JaguarXJ81998Overview/jaguar/xj8/1998/base/

1998 Jaguar XJ8

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 XJ8.

Transmission Automatic 5-spd

The 1998 Jaguar XJ8 is a luxury sedan equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 16 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. Among model years spanning 1998 to 2006, the 1998 XJ8 recorded the highest total owner complaints at 84, with engine and engine cooling emerging as the top complaint area, and one recall issued for the model year. This elevated complaint volume during the 1998 model year established the baseline against which subsequent years showed marked improvement, with 2006 ultimately recording just 4 complaints—the series low. For researchers examining this generation, the 1998 model year represents both the peak of reported issues and a critical reference point for understanding the vehicle's reliability trajectory over its production run.

Model year200920082007200620052004200320021998

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque75 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 49 · 680 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 49 · 680 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size225-60ZR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine air filterNJA3558AA
Fuel filterC2C35417 alt NJB6091AA
Spark plugC2A1535
BatteryC2D61169
Front wiper bladesGJA8960BB
ThermostatNCA2246BA alt AJ86484

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length197.6 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase113 in
Curb weight3997 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 59.1 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume94 cu ft
Cargo volume12 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine USE SHELL SPIRAX TS90 OR EQUIVALENT in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 75 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilUSE SHELL SPIRAX TS90 OR EQUIVALENT
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3 Pints
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs8.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts15-16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts13 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs9 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts75 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub236 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
Spark Plug Gap0.035-0.039 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.42-1.53 lbs
Oil TypePAG
Oil Capacity5.44-6.80 oz
Standard BCI Group Number49
Standard BCI Cranking Performance680 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance12-18 ohms
Intake Valve Lash0.0008 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0014 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket40-120 ft-lbs / 18-22 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle94 ft-lbs / 40-52 ft-lbs
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in / 0.006 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.103 in / 0.768 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.103 in / 0.768 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in / 0.728 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Every 10,000 miEngine Coolant System (leak inspection)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1998 XJ8 recorded 84 complaints — far exceeding the 11 in 1999, 14 in 2001, and 4 in 2006 — marking it as the clear peak of the generation's federal complaint arc. Recalls held at one per year through 2001 before dropping to zero in 2006, while TSBs remained constant at 13 across all recorded years and investigations never opened. The 1998 complaint concentration centered on Engine & Engine Cooling (27), Vehicle Speed Control (10), Power Train (9), and Electrical System (8), with three crash and one fire complaint reported; the data does not specify root causes for these patterns. The sharp decline after the debut year suggests early production or design issues were largely addressed by 1999. Buyers should treat the 1998 as the highest-risk model year in this dataset, suitable only with thorough pre-purchase inspection and service records confirming resolution of the dominant complaint categories.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
13
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
84
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 84 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling27
Vehicle Speed Control10
Power Train9
Electrical System8
Suspension4
Engine3
Seats3
Fuel System, Gasoline2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 13 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM59597Attachme2021-04-14Electrical SystemAttachment.
SSM59597Attachme2021-04-14Electrical SystemAttachment.
SSM59597Attachme2021-04-14Electrical SystemAttachment.
SFCC_09AUG18_REV2018-08-20Electrical SystemA customer may report "Hood Open" message displays on IP with hood closed.
SFCC_09AUG18_REV2018-08-20EquipmentSIM card activation issues

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific XJ8. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 1998 XJ8 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the XJ8 get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.