Hi guys,

I own a 2009 Jaguar which I bought half a year ago and I just found out there's rust on my trunk. It's just above and below the chrome part and probably under it.
Expert said this happens due to this chrome part rattling against the paint for all those years...

Does anyone else have the same problem?

 

I'm not aware that my 09 XF has this issues, but I'll be looking into it. On my previous X300 there was a gasket of sorts between the ( plastic) chrome strip and the boot lid. I'm sure this might help prevent this type of problem and it also went some way towards sealing the trim against water ingress. It was only partially effective as some water would still always make it's way inside and you would get rust forming around the holes inside the boot lid where the trim piece clipped on using those star type nuts.

 

yup this is one of the most common XF problems.

Fix is to refinish the boot lid and put a small spacer between the paintwork and chrome trim. Mine was done a couple years ago. With that level of rust though, it'll probably come back even after being treated.

 

I had a closer look yesterday when I was giving the car a good wash and the early signs are there alright! I will address this sooner rather than later as rust doesn't get better, just bigger!

A very easily avoided design flaw.

 

This is the problem...

The parts holding the screws slowly snapped off on sides and then the whole crome stip started hitting the trunk paint. That's where the rust was from.
The mounts for screws failed because of pressure from lifting the trunk up holding the chrome strip everytime. Black thing is used to glue it back.

Solution, new paint and a small spacer on the screws ( visible on the picture ).

 

 

I'm confused. How is there rust? I thought the XF was aluminium? When my wife pranged the door a couple of years back, they had to replace it as it didn't hammer out...(obviously)

 

Because the whole car is definitely not aluminum in the first gen of the XF. There may be panels of aluminum, but get a magnet and check for yourself.

 

The 2009 XF is not aluminum.

 

"When my wife pranged the door a couple of years back, they had to replace it as it didn't hammer out...(obviously)"

I got curious and checked with a magnet, and the only metal that is aluminum is the front hood. The doors are definitely steel. So if your body shop told you the door had to be replaced because it is aluminum, they were clearly having a laugh.

 

The X250 XF has only one aluminium panel, the bonnet/hood.
Everything else is steel except the front and rear bumpers and the "aero" side skirts which are ABS plastic.

 

I noticed first time washing the XF that chrome plinth on the rear decklid seems to retain a lot of water. I use a blower every time and gently blow all the water out of the nooks and crannies.

But whatever you do, DON'T park under trees. I restore antique cars which is kind of like doing forensic investigation into why an old car was abandoned in the first place. Second to road salt, the most common cause of rust that I've seen is leaves and decomposing plant material. Leaves, grass clippings, pollen, etc. accumulate trapped underneath trim or weatherstrip and any other inaccessible place on the car where it stays wet and eventually causes rust.