I have owned this 2008 XKR for almost a year. Just replaced two front tires (rear tires replaced within last 2-3,000 miles). Car now handles as if it has alignment issues. Dealer indicated I had a belted tire and replaced that tire under warranty but handling has become worse. Now it wanders in either direction, specially at slower speeds. Dealer insists the car is perfectly aligned to factory specs and I was told even new XKRs have the same issue and so they are telling me there is nothing they can do. I did drive a new XK-not XKR-(with tires similar to mine- smaller directional tires in front and bigger tires in the rear) and sure enough the car wandered at slow speeds. Just does not seem normal or right. This issue has taken the joy out of my driving. Please help!

The second issue- it is possible for the car to be locked with the smart key in the car! First time it happened when I was out-of-town and apparently either passive locking was 'on' or the lock button was touched on the door handle. Jaguar road side assitance came to the rescue and used the old fashioned hanger to unlock the car! The dealer finally was able to program the key so the passive locking feature was disabled. However, I got locked out of the car recently- the key slipped out of my pocket as i got out of the car- key slipped out of my pocket and got stuck between the seat and the center console- so the lock button could have been depressed...anyway, my wife had to come with the second key to unlock. Dealer tells me that they cannot do any thing about this issue. Have driven other european (BMW and Mercedes) and Japanese (Toyota) cars with smartkeys- you cannot lock those car with the key inside. Any help here would be really appreciated as well.
Car only has about 20,000 miles.

 

Never had a problem with the smart key being locked in the car but I've had that problem with the "Keyless Go" with my previous '04 Mercedes E500. Went to workout, left my key in my gym bag.....open the trunk and put the bag in the trunk with the key in it and I was locked out! Even with the key inside the trunk, it wouldn't let me open the trunk or the doors. Called Teleaid and they said it would be a fee (something around $100) plus it would only be 50/50 chance it would work if they tried to open it over the air (I guess using satellite). I said forget it and had my friend drive me home to get the spare.

I've tried it with the Jag and the good thing with the Jag is it would recognize the key is in the trunk and honk and the trunk would pop open automatically.

 

I have an '07 XK and had the same "wandering" issue. The dealer claimed the alignment was OK. I insisted on an all wheel alignment, at my cost. The car no longer wanders.

I'm curious about your comment regarding passive locking. I have tried to get my dealer to enable this feature on my car but he says there is no such thing. I had this on my '05 Corvette and reallly liked the conveninece. Are you sure you have passive locking or is it just passive arming (for the alarm)?

 

I think you are having a issue with the drivers door handle latch assembly. Here's how you check it, sit in the car, drivers side of course, and shut the door, pull the handle on the inside like you are going to exit the car. If the handle goes all the way in, then the latch is bad. If it doesn't then it's good. Then handle will cinch all the way in when it's bad, a good latch will not cinch in.

The wandering issue it probably the brand of tires. I don't know what brand is on there, but they are probably Pirelli tires, which suck.

 

Now was an alignment done when you had the "belted" tire replaced. It should have been, if the tire was seperated on the inside or it the steel belts were showing, then the alignment should have been checked and done. Steell belts showing, indicate exessive toe in or out depending on were the belts were showing. A seperated tire from the inside means you probably hit a pothole or something. Which the alignment should have been done period. Also are you sure you rims aren't bent at all, that would not cause the wander, but I would check to see if they are anyway.

 

One last thing, Check the passanger door for the hell of it. If it doesn't do what the driver door does, like cinch in when you exit, then it's the drivers latch. Whatever the last door was used to exit the car when the key was locked in the car is the door with the faulty latch assembly.

 

I may be wrong but it seems to me there is a software update that solves some nagging issues with the smart key (one being locking it in the trunk...and maybe the car itself...someone here should know).
I am interested if anyone knows how to set up the automatic locking without taking the car to the dealer...I have a 2008 XKR that I just really don't want the dealer to touch if I can help it....

 

Thos software update was addressed through the enhancement in the 2007 production year, so, the software is not the issue. I believe you can do it through the nav screen. set up auto i mean. I think

 

Ghostrider- thanks for your comments. The smart key works like it is supposed to- ie the trunk does not lock if my key is in it. But the passive locking was a problem and it took the dealer couple of days of programming to get rid of it. However, the car will lock with the key in it- whether by accidental pressing of the door handle or by using the other key.

 

Sorapp- thanks for your suggestion regarding 'all wheel alignment' will ask the dealer about it. My car definitely had passive locking (not arming going on)- the dealer would shut the car door and a few minutes later it would lock itself with the key inside! They had to consult with Jaguar in UK to get programming changes to disable that feature. Passive locking by itself would be great but not when you accidentally leave the key in the car. It happened with my daughter when she went to drop her dog at a doggie day care. She left the key in her purse and went in to talk to the office people with the dog in the car- only to come back and find the car locked with her puppy inside!! I had the other key but I was 500 miles away.
Thanks about your all wheel alignment suggestion- will check it out and post the result. Good luck with getting your passive locking activated.

 

Jaglover922-I will check the latch- think it does not go all the way. Yes the old and new tires are OEM- Pirelli zeroes. And yes the alignment was rechecked after replacing the belted tire and rechecked again when I showed the Svc mgr the wandering issue. Dealer insists the frame, rim are ok and tires are mounted/balanced correctly. Once he demonstrated the new XK showing the same symptoms at slow speed he just said that's just the way it is. I know the car behaves different since the tire change. Hence my attempt to solicit other suggestions. Thanks for your suggestion about the latch- will double check and report back if that is indeed an issue.

 

Gdrag- Would love to hear about the software update to get rid of the locking issue. Thanks for your input.

 

I thought I had same issue with the wandering so I took my car to an independent alignment place they fixed it and it seemed ok. Then I took to my jag dealer and they said it was way out. So they re did it and it was the same as before. I spoke to service manager which is a friend of a friend and he said that's the nature of the XKR. Very sensitive to the road character. On a perfect new level road it tracks perfectly. When I go on a well used smooth road it wanders due to the uneven road character. That's just the XKR.

 

My '07 XKR also tends to "wander" a little bit on less than optimum roads at slower speeds. Feel like I'm wrestling the steering wheel to a small degree. Absolutely dead straight at highway speeds and beyond (recently took it up to 135 mph). I'm running
BF Goodrich G-Force tires.

 

As stated above by a member the software fix I was referencing was implemented in 2007 and it should be on a 2008 car. As I recall the major part of it was to address the trunk issue (prevents locking fob in trunk).
As far as the alignment I would also recommend as many have said that you take the car to a reputable shop and tell them what your concerns are and get a 4 wheel alignment. The Jaguar specifications may very well create a "skittish" car...especially with certain tires. I have a XJ that wandered terribly after I got a new set of Michelin's installed....I put a different style Michelin on and the problem went away completely. I would say this is the first time I have had this happen with Michelin's but I have had other manufacturers tires do the same thing on other cars. Having said that I would still recommend that you take it to a shop that can 4-wheel alignment on the car and ask specifically for a print out of the before and after. ...any reputable shop will give you this....including the dealer. This printout will allow you to at least compare and isolate what setting seem to create havoc on the road...and the alignment settings will most assuredly do this depending on the car and the tires...It is quite common for those tracking a car (racing) to set a car differently then you would want to drive around town with. I have a Ferrari that is truthfully nothing but work on the interstate (jinks horribly...I mean handles with authority :-) because of these race type alignment settings...I guess the trick is to stay out front so you aren't running anyone off the road...I still like driving the XKR better FWIW....

 

the biggest issue on alignments with the XK's are that there is NO caster or camber adjustments on front and rear toe settings. Caster which the more positive the more the car wants to track straight. This is what returns the steering wheel to center after you turn. It also increases steering effort the more caster there is. Many sports car suspensions are setup with less caster to give faster easier turn in. They also can(and the XK's do) exhibit alittle twitchyness because of this and as many are already pointing out, varies alot depending on the tyres you have on the car.
On the locking the keys in the car, it is NEVER supposed to do this in the truck, but can with passive arming, or if the microswitch in the drivers door handle is faulty. I have been lately replacing the outer door handle for this complaint wether I can duplicate it or not. But I also have gotten in the habit of leaving the window down when i work on a car wether or not it has smart keys. All cars can in a blue moon lock the doors, and its caught me a couple times over the years

 

Brutal- Thanks for your suggestions. I will ask the dealer to replace the outer door handle to see if that makes a difference in getting accidentally locked out. Regarding tires- what tires do you recommend? I have Pirelli zeroes on right now and as I said the handling issue was non existent before replacing the front tires. Now it seems to wobbly and wanders. I will ask the dealer for a 4 wheel alignment as others have suggested. I noticed the following post you made last year in response to a similar inquiry on this site.....
"yes we dealers have them and no the specs were only changed on the 03 and up Stypes. and should have been on the 04 and up Xj's. youre issue (if nothings bent, or wornout) is the alignment was set to the middle and if you dont allow for tollerances, play and wear when doing an alignment. youll end up with this. ask them to realign and push out on the inside of the front tires to take out movement, and watch were the toe reading go. this is what the road does to your suspension as you drive, it toes out the front tires. Many times I end up toeing the front tires in so much theyre in the red out of spec, but when you simulate what the road will do, they go right into the green and middle. And by seeing tire wear thats even for the life of the tire if nothing hit like a curb or bad pothole, it works perfectly. If theyde have done this to start with (why Mercedes wants alignments done with a pressor bar) theyde have found that your tires "toed out" into the red.....that why the insides are wearing. the machine is a tool, not the end all. as Ive said before, you have to "KNOW" what your doing with a tool, and when I align the same cars and see them again every 5k, I know what works with alignments and what doesnt...If more tech realised you drive a car on the road and not the alignment machine, theyde do a better alignment" Was thinking about showing this quote to the dealer as well and ask them to align it accordingly- you agree? I loved my daily drive till this issue came up and would very much like for it to "go away". Thanks

 

If theve ever aligned a mercedes they know about a pressor bar use when setting toe in front. We dont have 1 and you only need to use your arms to accomplish the same thing. All it does is takes up slack in the front and most times is not an issue, but when it is youre glad you checked. Theres always some deflection and normal, what you want is a alignment done that wears tires evenly. As long as this is taken in to consideration when aligning your fine in the alignment dept. On the tires i believe your car came with p zeros, i also like dunlop sports too which jag uses on the new cars. On ride and drives in the new cars with pro racers on a closed track, those pro drivers all said they like the dunlops over the other street tires. Now wether your car is just exhibiting normal behavior ????? I know the xk's do feel this way to me so...........

 

I cant offer much help on the smart key issue but as for the "wandering" problem it sounds like you have a fairly common problem know as tramlining. As tires get stickier and lower profile the cars develop a number of habits. Here is a nice summary of the condition and some potential fixes from our friends at tirerack:
The term "tramlining" is being used to describe when directional control is disrupted by the vehicle's tendency to follow the longitudinal ruts and/or grooves in the road. It's name could be compared to the tram or trolley driver who does not steer because his vehicle follows the path established by the tracks.
Any vehicle can exhibit tramlining on certain areas of the highway because of uneven pavement or severe rutting. And all vehicles tramline to some degree rather than obediently following the driver's steering input. For example, there's usually at least a small change in steering resistance felt through the wheel when crossing an uneven expansion joint or asphalt junction during lane changes.
Noticeable increases in tramlining are frequently uncovered when drivers living in the snowbelt make the seasonal changeover from winter tires to summer tires, or when any driver upgrades the performance of their tires using either the same size or going to a "Plus Size" tire and wheel package. The reason that it becomes more pronounced then is because neither the typically narrower and softer handling winter tires nor the Original Equipment tires generate as much grip or responsiveness as the higher performance summer tires. Since the vehicle's suspension works as a complete package, a higher performance tire will also uncover any previously unnoticed looseness in the rest of the suspension.
Components
Tires have the most direct influence on tramlining because they are the part of the vehicle that comes into contact with the road (and the longitudinal ruts and/or grooves that exist there). Unfortunately anything that increases a high performance tire's responsiveness also increases its willingness to tramline.
High performance tires with short sidewalls that develop lots of cornering power at lower slip angles will be more susceptible to tramlining than standard All-Season passenger tires that develop less cornering force until their slip angle increases. A wider treaded tire will encounter more longitudinal ruts and/or grooves in the road than a narrow treaded tire. A tire with large tread blocks that transmits the driver's input to the road with great precision will also transmit the road's imperfections back to the vehicle's suspension. And because tires become more responsive as their tread depth wears away (which is why tires are shaved for competition and track use), a tire will become more likely to tramline as it wears.
Wheels can influence tramlining as well. Installing wider tires or a "Plus Size" tire and wheel package usually requires using wheels with a different offset then the vehicle's original wheels. In some cases, the new wheel will have slightly less offset than the original and in other cases, slightly more. It all depends on the vehicle's suspension design and available wheelwell clearances. You will even find that Original Equipment manufacturers often use different wheel offsets for their different diameter tire and wheel packages.
Usually the amount of offset change is kept to a minimum and vehicle tracking remains relatively unchanged. However it the offset is significantly different, it will alter the way the road forces are transmitted through the tire and wheel to the suspension. Therefore, large changes in wheel offset will increase the likelihood of tramlining.
Suspension bushings, ball joints and shock absorber mounts have a direct influence on tramlining as well. As miles are driven and the years go by, the suspension's wear parts will deteriorate as they age. This often happens so slowly that it isn't very noticeable. Over time the ever-increasing suspension wear permits play that eventually allows the tire to be directed by the irregularities of the road rather than be controlled by the suspension.
Imagine a worn suspension that allows a front wheel and tire to swing between the recommended 1/16-inch of toe-in and 1/16-inch of toe-out when it encounters a rut in the road. This 1/8-inch difference in the direction that the tire is pointed will result in the vehicle tramlining. Replace the worn part to remove the play and you will significantly reduce or remove the tramlining. Many drivers with higher mileage cars have reported that replacing worn suspension components has eliminated tramlining and made the car drive like it is new again...which I guess it essentially is!
Service Adjustments
Using higher tire pressures than recommended by the vehicle manufacturer for your driving conditions will unnecessarily stiffen the tire and make it even more willing to cause tramlining. If you are running higher tire pressures than necessary, simply dropping the tire pressures to those recommended by the vehicle manufacturer will help reduce tramlining.
Alignment settings can be key as well. The "camber" and "toe" settings both play a role in vehicle stability and the propensity for tramlining. Extreme positive or negative camber settings will make a vehicle more sensitive, especially when only one wheel encounters a longitudinal rut and/or groove at a time. Even if all the tires are "aimed" straight ahead when the vehicle is in motion, a tire that is "cambered" wants to turn. This is the result of the "camber thrust" generated by a leaning tire (it is also part of the explanation of how motorcycles turn). A vehicle suspension using lots of negative camber for competition or the track will experience more tramlining on the street.
Additionally, the drivers who use additional toe-out settings to encourage their vehicle to turn into corners better also encourage tramlining because the extra toe-out will reduce vehicle stability in a straight line.
In the case of the competition driver who uses non-factory alignment settings, the amount of tramlining that is acceptable has to be left up to the driver. For only street-driven cars, getting them aligned with negative camber and toe settings within the factory's specifications is an important first step.
Roads
On a multi-lane highway, usually the left lane offers the smoothest road surface because it sees the least amount of heavy truck traffic. Unfortunately, on many interstate highways, it's not legal to continually drive there (pull right except to pass). While the center lane can be almost as smooth on a six-lane highway, there can be exceptions. For example, in the case of I-94 between Chicago and Milwaukee, you will find that when the road was widened from two to three lanes, the center of the new center lane is on top of the original junction between the earlier two lanes. This means that vehicles traveling in the new center lane have their right hand tires on the original right hand truck lane and their left side tires are on the original left lane. This can cause an uncomfortable feeling for miles. Usually the right hand lanes are the least smooth because they are rutted by heavy truck traffic. When you drive in those lanes, or drive across them to exit the highway, it's possible that you'll find your vehicle may feel like it wants to follow the truck ruts and has a mind of its own.
Driving Style
If you experience tramlining, the main thing you want to remember is to keep both hands on the steering wheel in the proper "9- and 3-o'clock" positions. This will help you make the precise steering inputs that will help keep your vehicle on course. You sacrifice precise control if you drive with one hand on the wheel or both hands in the wrong place.

 

It's not the handle, it's the latch mechanism inside the door that I was talking about. But you look at the inside handle like I discribed in order to determine if the latch mechanism in the door is failing.