I see a lot of threads on older XKs, XFs, and such...but I couldn't find any threads on the removal of the grille badge for the 2012+ bumpers and grilles. An XF thread I saw displays the same exact black/chrome badge as our XK/XKRs, and states it was double sided tape and that's it.

So I went and looked at mine and noticed that there are little gaps around the housing. I also confirmed it with my buddy (Jaguar tech at Orlando). I ordered a red growler from eBay, used my tiny flathead watch screwdrivers, lined them up masking tape (painters tape, blue tape, etc) just to avoid scratching and started pulling back the old emblem by inserting one screwdriver in to create a gap, and another to assist.

Best practice is to go from the sides of the badge, otherwise at the top and bottom of it, the bumper will be in the way, and you'll have no leverage to shimmy the screwdrivers around and in to break the factory double sided seal.

Once the badge pops off (the growler face will likely separate from the roundel housing, you can just snap it back in), clean and peel away all of the old tape! Wipe the area down with alcohol and then wipe away.

You're then ready to install the new badge.

 

Good write up, a little heat goes a long way towards getting the adhesive to let go. The earlier cars have a two piece emblem. The Growler is held onto the chrome bit with adhesive and the chrome bit uses two studs and nut that need accessed from behind the grill, an almost impossible proposition without taking the nose off, to remove it. I think it was an 11mm socket to get the nuts off and they'll break the studs if not careful.

 

Heat helps! Yep.

Luckily, I'm in FL. It was 90 degrees when I drove the car. And the hood was still hot - so the badge peeled fairly easily. Didn't require anything more than just taking the drivers around the perimeter on each side and then digging in a little deeper. The badge literally came off with no tape on it.

All of the double sided tape stayed on the grille and I was able to hand peel much of it veeeery easy. I'd grab an edge and very slowly pull, and remove quite a decent amount at once until it ripped and I had to grab a new edge. Almost no residue was left.

 

Is it possible to access the back of the grill if one takes off the bottom plastic splash shield that covers the bottom of engine and presumably the oil drain plug, etc?

I tried to remove the shield - lots of screws, but once I had them all off, I still could not pull the plastic shield down and out! I could not see any missed anchors (screws, nuts, or clips).

If anyone has a suggestion on what I'm missing (or not removing) on my 2010 XK, let me know! I was not able to find a guide using search.

Best,
wrair

 

Not sure about the 2010, but on my 2007, that bottom shield is also connected to the wheel well liners, so you need to remove a couple of screws there as well. Also remove the two small screws that hold it to the cover under the oil filter, or maybe not, I guess your oil filter is in a different location.
If you've got all the screws out, then pull down and toward the back of the car, to disengage the shield from the splitter and lower edge of the bumper.

 

I installed my custom emblem last night and it was one of the more difficult things I've done in a very long time. You can not access it from the top due to the condenser fins leaving you a bloody mess (trust me, I tried). Nor with the headlights out because of the side air dams. You can get to it from the bottom, almost. Mine has the center engine oil cooler and there's almost enough room to shove your arm up into the void between the bumper and the cooler but don't expect it to come back out without shedding some skin and needing to pull your flesh threw the gap with your off hand. It friggin hurt and took the longest 45 seconds of my life. Once your elbow is up in the void you need to flip your hand around before twisting your arm or you'll run out of articulation. My son was able to hand my fingertips tools and hardware through the gap at the corner. I had plenty of extra hardware because some of it's 'lost' up there now.

I really didn't want to pull the nose off but in retrospect, should have. There was a couple moments when panic started to set in as I was dragging myself back out because the little wiring loom on the back of the bumper acted like a Chinese finger trap to my elbow. Common level of difficulty is a 13 of 10, almost impossible.

I need to replace a sick horns and the nose is coming back off for that adventure.

See my rebuild thread for a pic of the 'fun'...

 

A piece of dental floss and a sawing action removes it very easily.

 

Mayonnaise: Yep, you read it right.

It is the vinegar that soaks into the adhesive...the eggs in the Mayo simply holds the vinegar in place. Take a big glob of Mayo., plaster it on the badge, come back in the morning and it should be loose enough to pluck off.....repeat if necessary.

 

This is actually really clever. It may require a little nudge in from a soft item like a Q-Tip, but yeah...that is probably the safest way.

 

FYI