Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Jaguar XJ, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the United Kingdom
411 cars built in 1997 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,115 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 750 of these cars first registered in 1997 took their annual MOT test. 71% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1997 the figure was 64%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1997 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.0% | 16.1% |
| Suspension | 10.3% | 12.2% |
| Brakes | 7.3% | 11.8% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 7.1% | 9.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.7% | 7.2% |
| Visibility | 4.0% | 6.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
8 of these cars first registered in 1997 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 186,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
12 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register; 42% arrived as used imports, 58% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1997 Jaguar XJ.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Jaguar told its dealers about the 1997 Jaguar XJ: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 610204 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES A LIST OF ACCESSORY INSTALLATION TIMES FOR MANY MODEL ACCESSORIES. *TT |
| 605050 | SOME VEHICLES WITHIN VARIOUS VIN RANGES MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY IN STARTING THE ENGINE WHEN COLD. *TT |
| 10231228 | Climate Controlled Seats Diagnosis & Testing |
| 10229377 | Rear transport tow eye being left in place or not discarded |
| 10228531 | DVD software update |
| 10227122 | Title: 5.0L V8 (AJ133) overheating due to incorrect |
| 10227121 | Charging a vehicle fitted with Battery monitoring system |
| 10212871 | Charge Air Hose assy detachment. |
| 10212870 | X351 Seat Memory Switch Number 1 Stuck High |
| 10212869 | Fuel Injector Concerns 5.0 AJ133 Gasoline. |
| 10212868 | Fuel Injector Concerns 5.0 AJ133 Gasoline. |
| 10212866 | Diagnostic Concerns. |
| 10212864 | HLDF Programming - `Candidate Not Available` message. |
| 10212861 | Hood / Bonnet Ajar Switch. |
| 10212860 | Loose battery terminals. |
| 10212859 | Front Control Display Interface Module Re-configuration. |
| 10212857 | Mongoose Update. |
| 10212856 | Mongoose Update |
| 10212855 | JTB00268 engine hard to start after hot soak - fan running Category Driveability. |
| 10212854 | Error during key programing |
| 10212853 | Title MOST system diagnosis |
| 10212851 | Fuel Gauge / Pump Diagnostic Aids. |
| 10212850 | Important firmware update required for the DA Dongle /DA-VINA. |
| 10212849 | SDD enhancements for fuel gauge and pump issues-10MY onwards. |
| 10212848 | Fuel System Concerns. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)