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 pairs its five-speed automatic transmission with EPA fuel economy ratings of 15/22/18 mpg (city/highway/combined). Reliability data for this model year records only fifteen total owner complaints, with Engine & Engine Cooling representing the primary concern area, alongside zero recalls. This minimal complaint volume and absence of recalls position the 1998 model as a relatively stable entry in the XJ8 L’s reliability history, suggesting documented issues remained isolated to specific mechanical systems rather than indicating widespread defects.

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.