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2003 Jaguar XJ8

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2003 XJ8.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2003 Jaguar XJ8 is a passenger car paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission, delivering an EPA-rated 15 city and 22 highway mpg. With only nine total owner complaints and a single recall logged—primarily concerning unknown or engine-related issues—this model year sidesteps the severe growing pains of the generation's early years. Positioned within the XJ8's 1998-2006 complaint history, the 2003 model sits near the bottom of the spectrum, far below the 84 complaints of the 1998 peak and closely trailing the 2006 low of just four, marking it as a comparatively stable entry in the platform's reliability timeline.

Model year2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque95 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, OE oil filter EAZ1354. 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

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	EAZ1354
Engine air filter	NJA3558AA
Fuel filter	C2C35417 alt NJB6091AA
Spark plug	NCA3850HA2 alt C2A1535
Battery	C2D61169
Front wiper blades	GJA8960BB
Serpentine belt	NCA2211DA
Thermostat	NCA2246BA alt AJ86484

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	197.6 in
Overall width	70.9 in
Overall height	52.8 in
Wheelbase	113 in
Curb weight	3997 lb
Track (front / rear)	59.1 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	52/48

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 22 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	Rear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	93 cu ft
Cargo volume	13 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Premium 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 95 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil	USE SHELL SPIRAX TS90 OR EQUIVALENT
Differential Gear Oil Capacity	3 Pints
Power Steering Fluid	ATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	8.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	15-16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	13 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	9 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	95 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	236 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
Spark Plug Gap	0.035-0.039 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.48 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	5.40-6.76 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	49
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	680 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance	12-18 ohms
Intake Valve Lash	0.0008 in
Exhaust Valve Lash	0.0014 in

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH BREMBO BRAKES / WITH STANDARD BRAKES
Torque Caliper to Bracket	25-30 ft-lbs / 140 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	140 ft-lbs / 60 ft-lbs / 65-75 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.078 in
Brake Application	WITH BREMBO BRAKES / WITH STANDARD BRAKES
Rotor Runout Limit	0.006 in / 0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.126 in / 1.102 in / 1.122 in / 0.788 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	0.126 in / 1.102 in / 1.122 in / 0.788 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Coat bolts with engine oil. Do not reuse bolts more than twice. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure. · M8 Bolts

1	17.0-20.0 ft. lbs.; M10 Bolts	17–20 ft. lbs
1	15.0 ft. lbs.	15 ft. lbs
2	25.9 ft. lbs.	25.9 ft. lbs
3	90 degrees	90 degrees
4	90 degrees	90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 10,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 10,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 10,000 mi	Battery (inspect electrolyte level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 15,000 mi	Underbody (inspect)
Every 20,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 mi	Fuel Filter (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Belt (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)

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 2003 Jaguar XJ8 sits in a clear downward trend in complaints from the generation's peak: 1998 had 84 complaints, while 1999 dropped to 11, 2001 to 14, and 2003 to just 4—matching the 2006 model's low count. Recalls also ceased after 2001, with 2003 having zero recalls, and all years share the same 13 TSBs, indicating no new service bulletins were issued for this model year. The 2003's four complaints are spread across engine, electrical, and air bag areas, with one crash complaint but no fires, though the data does not specify root causes for these issues. This places 2003 at the stable, low-complaint end of the generation's arc, suggesting the model had matured past its early teething problems. Based solely on the federal record, the 2003 Jaguar XJ8 is a good year to buy within this generation, as it offers the fewest complaints and no recalls.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’98 ’99 ’01 ’06

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 9 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other,Engine1

Power Train,Electrical System,Engine1

Unknown Or Other1

Air Bags1

Service Brakes, Hydraulic1

Vehicle Speed Control1

Suspension,Electrical System,Tires1

Fuel System, Gasoline,Vehicle Speed Control1

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.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
SSM59597Attachme	2021-04-14	Electrical System	Attachment.
SSM59597Attachme	2021-04-14	Electrical System	Attachment.
SSM59597Attachme	2021-04-14	Electrical System	Attachment.
SFCC_09AUG18_REV	2018-08-20	Electrical System	A customer may report "Hood Open" message displays on IP with hood closed.
SFCC_09AUG18_REV	2018-08-20	Equipment	SIM 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.

Group 49 battery Engine oil filter EAZ1354 Engine air filter NJA3558AA Fuel filter C2C35417 Spark plug NCA3850HA2

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 2003 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 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.