So I took the cat in for service and opted out of the "Service Light" bulletin as mine seemed to be working fine and it is also tuned, so no need to mess with that, right?

I get a text from my adviser and he informs me that there is a small leak in my rear differential and asked if I would like a quote on getting it fixed.

I responded with "The car is less than a year old and does not have a ton of miles on it, which means it is well under warranty, mind explaining why you are trying to charge me for fixing a leaking rear differential?"

He responded with something along the lines of having to wait until tomorrow for the Jaguar Rep to reach back out to them...

Now, the car is tuned, has a crank pulley, lowered, wheels and a wrap, but how would any of those cause the rear diff to have a random leak?

I have had to fight other car makers before on things like this (Ford, Dodge, Alfa and Audi) and have always gotten it fixed, but none of them ever came out and just tried to ignore the fact that the car is still under warranty like this individual did.

What are your thoughts on this and is there a number for Jaguar that would over ride the "local jaguar professional" they are waiting on a call back from?

 

Well, you're running more power through it, and it's lower to the ground. Still, I would expect it to be covered.

 

I'm having issues too. Let me know if they fix it for you. Can't disclose anything yet.

 

I will find out tomorrow, but I will fight it if I have to.
More power, but still less than the SVR, which uses the same rear diff?

 

Good point, I was thinking tuned V6, not V8. Some have reported issues with the E-LSD overheating, but I don't recall anyone mentioning it leaking.

 

What's E-LSD? Can you please explain it in layman's terms Thanks!

 

Electronically-controlled Limited-Slip Differential. My V6S has a mechanical LSD - the V8s have an 'e-diff', which is what I should have called it.

I gather the e-diff has an electrically activated clutch that either allows slip, or stops slip, depending on conditions.

This is for RWD - AWD should have multiple differentials, but I don't know how that's set up, or if the same e-diff is used in the rear.

 

Sounds like they want to punish you for your mods.

Ahem.

 

i would be upset, but this made me laugh too much 😂
Ill update tomorrow!

 

Well this is the risk you have to take - and accept - when modding cars still under warranry. The manufacturer may decline warranty work.

Jaguar have no idea what effect the third party developed modifications have done do to their car that they have spent countless thousands of engineering hours testing.

You can can just hope that they are willing to overlook any potential impact these mods might have had to the diff.

think about it this way - if you spent years developing a product, sold it to a client, thy modified it and turned up a few months later and said it's broken - you might be suspicious of the modifications being a root cause of the failure

 

You have the AWD V6S correct? Did you lease or purchase?

 

The manufacturer must prove that the modifications you've made to the vehicle directly caused the issue in question. You may have to take them to court to have them fix it, and chances are they are "voiding" your warranty because they don't think you'll bother. Next time you talk to them, try mentioning the Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act and mention that there is no direct correlation between your modifications and a differential leak... because there isn't. Extra power isn't going to make the case physically leak unless you're going crazy with power, and likely the diff would fail first.

 

is it leaking through a shaft seal, or through a cover gasket?

 

Regardless of any legal precedent that has been set, I kind of side with the manufacturers. Someone installs a modification onto their car - which Jaguar has no insight into how that modification has been developed and tested or by who, how it affects performance or other operating characteristics of the car and how it was installed. The car then breaks, and they have to cover the broken component.

How are Jaguar to know or validate how much power a pulley and tune or other mods add to a car? Or impact to other components? Other than the say so of a modifier or individual that has installed the mod?

Adding additional power to a vehicle adds additional stress and loads to components and running gear.

To my mind, if you are willing to install a third party component onto your car that alters / increases the performance characteristics and hasn't been developed or tested by the manufacturer you should also accept responsibility for any breakages that occur.

Let me be clear I am not anti modding cars - most of my previous cars have been modified. However to my mind the onus should be on the modifier to prove that the mod did not break the car - not the other way round. Like I said to begin with - its a risk I believe the individual who decides to mod their car should bear as they are the one who has chosen to alter the car from original specification.

 

Well if six or seven of us showed up at the service writers desk with our extra gear shift levers after upgrading to the Unhingd short shifter, I bet we could impress upon him the need to fix this leak under warranty! Cat owners unite, heck everybody else protests, why can't we?

 

I think you should contact Cousin Vinny and Marisa Tomei to represent you.

 

2016 AWD S, Correct.
It was a purchase, I knew what all I would do to the car, a lease a bit silly for guys like myself.

I am well aware. As I stated before, this would not have been the first "warranty" fight I have fought. I have modified every vehicle I've owned since I was 16 and never had somebody deny warranty when it was appropriate. For example, in my last truck (Dodge Ram 3500 Dually) I did a DPF/EGR Delete and Tune. At 1,600 miles the transmission went into limp mode, which was not a huge surprise as those transmissions are known to have issues unless built. Took it to the dealer, took a few weeks but since they could in no way, shape or form prove that what I did had a direct impact on the transmission, they replaced it and we moved on with a handshake and mutual respect for one another. This will be no different I'm sure.

I am not sure to be honest. I have noticed a small drop here and there over the past few weeks but was unable to pin point it when looking at it as there was no leak trail or signs of a leak.

Only issue here is that this is like you saying the person is assumed guilty until proven innocent. I agree that Jaguar fine tunes and engineers their cars (along with all other manufacturers), but they are also not stupid. They know that a pulley and tune is about as likely to cause a rear end to leak as window tint is to cause your exhaust to droop off. The big issue which they would have to fight with these cars is how similar they are across their ranges. Some could argue that the added power caused the rear end issues, but then we have to revert back to the fact that even with all the power adders I am will shy of the output of a SVR, which has the same rear end as my car. If the power on the SVR model is not enough to blow the rear end then why would my power be enough to do the same?

They will argue here and there as they would rather collect a payment on a repair than have to write it off as warranty work, but this is where the consumer needs to educate him/herself and stand up for whats right and what makes sense.

You go get them!

They sound legit, but there is no need


UPDATE:

Received a message this morning after my conversation with the service writer yesterday informing me that Jaguar has approved the repair trough warranty and that they will be fixing my Pinion Seal and will update me once the repair is completed and the car is ready to be picked up.

 

Great news, glad the issue was resolved and that Jaguar is standing behind their product.

 

If the dealer wants to potentially sell another car in the future, it's in their interest to fix it under warranty. The corporation pays for it. The dealer isn't out in the cold on this.

 

Sheathe the levers boys, we live to fight another day!