air suspension, again!
 

So...I replaced a front air strut on XJ. Car rode fine. Then it progressively got lower front and back. I called dealer and was told needed dealer only calibration. So I brought it in. Told me I broke the height sensor when I put strut in (I find this hard to believe) and they couldn't properly calibrate until replaced, didn't have. Sent me on my way with front suspension 3 inches higher than normal and hard as a rock. Can't fix right till sensor is replaced and then another $175 for calibration.
I've gotten real cynical since buying this car. Thousands in repairs this past year. Hate to think every thing isn't right.

How's all this sound? Thanks

Sounds very familiar actually. I bought a 2004 X350 in February and have dumped $3000.00 into it and only have driven about 300 miles so far... Car was bought at a dealership to boot. Found a solution, though.. I bought a Mini Cooper to drive while the jag is just used to go for coffee and the odd hamburger joint.... But it does look great sitting in the driveway!!! Brandon

I started a thread last week about the worth of these cars. A common opinion is that the cars are inexpensive to buy so even if its $500 a month to fix we're driving a luxury car for $500 a month. That's not what I signed up for. New experience for me. My Toyota's never need anything. In addition the value drops every month. This one's for sale.

I guess it's more disappointment than loss of value for me. Cars are toys to me, but this is my fifth Jaguar, I expected them to improve in reliability, my next car will be something dependable from the 1990s maybe a Rolls Royce Silver Spur.... Brandon

New range rover customer sat there for 4 hours while they tried to find why water was sitting on passenger floor after each rain. They found a clip of some sort missing. Didn't have that either. Told him they would order and he'd have to come back an sit again. $90k automobile.
Not sure what I'd do next but don't like to invest my money this way. I spend the whole time driving looking for the red and yellow lights to come on.

This thread got turned a little. I was looking/hoping for someone knowledgeable to verify that this was the proper solution by the dealer. Suspension have to be rock hard as a fixed position? Bad height sensor symptoms sound right? Thanks

It is plausible to accidentally break the height sensor if they are over extended which can happen in changing out a shock. I believe it is best to disconnect the height sensor before doing a shock replacement to avoid this potential issue.

Sorry for off topic rant... Depending on what year you have I have heard that there can be one or two height sensors. If a sensor is bad, it won't adjust.. My system works correctly according to the dealer, but given that fact, I find the ride is very rigid and floats on the highway. Re post results please when you replace the sensor so we can hear " the rest of the story" good day! Brandon

No problem. I could easily go on more myself. There's a left and right Of course I need the more expensive one. The other question I was hoping to get answered is did the dealer do me right by setting this front so stiff in the mean time. Thanks again

+1 lcmjaguar!

The Workshop Manual describes the necessary procedures when disconnecting the height sensors (either electrically or mechanically) to prevent loss of the calibration.

And Brandon is right: the early X350s had two front height sensors, but most have only a left front sensor (all have two sensors on the rear). There was a TSB issued on this topic which is available in the X350 'HOW TO' quick links thread on the home page of this X350 forum. The 6 sections of the Workshop Manual can also be downloaded there.

Cheers,

Don

I'm finding it difficult to locate a height sensor on line. Any aftermarket available?

Hi Saratogarider,

You can download the Jaguar Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC) from the X350 'HOW TO' quick links thread near the top of the home page of this forum. After installing the EPC on your computer, you can look up part diagrams and part numbers. For example, the Left Front height sensor for X350s up to VIN H16398 is part number C2C2253.

With that part number you can search for the part at an online vendor such as discount Jaguar dealers jaguarmerriamparts.com or gaudinjaguarparts.com, where you will learn that the part number has been superseded to a revised part number C2C40510:

Jaguar Parts Center - Call (800) 510-1401 for Genuine Jaguar Parts and Accessories


With the current part number, you can then search independent Jaguar parts suppliers to comparison shop, such as SNG Barratt, Jagbits, Coventry West, Welsh Enterprises, Motorcars Ltd., Terry's Jaguar, etc., which you can easily find via google. Here's the listing from forum sponsor SNG Barratt:

SNG Barratt - The Ultimate Jaguar Parts Specialist


And you can also search eBay for "Jaguar 04 height sensor" to find new or salvaged parts currently available:

jaguar 04 height sensor | eBay


Please be certain to check your VIN before ordering since the part numbers above may not be correct for your car.

Cheers,

Don

Wow Thanks Don for all that. Greatly appreciated. I have found one on Ebay which I would use but it's listed for XJ8. Is the part the same for the 2 cars? Seller doesn't know. Thanks again

All xj vehicles used the same sensor in 2004. trim level did not matter. Early and late builds as you have read, some had 4 sensors and others had 3.

So I finally got a chance to look at the height sensor that "needs to be replaced." The dealer zip tied it to the lower arm where it goes. Apparently it broke from there when the arm was lowered to install the new strut.
Question: If that's what wrong with it and it is now secured where it belongs, why is it not working so that they had to "lock" my front suspension up and rock hard? Thanks

any thoughts on this issue. Thanks

I could imagine that when the sensor isn't working like it should the safest position is to leave the car in the highest position. And since height is controlled by air pressure that will lead to a stiff ride (high pressure).

Guus

I finally got the shop foreman on the phone> He told me the potentiometer was bad in the sensor not measuring mid level readings. Very suspicious.

It's not a potentiometer it's a Hall effect sensor.

Does he think it's just a potentiometer?

It makes you wonder.

http://www.allegromicro.com/en/Desig...echnology.aspx

That's what I was told. So is it possible, common, likely that a height sensor would lose its ability to read mid height positions, only top and bottom measurements with out it experiencing some sort of an impact or damage. This will be ANOTHER $500.