JaguarXJ8 L1998Overview/jaguar/xj8-l/1998/base/

1998 Jaguar XJ8 L

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

Transmission Automatic 5-spd

The 1998 Jaguar XJ8 L is a long-wheelbase luxury sedan powered by a V8 engine paired with a five-speed automatic transmission, representing the flagship variant of Jaguar's XJ series for that model year; it achieved EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg in the city, 22 mpg on the highway, and 18 mpg combined. This particular model year stands out in the XJ8's reliability record with zero recalls issued and a relatively modest total of 15 owner complaints filed, with engine and engine cooling issues comprising the most frequently reported concern. For researchers examining the XJ8's historical dependability, the 1998 model year offers a notably cleaner recall history compared to later iterations of the platform, suggesting fewer systematic manufacturing defects despite the model's reputation for periodic electrical and mechanical quirks typical of Jaguar's postwar vehicles.

Model year2001200019991998

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque75 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/22/18 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 / combined15 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume100 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.

Owner complaints about the 1998 Jaguar XJ8 L dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 6 of 15 reports (40%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
13
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
15
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 15 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling6
Power Train3
Vehicle Speed Control,Engine1
Fuel System, Gasoline1
Electrical System1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Fuel System, Gasoline1
Exterior Lighting1
Suspension,Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

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 L. 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 L have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the XJ8 L get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.