Ask the Car People.SM


Jaguar S-Type

1064 messages,  Last post on May 08, 2012 at 6:26 PM

You are in the Jaguar S-Type Forum.

What is this discussion about? Jaguar S-Type, Sedan

Messages Page 69 of 108

#672 of 1064 Problems With S-Type R -- Unable to Remove Key by johna6

Nov 07, 2003 (4:09 pm)

I have had significant problems with my s-type r and was wondering whether anyone else has had them. When I got the car, the next day it went into "limp home" mode due to faulty wiring and was out for two days. Intermittently, I have had problems with the key sticking, culminating on 9/26 with the key not coming out. It was in the shop until 10/28 as a result of this! It is now beginning to have the same problems again. I have requested from Jaguar that they replace my vehicle and got a form letter stating that they will respond in 30 days. I had a 2000 S-type 4.0 with no problems. I am astonished by this treatment, especially the fact that no one seemed to care that it was taking so long to get a new key cylinder for the vehicle. The car is one of the best vehicles on the road when it is running. Now, however, I'm scared every time I try to take out the key. Has anyone else had problems like this? I'm not used to automobile problems (I had two Infinities with zero problems and a 2000 S-type with only mild problems that were repaired immediately). I'd appreciate any help or guidance I can get.

#673 of 1064 Jaguar dealers are not real enthusiastic by bhill2

Nov 10, 2003 (2:30 pm)

at solving owners' problems, at least in my experience. We have had two Jags, both of which we loved, but if you have a problem the dealer tends to diddle around a few times with it (often keeping a a few days, the better to diddle) and then try to get you to live with it. They also don't want to hear about the concept of giving you another car that works better, but that is probably typical of all dealers.

#675 of 1064 My wife's new S by merrel

Dec 04, 2003 (12:23 pm)

Wife purchased brand new 2003 S (3.0) last June. Only has 1575 miles on it as of today 12/4/03. Dealer has advised that both front AND rear bake pads will be replaced next week. Car sounds like you are running over 100 cats when braking.And I mean forward OR reverse.

#676 of 1064 DSC by geek2

Dec 05, 2003 (10:58 pm)

Greetings,
 
Just leased the 2004 S type. Had it for 2 weeks & it's been in the dealer service for past 1 week. This is not a good trend given a 3 year lease deal.
 
The "DSC Not Available" light comes on the dash after driving it for a few moments. Service dept has been replacing parts for a week w/ no fix in sight yet.
 
Anyone come across this before? Suggestions? Thx

#677 of 1064 DSC and FIRE by bsudderth

Dec 13, 2003 (10:01 pm)

I have seen several posts on this issue on Jagtalk.com
 
Here is my post on Jagtalk (long):
 
"This is a message that I had hoped I would not have to write to all of you, but
JNA's lack of response to me and my company leaves me no choice.
 
HOW IT STARTED
On Oct. 15, 2003, I encountered a computer fault on my 2003 Jaguar S-type 4.2
-approx. 13,000 miles. The fault was just a light on the console re: DSC and a
message advising “DSC Not Available”. After stopping and restarting the car,
the message disappeared and the computer apparently reset itself. I called my
Service Manager the next day to ask what to do and he made an appointment for
the next Monday, October 20. Later that Monday, he called me to advise that the
computer did register a fault in the “yaw control” module and that they would
replace this module even though it was working OK at that time. The module had
to be ordered, so I did not get my car back until Thursday, October 23. An
X-type loaner was provided in the meantime.
 
THE FIRE
I picked the car up from the Service Department at approximately 1:45 PM on
Thursday, October 23, and began to drive back to my office some 7 miles away.
About 8 – 9 bocks from the Service Dept., while stopped at a light, I noticed a
very slight smell of electrical wiring overheating/burning or perhaps hot
brakes. It did not appear to be my car (no dash lights and no smoke), so I
continued driving as the light changed to green. One block further, the brakes
on my car TOTALLY LOCKED DOWN and I found myself skidding down the road from
30-35 MPH - foot still on the gas pedal - NO ABS at all. I managed to
steer/slide the car into the center turn lane of the street and looked at the
console. The DSC light and the Parking Brake light were then on. I noticed a
little smoke coming from the front wheel wells and thought that I had been
unknowingly driving the car with the Parking Brake on -a failure of the
Electronic Parking Brake. I then noticed that the brakes had disengaged so I
slowly drove the car into a vacant parking lot at the side of the road. A
little smoke was still coming from the wheel wells and I thought perhaps I
could return to the Service Department and that some “air cooling” of the brakes
would be good. As I drove onto the street, the brakes suddenly locked again and
I was able to just steer/slide the car into the center turn lane once again, but
no further. A large quantity of smoke was then coming from the wheel wells and
flames were shooting 12-15" high from under the hood on the right front side.
The interior of the car began to fill with smoke, so I turned off the ignition
and made a quick exit with my cell phone.
 
I positioned myself on the sidewalk at the side of the road and called 911 to
summon a fire truck. Then I called my Service Manager to report the incident
and to seek help. Even in his disbelief, the Service Manager did dispatch a tow
truck and it arrived in about 40 minutes, some 10 minutes after the fire truck
had departed. I just rode back to the service department with the tow truck.
After explaining what had happened, the Service Manager provided me once again
with a loaner car and I returned to my office, sure that the dealer and JNA
would take care of the problem.
 
THE TRAUMA
Soon after the fire, I noticed a strong burning of my eyes. I flushed them that
night with eye-wash and got some relief. The next morning, a very slight
peeling of skin from the inside of my lips occurred. I am a Registered
Professional Engineer and have had previous experience with burning PVC – it
emits hydrochloric acid or chlorine gas that forms hydrochloric acid when mixed
with water – as in eyes and mouth. I apparently have no lasting trauma from
this, luckily.
 
I will not drive this car again under any circumstances and I do not believe any
of you would either. How could one trust a repair so extensive. What if this
incident had happened while I was driving on the freeway at 70 MPH? I was
extremely lucky that I did not get rear-ended as it was. What if this happened
while I just entered my garage – brakes lock up and car catches on fire? What if
the door and window locks fail and I cannot exit the car? The possibilities go
on. How many people could have been killed by this car?
 
THE DAMAGE
The damage to my S-type is extensive, including a very pungent odor that has
seeped into the entire interior. The entire engine compartment, hood, and
fenders seem to be destroyed and the heat from the fire has likely damaged most
of the structural parts of the front end, annealing some of the structural
metal. In five weeks, I have had no contact from JNA, only deep condolences
from my dealer who seems to have gone to bat for me with JNA but to no avail.
My leasing company and my company have asked JNA to correct the situation but
they will not even write a letter on the subject. Through the service
department, they just insisted that this is an "insurance" matter and we were
forced to send our own adjuster to the dealer to examine the car. The adjuster
is recommending it be declared a total loss and could only say that one of 3 or
4 components could have caused such a sudden and intense fire - these being: 1)
alternator ran away, 2) fuse block shorted out, 3)RF ABS solenoid
failed/shorted, or 4) wiring harness shorted. All were so completely destroyed
that it is perhaps impossible to determine exactly what caused it. In any
event, the adjuster confirmed that the fire was caused by some part failure in a
car that is under full warranty. This was clear to all that viewed the damaged
car, including the JNA regional manager and a tech who did examine the car about
5-7 days after the incident. Their full report is unknown except they
apparently relieved the service department of wrong doing in the repair of the
yaw control module.
 
JNA RESPONSE (OR LACK THEREOF)
Now the BAD news:
 
This car is a company Executive Lease vehicle. The leasing company is Wheels,
Inc., and I solicited their help to solve the problem. On Monday, October 27, I
began a long international business trip and only returned on Thursday, November
13. I returned the loaner car to the dealer so that it would not sit at the
airport for 17 days. Wheels and my company fleet manager advised that the
situation would be solved by the time I returned from my trip, however, upon my
return I found that JNA has denied any claim and will not provide us with a
replacement car OR EVEN A LOANER CAR - they say that the insurance co. should
provide a rental car. JNA claims this is an “insurance’ issue for me and
Wheels, Inc. and my company. How ridiculous can JNA be? The President of JNA
apparently asked his secretary to call my Service Manager to get details a few
days after the incident, yet no one from JNA has ca

#678 of 1064 was going to buy thanks for this board my money will be better spent by cdnhash

Dec 21, 2003 (9:35 pm)

Had been looking at a 2000 3.0 with 50,000 miles.
not anymore though. Thanks to the postings here and a few other boards that have guided me in past purchases I will not be buying the car. I love the look but with a number of people having tranny problems that is one thing I cannot over look.

#679 of 1064 buying a jaguar by along2003

Jan 01, 2004 (10:03 pm)

My wife is wanting a Jaguar we will more then likely get a used one if we do.She likes the s-type best but likes the x-type too.My billfold like the x-type our nearest dealer is 70 miles away so we've not try any out but read alot about them.I was hoping to get some REAL feedback
from some people who owns them and what I need to look for.

#680 of 1064 Jaguar S by merrel

Jan 08, 2004 (11:28 am)

I just took my 2003 Mercedes E320 and traded it in for a Jaguar S type 3.0. Now wife and myself have same car. I had a 2001 E430 and 2003 E320 and after 37 automobiles I can promise you the Mercedes is way over-rated. As for exterior styling and interior creature comforts the Jag S is miles ahead of the Benz. OK- it costs more, it may be more impressive to associates and clients but that is not what I need.

#681 of 1064 For Allen Long by merrel

Jan 08, 2004 (11:37 am)

Don't even think about an X Jaguar. A woman would always want the very best cloth coat instead of the very worst fur coat and the X Jag is the worst fur coat and looks it. Cheap and cheezy. The X accomplishes only one thing: It gives the owner a Jaguar name on a registration. Reminds me of the old Mercedes 190. Junk box with prestigious name. Phooey!! Look for a used 2003 instead of 2000,2001,2002 Jag S. Interior refinements and mechanics much improved on '03 models....and the front passenger does not have emergency hand brake positioned up against their butts. Also the dash of the 03 S looks like the desirable XJ. All the editors of auto magazines talk about the 'dreaded J gate shifter' really don't know what they're talking about.

Messages Page 69 of 108

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement