Jaguar Cars ordered its dealers worldwide to stop selling some 2006 and 2007 XJ sedans following several massive gasoline leaks from vehicle fuel tanks.
Jaguar notified its U.S. and Canadian dealers of what it calls a “quarantine” on Wednesday, Aug. 30. The quarantine prohibits Jaguar dealers from selling any new or used XJs with vehicle identification numbers G49701 through H13209.
The order followed the opening Aug. 16 of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation. Several U.S. customers told the agency that their garage floors were “flooded with gasoline” following recent fill-ups.
Jaguar spokesman Tim Watson said the automaker is researching the matter. He said he did not know how many vehicles are in the VIN range or how many in the range may have faulty fuel tanks.
Watson also was unsure of how many affected XJs are in customer hands and what repair measures Jaguar may order. He said the action does not yet constitute a recall.
According to the NHTSA filings, the gasoline leaks come from the tank itself, not the filler pipe. The leaks occurred any time from immediately to a day after refueling.
Watson said Jaguar is talking with the fuel tank's supplier, TI Automotive, to determine the cause of the leaks. TI Automotive's North American office in Warren, Mich., forwarded an inquiry to its Oxford, England, headquarters. That office did not respond by press time.
