Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1981 Jaguar XJS. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗FUEL:FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY:TANK
- Summary
- EXCESSIVE FUEL VAPOR PRESSURE CAN OCCUR THAT, AFTER PROLONGED CYCLING, COULD WEAKEN THE FUEL TANK STRUCTURE.
- Consequence
- THIS CAN CAUSE FUEL TANK LEAKS WHICH, IN THE PRESENCE OFAN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
- Remedy
- INSTALL A REVISED FUEL PURGE SYSTEM WHICH ELIMINATES EXCESSIVE VAPOR PRESSURE BUILD-UP.
FUEL:FUEL INJECTION:UNKNOWN TYPE:LINE:HOSE
- Summary
- CERTAIN VEHICLES COULD BE SUBJECT TO A FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF DETERIORATION IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL HOSE CONNECTIONS.
- Remedy
- ALL AFFECTED HOSES AND ATTACHMENT CLIPS WILL BE REPLACED AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (0)
0 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings).
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
NHTSA has no component data for this model year.
How 1981 compares with other XJS years
Best and worst XJS years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 1 | 6 |
| 1983 | 1 | 4 |
| 1984 | 2 | 3 |
| 1985 | 4 | 3 |
| 1986 | 2 | 4 |
| 1987 | 1 | 6 |
| 1988 | 7 | 4 |
| 1989 | 14 | 4 |
| 1990 | 15 | 3 |
| 1991 | 8 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Looking at a 1981 XJS for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1981 Jaguar XJS FAQ
How many recalls does the 1981 Jaguar XJS have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 90V123000 (fuel system), 81V134000 (fuel system). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
How does the 1981 XJS compare with other years?
Among the 1982–1991 Jaguar XJS model years at least five years old, the 1982 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 1990 the most (15). The 1981 drew 0. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.