Hi All
Purchased an immaculate V6 3.0 auto 2005 4 weeks ago - after driving for a bit the suspension seemed to produce a lot of "clonks" on a rough road - took it to local Jaguar main dealer for a safety check and asked for particular attention be paid to suspension bushes - report said nothing wrong with the car.
Clearly not happy so took car to a local recommended Jaguar specialist who on investigation found I needed new front shock absorber lower bushes and new radius arms at the rear, etc.
Car now drives like a dream as it should so who would go to a main dealer again - not me that's for sure. This for interest.
Martin

 

Yet another poor main agent. A lot depends on personalities, I'm afraid, and it sounds like this one doesn't want to know about obsolete models. Do you know if anything else on the suspension was replaced before your bought the car ? The lower shock bushes are notorious for their short life, as are the bushes in the rear lower wishbones.

 

Had clonks on the right side of my 2004 XJR. Could not find and specific problems but did find oil on the outside of the right front air shock metal casing. Replaced with Arnott rebuilt unit designed with sport suspension. That solved the problem for me. Arnott instructions were right on.

RyeJag

 

- report said nothing wrong with the car.

Name and shame the ba*****s!

 

Another problem now!! When I bought the car it started occasionally to hold too long in first gear - it did not do this on my test drive of course!
I had the gearbox oil changed and it seemed to improve but on some days like today it is bad again - I am told the gearbox needs re flashing but am not sure if the current company I am using can do this - they seem reluctant to take that step
Any comments on this would be appreciated.
Incidentally the main dealer referred to in my last post is in Brentwood Essex
Martin

 

My 2004 X350 "learned" a lot of bad shift habits due to a low fluid problem. After a new pan, filter and fluid change, I made sure the car was warmed up to normal operating temperature, then disconnected the battery for 15 minutes. After re connecting the battery, I just drove the car around town normally, stopping for lights and traffic for a half hour or so... The gearbox "learned" a new shift pattern without a dealer re set.... Well worth a try for free! Brandon

 

Many thanks for that I will give it a try - my only problem is I do not have the radio reset code! Any idea of a way round that - I was told that a sequence of key presses on the radio will work
Martin

 

Radios here in the colonies don't usually require a code, even after they are removed, but UK units need the code. A main dealer will usually provide your code for free using your VIN and seeing proof of ownership. Brandon

 

Tried disconnecting the battery, etc and the gearbox seems much improved
Also got radio code from main dealer at no cost
Many thanks for your assistance
Martin

 

Went back to holding on too long in first gear again so disconnected battery for an hour and again seemed OK but again is starting to revert.
Will I need the gearbox reprogrammed after all??
Martin

 

The same as Martinper, I'm hearing clonks in the front suspension. Had upper control arms and lower damper bushes renewed, but the car sounds the same. The only logical step now is to replace the dampers. Any other ideas , guys ?

 

Shock replacement from Arnott took care of the clonk for me!:

RyeJag

 

The shock abs. in the strut can fail and cause noise even when the air bag is ok.

Only way to prove it is to replace strut AFIK.

 

Evaristas,

One of our members discovered that some of the bolts and screws in his front suspension had worked loose, and that re-torquing them solved the knocking sounds he was hearing. It would certainly be worth checking all your bolts, nuts and screws that secure any front suspension component, including the anti-roll bar links and bushes/insulators. Also check all the bushings, including the four big bushes in the engine cradle/subframe and the engine mounts, and also things like the exhaust mounts, steering rack mounting bushes/insulators, etc.

Cheers,

Don

 

Sorry to bump an old thread but I just stumbled across this fix as well when inspecting the bushings and then found this thread searching to see if anyone else ever had these issues. The steering rack bolts were only lightly snugged, just loose enough to induce a clunk when turning the wheel quickly. Anyone have the torque spec for these two 18mm bolts? I don't want to overtighten them. I just snugged them as much as possible with a standard socket wrench and considering breaking out the torque wrench if I can find the advertised spec.


So far the clunk is gone after tightening.

 

Hi Torrid,

Here are the torque specs from the X350 Workshop Manual, which you can download in six sections from the 'HOW TO' quick links near the top of the home page for this X350 forum. From your description I assume you are talking about the Steering Gear Retaining Bolts?




Cheers,

Don

 

Yeah, they are the retaining bolts. They were definitely not at 74 ft-lbs. I used a standard length ratchet so I very much doubt I crossed that torque spec, but I'll check them again soon.

I had a nasty steering vibration all last week. It's completely gone now.

 

I've had front end clunks on both sides since I bought our SV8 which had new front Arnott shocks installed by the car lot - I don't know if they installed new lower bushings on the shocks.

Are these lower shock bushings readily available and is it an easy DIY job to replace them? If so I'd like to try that first before calling Arnott to ask if my less than year old shocks could have the built in clunk that I've read about in several threads.

 

Both front and rear lower shock bushes are freely available on the internet, and are fairly cheap. Front ones are fitted to the straight control arm, and the rears to the shock itself. They are not long-life components because the full weight of the car is taken by these four bushes.

Apart from pressing out the old bushes and pressing in the new, there can be a problem with seizure of the front shock bolts. These are notorious for seizing and shops sometimes have to remove shock and arm together to separate them on the workbench. However in your case, with new Arnotts recently fitted at the front, you should be OK.

 

Hi, problem sorted a while ago. Replaced items one at a time until 'hit' on the offending one. Bushes may look OK, but it doesn't mean they perform quietly.