Jaguar: Problems and Solutions
redrockbunny
Member Posts: 18
My friend told me that when the car would shake while driving, he at the same time would experience a lack of acceleration and no power. This problem would disappear when the car stopped shaking the next day.
Also after one of the sudden acceleration problems the gear shifter was found to be in reverse. All by itself, it went from drive to reverse, without being touched. Very strange.
Hope someone can relate some similar experiences!
Thank you!
Also after one of the sudden acceleration problems the gear shifter was found to be in reverse. All by itself, it went from drive to reverse, without being touched. Very strange.
Hope someone can relate some similar experiences!
Thank you!
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I could be very wrong on this but...
All I can say is this...If it was financially practical, there would be a 2004 XJ in our garage. As nice as her 2001 is, the 2004 is many times over, a better driving car.
We've had only two issues with her 2001. The first was a minor adjustment that was needed on the sunroof. The second was the rapid depreciation that makes the 2004 too much of a financial burden to justify a "trade-up".
Just my $0.02 worth, but this "bedrockbunny" story, if it's anywhere true, sounds like a personality clash with the dealer's service department. Nothing that a little diplomacy can't cure...That is, if there's ANY truth to it.
One other thing...Not that we've needed it, however our Jag dealer doesn't "tow" cars. It's flatbeds only!
There are many Jaquar owners out there that will doubt that the car could be problematic. However, in every make there are problem cars. My only intention in posting the letter is to try to help my friend get some more experiences-feedback on the problems related, so he can use that with the dealer. I am mecahnically inclined enough to know that if one car is experiencing an unusual malady, there undoubtedly are others out there too!
As for the towing, when he told me they came up and got it, afraid to drive it to Scottsdale, he never said whether it was towed or put on a flatbed. Really, this is quite an assumption on the "boards" part. It may very well have been put on a flatbed. It never occured to me to ask. But I do know this, the dealer wants my friend to pay for the "tow", perhaps they said "transport". It is 6:50 a.m., or I would call my friend and ask him, but what does it matter? He has now found out the pay-off amount on the lease is less than he felt it would be, but still so much that getting rid of the car will be a finacial problem. This is what high-powered attorneys are for. And his attorney is supposedly part of a firm that is the most prestigous firm in Arizona. Of course everyone knows that this doesn't mean much when you go up against a car lease company, dealer, or a manufacturer. The attorney is kept on retainer for many business related legal situations, so I hope he will be able to really delve into this situation and help in a more personal way. Although I would not want to pay the bill.
The bottom line is, the cars are so sophisticated that in my friend's case, it has resulted in some (I assume) electronic glitch of some sort that can't be traced. I have done a lot research to try to help, and have found that in the new electronic systems there can be unusual problems. Like dangerous "sudden acceleration". I have driven the car once myself, from Scottsdale to Sedona at night. I did not experience any problems. I have ridden in the car numerous times. But in 8000 miles of driving, my friend certainly HAS.
He is going to rent a Cadillac for the time being, he is looking into leasing a Lexus. He is very, very, disappointed and upset that the Jag has been a problem, as he LOVED that car. I mean loved it. But he is afraid to drive the car now. I found out yesterday that Jag sent a man out from back east to go through the black box, factory rep. I guess. They were unable to trace the fault code. But that doesn't mean my friend is a liar either. That is the problem with dealers, they keep the car for a couple days, in this case the service manager took the car home. But in such a short time they often cannot diagnose a problem, then they come back to the customer and say, there is nothing wrong with the car.
Meanwhile the car is sitting on the dealer's lot. My friend will not pick it up. I hope that this can be resolved in a amicable manner, I am sure that is what Jaquar desires, and of course so does my friend.
Him and his wife have owned at least 10 new Cadillacs and Lincolns through the years, and leased many others through their business, including an Audi TT that was just turned in. I drove it back to the same dealer myself a couple months ago. I hate to see him get stung on a Jaquar when all he wanted to do is have something better and different. I researched the car for 2004, and actually thought it was going to be a great decision for him. Now I realize that a first year model can have unforseen complications. Like he has told the dealer, "I am your Guinea Pig"
By the way, as for the 2002 he had. He told me yesterday, that he had to take it to the dealer a couple times when parts just fell off of it. Doesn't sound so well built to me.
Hope I can hear from people that experienced unusual problems with their Jags. But I have found watching this board for many years, that the more expensive the car, and the more wealthy the car owner. The less you see posts on it. I guess people that drive the kind of cars don't have the time to debate them on a board. Guess that is why I am here debating for my very busy friend.
From what I've seen during the course of my life, many wealthy people HAVE money because they don't WASTE money. Griping about an expensive car instead of taking action is wasting money, IMHO.
Just my $0.02 worth.......
1) The board never assumed it was towed. You explictly said "The dealer came up and...towed the car to Scottsdale, AZ". That is as clear as it could be. What makes this significant is your twisting the authorship of this around and blaming it on the board. Also, in my experience Jaguar dealers just don't use a tow truck to move a new vehicle. In fact, I can't think of any new car dealer who uses a tow truck (just imagine the front end damage and what it is doing to the transmission after Bubba gets it all hooked up). Small point but it diminishes your story.
2) The statement that "the more expensive the car and the more wealthy (sic) the car owner. The less you see posts on it." just isn't true. By your logic the low cost Yugo and relatively low cost Saturn boards would be busy. They are not. Rather, look at all the posts under BMW, Audi, even Chevrolet Tahoe/Yukon and Yukon Denali. The real relationship is the more the owners feel involved with their cars the more they post, not cost of the car or socioeconomic status of the owner. In doubt? The Land Rover Disco Board is perhaps the liveliest on the entire Edmunds site. The MSRP of a new Disco is only 34K.
3) "All he wanted to do is have something better and different" is contradictory for a fellow who supposedly turned in a 2002 Jag XJ for a new one. A 2002 Jag is about as close to a 2004 Jag as you are ever going to get. It is not something "different". Again, not a major point but logic redrockbunny just isn't on your side.
4) Business owners of substance as this gentlemen is portrayed to be let their attorney handle the rough stuff. Why isn't the "high powered" attorney involved right now? Speaking of "high powered attorneys", that is a phrase right out of People Magazine. Real people don't talk that way.
5) The Jag rep came "from back East". Even I as a New Englander living on a small island would know that Jaguar would support dealers in NM and AZ out of a CA office, not from "back East".
OK, maybe you aren't a troll but this saga sure reads funny and you have a habit of not letting facts get in the way of your narrative.
I will not apologize for saying "towed" instead of "transported". So What??? It is the same thing to me, and a real fine line, and very petty to keep harping on it. The car is at the dealer, they came and got it, end of issue!
The attorney is involved now, that is neither here now there, as I am only asking for input as to the mechanical attributes of the car not legal advice. This attorney is high-powered as are many, and maybe you don't talk that way but people I know do. Welcome to the real world.
The process is still too fresh for the Lemon Law to be brought on line.
Also the 2004 IS totally new, about 95 percent so. It is also a radical aluminum design. A person with a 2002 will definitely have a different and better car with the 2004. That being that the individual car doesn't have a problem of course, like this one does.
Anyone that doesn't have anything to say contructively about the problems put forth with the car, need not waste their time posting and reposting. I would really appreciate some reasonable responses.
The problem has not been resolved yet. However he went down to Scottsdale last week and had a lengthy discussion with the dealer. They were very accomodating. They told him they want to get him another car, but until they find the problem, their hands are tied. A couple managers are going to drive the hell out of it this weekend, taking it out of town etc, to try to get it to duplicate the problem. Hopefully they will find the glitch, however, it seems it is usually experienced in everyday use by the owner. So far the consensus is the car will not be reclaimed by my friend. I don't have any information on the lawyer side of it.
Meanwhile he has rented a new Lincoln until all this is resolved. He hates it, and says it is not nearly the car his Jaguar was. In spite of the problem with the Jag he really is missing the car.
As it was special ordered, and he had to wait for it excitedly.
I was hoping that someone may have experienced unusual problems with their new Jag and may have posted by now. This particular top of the line model, (2004 Vanden Plas), is still relatively rare, as the other models are more frequently sold. I still think the problem is something to do with the circuitry between the accelerator-gear shifter. The system somehow stores codes as to the anticipation of throttle needs in conjuntion with the transmission needs, and they are activated when the transmission indicator is selected and the accellerator depressed. I would have to do more research, but I think all these responses are all electronic and the direct mechanical links have been eliminated. This is where the type of problems has been experienced in other makes.
After more indepth discussion about the other issue, the shaking, having not been in the car at the time, I feel it may have had something to do with the same computer glitch. As he has told me he had no power, while it was shaking, and the fuel mileage would drop like a rock. This is similar to an older car when you would have a carburation problem, or vacumn problem. Yes, I have done a lot of restoration of engines and cars from the 60's.
My opinion: cars are becoming too computer operated. This takes a lot of control away from the driver. Car makers think computers never error, but in realty they are not infallible! I say keep the computers as non-critical applications in these new cars. And leave the operation of the car mechanical only.
Because I believe in fairness above all in posting. I will definitely post when I hear the results of this issue. I think I owe that to Jaquar and the board. This issue may end up be completely resolved amicably, who knows?
My big question is.......am I going to be visiting my local jag dealer on a frequent and regular basis and spending lots of dollars? I have read the horror stories on this forum and am quite concerned. I am used to the Japanese high end vehicle, driving problem free, and am wondering if this is going to be a huge change to the negitive upon switching to the XJ8. It seems to appear there's a multitude of minor to major disappointments with these cars that, quite frankly, I have never experienced in the 10 years of driving Acura and Infiniti. All advise will be appreciated. Thanks to all...Rich
By the way I think the car originally was taken to Scottsdale on a flatbed truck, I at the time, when posting: "it was towed," didn't even think to ask how it was taken down there.
Also finally someone has posted a very similar problem with their Jaguar. You can click on this URL for further information:
http://www.womanmotorist.com/index.php/news/main/2011/event=view
This could be a disorientation issue. I know it certainly happens in small aircraft, where a perfectly operating plane is driven right into the ground (John Kennedy for instance).
But who knows? It's very weird and I'm still pretty skeptical that the car is as fault until someone can explain it to me in scientific terms.
some insight......
Maintenance is free on Jaguars for 4 years 50,000 miles. Spark plugs last 100K and oil changes are infrequent.
The X-Type was recently rated the highest quality car from Europe, with the X-Type assembly plant earning the highest award from JDPowers in 2005.
Jaguar powertrains were just rated the highest quality powertrains of any manufacturer in the world by the 2005 JD power survey.
Jaguar was rated #2 in overall quality of all brands in the 2005 JDPower survey.
1. Repairs and maintenance: how much of an issue are repairs and maintenance. Looking over this message board, I get the impression that Jag dealers may not be the most responsive repair shops among car dealerships. But I also understand that Jag rank #2, under Lexus, for customer satisfaction. Is that customer satisfaction with the car, satisfaction with the dealer, satisfaction with repair issues, or a what?
2. I have talked to a couple of local Jag owners, they tell me the only Jag dealer is Austin is not held in very high esteem by other Jag dealers in the state for repair issues. However, these owners did NOT buy their Jag from the local dealer, so maybe the poor response results from that fact. Any thoughts?
WC
True Cost To Own: Calculate for Jaguar S Type Here
your future S Type does very well in its class, although none of the cars in its class are particularly cheap to own. Edmunds says .55 cents a mile, (see criteria used for the calculation in the link I sent you), which one would expect compared to a Toyota Echo for instance.
Probably the only area where the S Type does not perform well on a cost per mile basis is when you figure in depreciation. It will depreciate more heavily than say a Lexus...figure about $10,000 in 5 years, or a little more.
Naturally, the car you buy in used condition counts for a lot here. The cost-to-own calculations presume you started with a car in very good condition and also presumes a decent level of dealer support.
After looking at the callipers I see four bolts that look more like they hold the calliper
together? I am used to the two bolt system that most cars use to hold the calliper to the
suspension. I did see two other bolts that could be what i am used to. I just thought I would seek
advice before I dig in.
Its been a few years but do I open the reservoir cover when I compress the piston?
Any other advice would be appreciated.
PS Had no Idea about the rear brake system. Never seen it and wont be touching them. LOL
Thanks
The big problem with the older Jags is that they are ridiculously cheap to buy and ridiculously expensive to fix.
I am assuming that the car you bought had reasonable care by the previous owner (PO). Did you get maintenance from the PO? If it were my car the first things would be fuel filter, plugs, wires, rotor, rotor cap, clean the relay ears, fuel regulator. Under the right knee bolster is a bank of relays that I'd clean. Clean out the duck bill under the hood so that no water gets into the car. For spark plug wires, I'd go with Magnecor 8mm.
Here's a place I've hung out at for the past 8 years or more: WWW.Jag-lovers.org
Find Forums and go to the XJ40 forum. You'll need to sign up and after that you can search the archives, look at the XJ40 on line book, post, etc.
I've had my 90XJ6 for 5 years. I paid $5,500 for it and have not had any problems except routine maintenance (plugs, wires, etc). Of course there are people out that that DO NOT take care of their cars and you may have bought one of them. Doesn't matter if it is a Jag or Jeep, if it didn't receive minimal maintenance you will need to do the maintenance that they did not do for you.
We just picked up (drove it across the country) a 1995 DeVille Concours. 40,000 miles ago the PO spent $917 (at the dealer) for plug wires and coil paks. For simplicity coil paks have taken over the rotor/rotor cap/single coil job. The dealer told him that the car was good to go for another 100,000 miles (and the PO believed them). Well half way across the country the car begin to mis. When arriving in North Platt for our evening stay, in the dark I opened the hood to check on the plu wires. It looked like DIsney Land, arcing and carbon tracing.....the wires were shot. I could have gone to the dealer and paid the $917. Instead I am spending $126 on new Magnecor 8MM wires and bought the 4 coil paks for $80 retail. That is a lot less than the dealer.
Maintenance and cost of ownership also comes down to ....how much do you know about cars?
Now (surprise) the transmission went out and the dealer says that it needs to be replaced.
I drove the car only about 350 miles total during the 53 days, so obviously I complained that this must have been a pre-existing condition that they either missed or failed to tell me about. I'm not mechanically inclined, but if the fluid was new when I picked the car up and is now reportedly black and "burnt", then something seems fishy after such a short time.
The dealer, to their credit, has initially offered to eat the cost of a "salvaged" transmission from a car with 36K miles. They indicate this is approximately $3,500. They are requesting that I pay for the labor to install the salvaged transmission ($567 + tax)
Questions:
- does this seem like a good deal considering I'm out of warranty and they probably don't legally have to do anything??
- what are the implications of a salvaged transmission? I don't know the circumstances related to this transmission and only have the dealer's word that it is from a car with 36k miles. Is there any way to check this? I don't want some rusty piece of crap that's been sitting out in a junk yard for four years.
- if I agree to the deal (as my wife wants me to) can I get them to provide some warranty relative to the salvaged part?
I would really appreciate any help or information. The service manager is waiting for a call back with my decision. Thanks again.
p.s. I'm in Florida if that has any bearing on the situation...
The salvage transmission should have a parts warranty from the wrecking yard, but you might ask the dealer to give you a labor guarantee, that is, if the trans fails or doesn't work right, the dealer will swap in another used trans for free. If he doesn't guarantee the labor end and if the salvage yard doesn't guarantee the parts end, then there's only one person left that's going to be stuck for everything...can you guess who?
So I'd advise to either get the guarantees from both parties assured (and the labor part in writing on the RO) or call an attorney.
Did you ever hear back from anyone with any tips on how to open it? I have exactly the same problem you mentioned, it will lock but when unlocked it is as if the latch is not attached to anything. (very frustrating)
Let me know..........
Thanks
Jeff
We just bought the car last night and picked it up as the dealership was closing. The problems started as we drove it home. Hopefully, this is not an indication of the future.
Thanks!
Bill
Please don't interpret it as unsympathetic, but we need to reserve the forum for an exchange of ideas and constructive comments. I'm sure some others have found your comments interesting and be assured they will remain in this forum and later on in archives.
But I'd like to move on with discussions about solvable problems and information sharing.
Mrshiftright
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