Question for the forum’s cognoscenti re: the damned spoiler, and specifically, deactivation thereof w/o surgery on the car’s electronics.

Suppose that I stop the engine, then turn on the ignition, then push the DRS button. This, of course, will manually deploy the spoiler for cleaning. To retract it I would push the button again and hold it. But I don’t. Instead I leave it up and drive away. Now the owners’ manual states that “if the vehicle is driven while the DRS [deployable rear spoiler] is in cleaning mode, the DRS will automatically retract when the vehicle's speed is greater than 1.3 mph.” So at 1.3 mph it’s back down, and since it’s still in manual mode (I presume), it won’t redeploy at 70 mph (I have a coupe), and voilà!—spoiler defeated.

Or is it?

 

Nup, been there done that, doesn't work.
But there is a way to permanently disable the spoiler, see here: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/f...7/#post1614196

 

Yeah, OzXFR, I was aware of that procedure. I'm not willing to go that far. That's why I wrote: "w/o surgery on the car's electronics" (which is precisely what that procedure is, and closer to open heart than laparoscopic).

Hmm... maybe just pushing the DRS button when the spoiler is up while driving... What will that do? I know, I'm desperate.

 

It's not surgery on the electronics, it's one plug disconnected which can then be reconnected if you want.
The DRS button only works at under 5 or 10 mph (I forget the exact figure), it's only purpose is to allow you to raise the spoiler for cleaning underneath (and then lower it again), and using it while going any quicker does nothing.
Unless you disconnect the plug or cut the rods nothing but nothing is going to stop the damnable thing from automatically raising at the set threshold and then lowering again once you slow down to a (different) set speed, and those auto up and auto down speeds cannot be changed.

 

I cut the wire and added a switch. Works perfectly. Today I (closed road, controlled conditions, etc) received the "spoiler not available" warning message at around 120. My understanding is that my speed limiter is set to 130 thereabouts when that happens, which I'm totally fine with.

 

How is unplugging the motor considered open heart surgery on the car's electronics???

 

Would present a true impediment on any of the Lobster Runs .

 

In the UK, on a coupe built in late summer 2014, the spoiler would deploy and retract on the button at any speed below the automatic activation point.

But back to the OPs point: Don't buy a Zonda. Active Aero is not for you...

 

The same is true for a MY14 convertible in the States. Wonder if later year 'verts still have that functionality.