Hello, I am new member to this forum and I bought just yesterday my first Jaguar XJR 2006, which I have admired for some time.

So I drove home and car has been in garage of previous owner for quite some time. Driving approx 10 km it showed sign Air Suspension Failure, so I drove home approx 100 km.
Later I went to buy some petrol 95 octane and today I took the car to shop to do maintenance and tire change but during the drive also Engine light came on.
So i have 3 questions. As i searched here, this could be because of the petrol cap not correctly placed?
And can this Air suspension failure be normal just after long time staying in garage?

And final one, which is the best code reader for my car model?

I am from Estonia by the way. we have cold winters here too

Thanks in advance!
Gert

 

Too bad the air suspension failure didn't show on a test drive before the purchase.

There is a LOT of help on this forum about the air suspension system, but fixing it can be expensive, and many, including myself, opt to abandon the air struts in favor of coilovers with steel springs. no maintenance, lasts pretty much forever, and no electronics or air pipes to faile.

The biggest issue in my own not-so-humble opinion is that there is no way to remove water from the system after it gets in. There is a dryer chamber in the air compressor, but there's no maintenance interval for that dryer, and it's part of the compressor, not a separately serviceable part (like the dryer in an air conditioning system. Once water gets into the system valves can rust, and stuck valves mean struts won't inflate, possibly won't even deflate when needed.

Aside from that (which to me is a major design defect in air suspension, and not just for Jaguar,) is simply the age of these cars. The air suspension was designed for maybe ten years of life. yours is nearly twice that old now.

As for code readers, any OBD-II reader can read engine codes, but if you want to read more than just powertrain, you need a Jaguar-capable reader, like some models from iCarsoft. Such readers can get codes from just about all of the control modules in the car, including the suspension controller. they can also give you live data readouts from those modules, and clear the codes. They can't do any programming. For that you'll need the SDD software, which a search will give you all the info you need on that.

 

I believe that the water problem described by wfooshee is not that common, but limited to regions with high humidity like Panama City.

When I replaced the compression ring on the compressor of my car, the dessicant lookd fine and I had not water at all in the system. The car was 16 years old by then and the compressor is still the original one, but then my car ran in Italy first and now in Germany, where the humidity is not permanently that high.

Apart from this, I agree with the statements regarding the suspension.

Regarding the code reader, the best option is really to get the original SDD with a VCM module or mongoose cable, together with a stabilized power supply capable of min, 50A. Tat said, this is also the most expensive solution.
I also have the i930 iCarsoft code reader (specific to Jaguar, and there are newer models that can read Jaguar, as well) that I always keep in the car for "on the fly" diagnosis, and that seems to be quite common with users in the forum, I am quite satisfied with it.

If you search the forum, there are some threads about code readers, and a lot of threads regarding the air suspension.

Best regards,

Thomas

 

Thanks guys! So about suspension you suggest to change the suspension from air to coilover with steel strings? Hows the ride feel after that?
I know some american cars have lost a lot of comfort when changed from air suspension to usual one.

 

Not quite as nice as the air, but it serves the purpose for less.

 

A possible pro for coil-overs:
I am not sure if any of the non-super-pricey manufacturers of the air-struts support CATS. (Arnott does not, Bilstein of course does, ...)

Something to consider when going with coil-overs:
From certain m.y. the air-suspension was how the xenon headlights in XJs maintained their proper level, i.e. the headlamps kinda rely on the air-suspension.
(I am pretty sure the guys who do coil-overs have this sorted out, I just never investigated...)

 

Never had a leveling need after putting on my coilovers, but I very infrequently carry any serious loads in the car.

As for ride compared to air, in my case the coilovers were FAR superior. On initial installation I was scared a little because the car sat higher than I expected, but I had read that the springs would settled after a few miles, and indeed they did. The car sits just fine, rides wonderfully, and I don't have to wait 3 minutes every morning for it to raise itself and I don't have to park after 15 minutes because it's bottomed itself out.

As for water intrusion, if a system can't handle any expected environment, then it's improperly designed. Period. Yes, the humidity is generally quite a bit higher here than what folks around the country, and in other countries, are used. to. I remember getting out of the air-conditioned car when we pulled up to our house on the day we moved here and being astonished by how heavy the air was. When I opened my compressor to do the rebuild kit, the desiccant chamber was literally a water tank, and the beads looked like clumping cat litter. On seeing that, I wasn't even going to try to keep the air system.

 

Forget the trouble prone air suspension system as it's no where near worth the trouble and expense to repair it (if that is indeed even possible). In fact, one could argue that the technology for a reliable air suspension system does not yet exist. Simply change the 2006 Jaguar XJR over to coil/springs. For my 2005 Jaguar XJ8L, I had a local shop convert the car over to the Arnott C-2290 coil/spring conversion kit, and soon after I had purchased the vehicle in 2014. As for the ride and handling, I would opine that the Arnott C-2290 coil/springs is superior to the air suspension system (that is, if and when the air suspension system is actually working). For your 2006 Jaguar XJR, check to make sure that the Arnott C-2290 coil/spring conversion kit is compatible for your model. Regarding the code reader, I use a Foxwell NT 510 which has served me well.

Edit: I just checked, and it appears that the Arnott C-2290 coil/spring conversion kit is compatible with your 2006 Jaguar XJR. Based on my own personal experience, I would highly recommend the Arnott C-2290 coil/spring conversion kit.

Oh, there is one other thing. For best results, don't attempt to do the changeover yourself as this would necessarily be a job for a licensed auto mechanic. In fact, an alignment would have to be done afterwards anyways. After the changeover is complete, a hard reboot will have to be performed (disconnect the negative terminal of the battery, wait a few minutes, and reconnect the negative terminal to the battery).

 

The strut installation is an EASY do-it-yourself for anyone who has ever turned a wrench. NONE of the alignment points are loosened or affected, as the only disassembly is to remove the upper ball joint from the steering upright, which is NOT difficult. It took me three, maybe four hours with my car from jacking it up to having it down on the new struts. Nothing affected caster, camber, or toe is touched.

 

No, it took an entire day for a reputable shop to install the Arnott C-2290 coil/springs on my 2005 Jaguar XJ8L, and at times, there were several licensed mechanics working on the project. It was no easy task for them either, and not to mention that the backseat had to be removed so as to disconnect the module. In addition, the shop also disconnected the air compressor as well. After the work was completed, it was a professional job, and the mechanics even used electrical tape to insulate the electrical connectors that were removed from the air suspension system. Yes indeed, an alignment was performed afterwards as per their recommendation. As was customary with the shop, one of their mechanics took the 2005 Jaguar XJ8L out for a test drive afterwards, and then the manager handed me the keys. At that time, there were several Jag owners waiting in line at the shop to get their Jaguars converted over to the Arnott C-2290 coil/springs as well. Yes, all of those Jag owners asked the shop as to how the conversion on my 2005 Jaguar XJ8L turned out, and they had the answer.

Actually, I have seen far too many do it yourselfers attempt the job, and it was usually those people who reported issues with the wheel height, ride and handling afterwards.

You know, Jaguar had received tons of negative feedback on the Jaguar XJ trouble prone air suspension system, and as a result, the company had just about eliminated the air suspension system on their later models. Well, that should speak for itself.

 

So you suggest mostly Arnott C-2290 kit? I have seen some other Arnott kits with different numbers also fitting 2006 XJR. Like ARN-C-2745 and also ARN-C-3270.
What are your thoughts? They are different in price also.

 

Well I did the same as woofshee. I fought the air suspension for several frustrating weeks. Then found the compressor full of water. Put in Bag Pipping Andy's re-ring kit and dried out the beads. Then spent days with plausibility codes that don't really tell you anything other then the system is acting up!

I finally had everything working and the suspension somewhat level and driving over to my friends house to deliver the car it threw another air suspension code. I installed the spring kit and found no big difficulty either? Also no alignment was needed either?
If you have done suspension work it's nothing special.

I did drive the same car back to back with air and with springs. The difference I felt was fairly minor. The steel springs have resonances that travel up and down the spring continuously. The air struts don't as the air absorbs all the motion without the resonances of steel. This is also why some people claim the air suspension is "floaty". It is that's why high end luxury cars used it. So my opinion is yes it is a bit rougher ride but it's such a small difference that I quickly got use to it and as posted above the car handles just great on springs too.

I used the kit mentioned above with the bypass module so no dash lights. I also left all the air lines, compressor and reservoir in place. Mainly because I was lazy and saw no reason to do it. This really fixes the number one problem with these cars and afterwards it was completely reliable and more importantly I could trust it. Before if it got cold or you parked it for a week or so I could count on some kind of suspension light being on!
.
.
.

 

I now have the error code also. it says C2303 about air suspension failure.
any ideas what that could be? seems like some air leak.

 

Regarding the Arnott C-2290 coil/conversion kit, that is one sure fire coil/conversion kit which performs extremely well, and one that I can personally testify to.

 

C2303 covers a lot of issues. All it's actually telling you is that the pressure reservoir is not coming up to pressure in the expected amount of time. The compressor runs x minutes, the pressure should come up to y bar. The C2303 code is popped when the pressure does not come up as expected. It could be a weak compressor, it could be a leak, it could be the release valve stuck open. The cause is not indicated, just the symptom. it's also important to note that once a code comes up and you see "Air Suspension Fault" on the dash, the system shuts down and makes no further effort to run the compressor or level the car until it's been reset by stopping, shutting off the ignition, and restarting the car. That will buy you another 5 or so before it reoccurs, maybe.

 

I switched my 04 XJR to coilovers and the difference was negligible. Wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Air suspension is great on smooth roads. But, on the roads most of us drive on, it is no better on pot holes or frost heaves than springs and shocks. Certainly not worth thousands to repair. Jaguar used to be famous for their smooth riding suspensions. Then they forgot how or just got lazy. Air springs are the lazy way out. IMHO, of course.

 

Welcome Gert & Happy New Year! You are in the right pace when it comes to taking care of your car. With me having virtually no knowledge, these guys have walked me through replacing 2 of the shocks and rebuilding the compressor. Each time I have had an issue with the air shock system, I toy with the idea of coil overs. Next time?

If my 04 was getting heavier use (although she just clocked 100K Miles), I would be more inclined to ditching air. Reason being: the car, as she ages, will always need something & to have 4 shocks, a compressor and requisite lines added to the mix, could be the straw. While I was replacing all of my cooling hoses (A much bigger job than one would think), I had the added joy of replacing a shock.

Anyhow, it's all good! Wishing you many years of enjoying your "new" ride!

Steve S.