Anyone have any suggestions as to how to fix this? The leather on either side of the center speaker is pulled taut away from the actual dash. It's not damaged and is in perfect condition, it's just not sitting flat. Anyone have this issue. Cheers! (2007 XK Convertible)

 

Canucken,

I'd like to help you out but a picture would be helpful.

 

I have exactly the same thing going on in my '07 XKR coupe. Granted, I live in Texas, but the car is almost always under cover or in a garage. If you get any feedback, I'll be interested to see if it's a common problem.

 

My 07' has the leather pulling loose on the door panels. The dealer told me that it's only covered for 12 months/12k miles. Jaguar Corporate told me the same. So I am stuck with mine. Hope you two can get yours fixed.

 

same here....besides 08 XKR I have 07 XK....cover is coming loose from dash as well...looking like a recurring theme to me....not to worry....Jaguar has a great reputation of covering their products...not.

 

Mabe try small plunger needle to inject some upholstery adhesive. Smaller the needle the better but big enough to push adhesive through.

 

So no go on the repair. Apparently the leather has shrunk to much. Though it appears in good condition they can't get it to stretch enough to get an adhesive to hold it down. I can have a local upholstery guy do a new dash, same leather, same stitching for $500(US) plus the cost of R&I of the dash. Apparently that's 5 hours labour.

Does anyone know if leather can be 'stretched' using conditioners over time? That might seem to be an option.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

Any pics or video of the dash. The more you work leather the more it stretches, however you don't want to work it too much or it will mar the surface. I'd also watch an upholsterer because they would have to match the fine leather, which would seem difficult. Can jag offer pieces for repairing purposes?

 

I have some pictures that I need to post. I have one more attempt with an upholsterer here in Portland that wants to take a look at it. I'm still convinced (maybe naively) that it can be glued back down. I can push it down quite easily and think that a proper adhesive and placing something on it for the day would do the trick. Honestly, it's not going to look worse than it does now!

 

alright I swore I was gonna stay out of here but you guys need to be straightened out. Yes Jaguar does not cover NORMAL wear and tear of trim past 12/12. But the dash adhesive pulling loose is not NORMAL wear and tear. Its a Manufacturing defect from the supplier and should be covered. BYE again

 

I also have this same problem with my 07 XK dash. It is caused by the leather shrinking over time. Those cars in areas where the sun is more abundant are typically at greater risk. This problem is not specfic to Jaguar alone, any car with a leather dash that has some exposure to the sun and doesn't receive proper and frequent leather conditioning is at a greater risk.

I tried to have the effected area glued down, though the glue did hold I'm not happy with the end result.

Another problem is that there is not enough material (leather) that wraps around the back side of the dash(windsheild side) that will allow you to stretch the effected area back into shape. Once the material shrinks it's a done deal.

I've had several shops look at the dash and all have arrived at the same conclusion, the dash cover will need to be replaced with an OEM dash cover if I want to have that orginal factory look. The local dealer has qouted $1700.00 for the OEM replacement dash. Yikes!!! I was afraid to ask what the labor cost to change the dash would be.

To mitigate any further damage I keep a high quality sunshade in the window when I have the car out of the garage and parked.

 

Those costs would justify talking to one of the area's Consumer Protection Advocate (local news people) or even trying small claims court. I definitely see it as a Manufacturer's defect and. The news people might just bite on an expensive car = poor quality issue.

I better go home and treat my leather dash immediately in the hopes of avoiding the same. I always cover my car when parked outside in the hot CA sun. Now, that is a different issue; who ever designed or specified those stupid XK exhaust tips with their super sharp, protruding sheet metal edges that tear up the car covers in no time, should be given an award for "Brainless Design".

 

Not to be the bearer of bad news but it appears from multiple threads that Jaguar North America will never do the right thing and cover items it has a warranty duty to cover...regardless of what is right or wrong. I had to get a lawyer to obtain service under a Jaguar Warranty..they just are so blatant in their total disregard for their customers. I would think that if enough people here get together and find a lawyer that will pursue a class action it would be in every bodies best interest. I have had the dash pulling as well. I have had other issues as well with Jaguar North America....they pulled my new car warranty because the car was damaged in an accident (not totaled...just damaged...so be aware). You need to know going in that Jaguar North America appears to operate very much in a predatory manner (judging by multiple threads here as well as other places) and you may literally have to get a lawyer if your dealer won't go to bat for you...sadly, dealers that go to bat for their customers are for some reason hard to find...or maybe Jaguar North America just squashes their ability to cover their customers...I don't know...just know this is a common thread and complaint with the Jaguar warranty coverage can be almost unusable in practice.

 

Have any of you tried using a steamer to loosen and soften the leather so it can be pulled/stretched? I have a couple of the steamers you use for clothes and such - not talking about a steam iron. If it could be softened enough you might be able to stretch it and glue it back down.

Is this happening with specific color leathers? I have the dark charcoal interior.

I am not having this problem on my 07 - hope I don't. But leather can be softened significantly with steam...

 

Amazon.com sells several leather stretch products for shoes that should work on a leather dashboard (without changing the color), provided you can find a way to pull the dashboard leather in the direction you need to lengthen without having to remove the dash panel. Just go to Amazon.com and search for "leather stretch spray". It takes some time for those leather stretch products to soak in and soften the leather enough to enable it to be stretched. It took years for the leather to shrink, so it may take several days to get the leather stretched as far as you need it to go, doing it a little at a time. After the leather is stretched, I recommend using 3M Super Trim Adhesive #08090 (Yellow) to glue the leather down. Don't use anything else - that's the best automotive trim adhesive on the market.

 

I find that odd my dealer had to order me a brand new drivers door panel due to a fitment issue (for all I know the first owner could have screwed with the door). It's taken over 5 weeks to get the part but it's enroute from mother England. My 08 is 40 months old.

Tom

 

Well, sorry to say that between looking at that dash leather getting worse and spreading to both sides of the center speaker, the jerky starts from a standstill despite new tires, being out af warranty with only 18K miles on the clock, and the need for more cargo room, I've traded in my XKR for an FX35. It was fun driving the XKR and having everyone stare at it, but I'm happy in my more practical vehicle. Guess I'm getting old, but the FX is a lot easier to get in and out of, too. I've had fun with y'all. Thanks for all of the advice and responses to questions over the past two years. I'm off to the Infiniti forums again.

 

FOR THOSE THAT CANNOT SEEM TO GET HELP FROM THEIR DEALERS AND JAG, NA. I WOULD SUGGEST LOOKING INTO DASH MATS LIKE THIS ON AMAZON FOR AN XK. YES ITS NOT LEATHER, YES IT LAYS OVER THE TOP TO HIDE THE DAMAGE, AND YES I THINK THAT ANY GOOD UPHOLSTER COULD USE THIS AS A TEMPLATE AND MAKE A CUSTOM 1 OUT OF LEATHER FOR YOU. AND YES IT WOULD SAVE A COUPLE $1000 SINCE ITS ONLY $42
Amazon.com: DashMat Dash Board Cover, Smoke: Automotive

 

I don't have that problem at the moment and would desperately like to avoid it. Living in Florida probably increases the chance. What can I do to keep this from happening?