.
- 10146031Aug 20, 2018Electrical system. 18C - New face of InControl Touch Pro and 18C software improvements
- 10146030Aug 20, 2018Equipment. SIM card activation issues
- 10146029Aug 20, 2018Equipment. InControl Touch Pro phase 4 customer letter
- 10134968Mar 8, 2018Equipment. Jaguar Land Rover Shop Foreman Conference Call
- 10127619Dec 14, 2017Equipment. Presentation from Dealer Shop Foreman Conference Call
- 10212857Dec 1, 2012Electrical system. Mongoose Update.
Other model years of the Jaguar XJ8
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 6 | 70,500 | 0 | — | 19 | — | Not enough data |
| 2004 | 54 | 50,000 | 0 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2001 | 13 | 37,500 | 0 | — | 18 | — | Not enough data |
| 1999 | 11 | 90,000 | 0 | — | 18 | — | Not enough data |
| 1998 | 83 | 69,000 | 0 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Jaguar XJ8?
Owners of this model year most often describe air suspension faults, including vehicle too low warnings, a low or sagging front or rear end, and compressor or strut failures. The issues reported most often: Air suspension faults and vehicle too low warnings; Sudden unintended acceleration, often at low speed; Sudden engine power loss while driving.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 have?
NHTSA recorded 54 consumer complaints for the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 is reported most often?
Suspension is named most often, in 17 complaints (31% of the total), followed by vehicle speed control with 12.
Has the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 get?
The EPA rates the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 (XJ8 4.2 Litre, 4.2L 8-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 16 city and 25 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Jaguar XJ8 reported?
Among the 43 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 50,000 miles and the middle half falls between 16,668 and 78,000 miles; 49% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.