My 2008 XJ6 has done 75,000 miles and is always garaged. Regularly maintained by Jaguar with the last service a couple of months ago.
I have just noticed severe corrosion around the front windscreen. Why I haven't noticed before I don't know! Also Jaguar, I would have thought, would have spotted during services.
Anyway, it's now nearly 8 years old, although in pristine condition, and Jaguar say over the warranty for corrosion. I had always believed that an aluminum body would not rust - but I now find it does - and quite quickly. A shock for a premium car.
Has anyone had experience of this and can they offer advice? Is this normal?
Thanks

 

Yes it is normal to some extent, but yours seems to be the most extreme example I have seen. Both my x350s have suffered from this issue.
The good news is that it is not like steel rust, it can be resprayed without needing to cut out metal. Search the forum for 'X350 Corrosion'.

 

Aluminium doesn't rust, but it can corrode in certain circumstances and badly if left alone. I find it hard to believe the extensive corrosion you report has not been seen before, as many weeks or months would need to elapse to get it into that state. What you have is the classic aluminium corrosion syndrome called filiform corrosion. It starts in a crevice, or somewhere where atmospheric oxygen is excluded, but salty water is present. Aluminium quickly oxidises and forms a film if oxygen is present, stopping further action. Anodising is a way of making this film deeper and stronger.


The corrosion cell creeps under the paint consuming some aluminium and taking moisture from the air via the paint film by osmosis. Yes, water really does cross the paint barrier ! Repair is accomplished by removing paint and corrosion product, (aluminium hydroxide, a white powder), getting back to bare metal, priming with zinc-rich primer and then overpainting. Some filling may be necessary to fill the pitting so a smooth paint finish is obtained.


Have a look here to see how it proceeds under the paint.


aluMATTER | Aluminium | Forms of Corrosion | Filliform Corrosion


Sorry to have to tell you that the screen will need to come out for a permanent repair. Has the screen ever been out for any reason, because if it has, the fitter may have damaged the paint thus creating ideal conditions for the corrosion to start.


I had this, albeit not so bad, on the bootlid leading edge, and also creep-out from under the rear screen seal near each D-post. Since it was repaired, (in 2010), it has not returned, and car is now on 104k miles. It is very unsightly and can be seen on aluminium railway coaches too. Some of these are over 25 years old, so it's not like rusting !

 

One of the reasons I follow this forum so closely is that there is always something new to learn.

 

Some good advice here. I'm not aware that windscreen has been replaced but could be the reason. however, closer inspection reveals that the corrosion is happening around the windscreen and not from one particular spot.
I'm just cross that this should be happening on a well cared for, relatively young, expensive car.
I have written to Jaguar and will see if they have something to say. I think the origins of this must be within the bodywork warranty - and will check in service book if a bodywork inspection forms part of the routine.
I have had a succession of new or nearly new Jaguars for nearly 40 years and have not seen anything like this.
Thanks
Martyn

 

What is amazing in the picture you show is the substantial level of "bubbling" under the paint.
That it be unnoticed until now is surprising.

Obviously there was some mishandling of the paintwork or damage and bad repair at some stage

 

Seems like damage and bad fixing. Too odd to put as typical tiny "bubbling" to me.