Hey Guys,

So I thought I buying a newer car with the Select Edition warranty was going to keep the cost of driving this car down but I was wrong.

While enjoying my first car rally last weekend, and driving through some amazing mountain roads during the rains, I was unlucky enough to hit a rock in the road.

I didn't see the rock, and neither did my navigator, we are assuming it was a smaller rock that shot out of the tire. When we hit it though we sure knew it. About 2 miles after the noise I got a transmission fault message and the tranny quit. We pulled to the side of the road to see tranny fluid draining rapidly out of the car. We had made it 72 out of a 72.5 mile rally and missed the final check point by about 150 feet.

I had the car towed to my local dealership. Turns out the rock knocked out the alignment, creased the oil pan at the drain plug, shatterred the plastic tranny pan, sheared 3 of the tranny pan bolts and bent the exhaust.

So after a very expensive week at the dealership, they finally finished the car at 6pm on Friday night. Leaving the dealership the car seemed to be shifting a little rough. But since they had just done the transmission recall I wasn't sure if that was the issue.

However, when the car was cold, the transmission was definitely slipping into first gear (or second gear since Sport mode was OFF). I drove the car home on the freeway and didn't notice any issues with the tranny on the freeway.

So my first question is... Did they just not put enough fluid in the tranny ? This is just a curiosity question ?

The second question is... They did a four wheel alignment on the car. They told me that the read end is a couple of degrees out of zero. They claim that the only way to accurately align the rear is to drop the drivetrain to add shims. They want several hundred dollars for this.

The car had a four wheel alignment about 4 months ago, and there were not any issues at that time. Since then the dealer had to drop the tranny to replace the rear seal which was leaking.

How could the back end get so far out of range ? Did the dealership that did the rear seal do something wrong ? Does this story make sense ?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.

Dave

 

Yikes! "Rock" sounds like "brick", if not "cinder block".

It also sounds like a fat collision insurance claim, both for the attempted repair to the transmission and for its replacement (whether it truly needs one or not).

The rear end alignment is a red herring, unless you manouvered the fishmobile over that ramp-to-ramp jump at the conclusion of the second stage. By the way, don't be bragging about "rallying " the car to the insurance adjuster, it will just give him cause to point to an exclusion about using the car for racing in a competitive event.

 

almost all jag rear end camber is alittle in the red and I never, didnt I say never shim to fix this. And is a waste of your money. only if the camber is close to 2 degress negative, and if youre ralleying the car youll be able to hit the corners harder...cause then your in Porsche territory on rear camber were the outside of the tire barely touch the pavement

 

The dealership drove the car 30 miles testing it and trying to resolve two other issues. How they didn't notice the tranny slipping and slamming is beyond me.

I used the car last night, I was curious to see if when things warmed up they got better or worse.

Under moderate driving everything seems okay. But when slowing down to a stop, the transmission slams/drops into second gear, with the car at a stand still. If slowing down, but not coming to a full stop when you give the car gas the tranny spins and the slams into gear.

One the freeway under easy driving 70-85, while holding speed on a flat grade you can feel the tranny slipping along. Same situation with SPORT mode both on and off.

If not for the slam into first- And it's important here, when you slow down to a stop, the transmission shift/slams/drops/shudders when the car is at a stop and braked, not accellerating. The car under moderate accelleration moves through the gears without any slippage.

There was also a couple of times last night when driving on the freeway and just maintaining speed over a flat area where the tranny started shudderring.

I didn't make an insurance claim for this repair. I have a high deductible, and there was no guarantee from the insurance company that this wouldn't affect my premiums. So I figured it was cheaper to pay the bill now, rather than be paying it for years to come.

 

I don't know what I can add, beyond advising the obvious to have the dealership recheck the fluid levels and check for any stored diagnostic trouble codes.

I'm not a transmission rebuilder, and I haven't seen posts on any forum from someone who is.
My impression is that running a transmission while it is rapidly losing fluid will result in at least some period of time where the applied pressures have dropped, and that damage to the clutch plates could result.

One similar anecdote I can point to was with a ZF box in an XJ8. A transmission cooler line rubbed through against the front crossmember, and the customer drove the car until it stopped. There were no additional symptoms in the 8 months after the repair, and the transmission failed completely with a loss of all forward speeds after roughly a year. There is no way I can correlate the two events directly, as the transmission was a high mileage unit and within the range of a typical ZF failure.

 

there are bulletins for ZF slamming in gear, reflash and clear addatations and an additive for 1X use for noise. I would do both and since you had a new pan which is the filter, you got a good drain and refill. I would push these issues and I dont remember but I though you said you have sellect edition which if memory serves me does cover these bulletins. and if not get a new trans under select if these dont fix your problem cause you have an issue with clutch apply and pressures. But as with many issue these days I/O 100111000 are alot of the issue and fixes......Im speaking computer software issues here

 

Well, I took the car back to the dealer this morning. I was hoping it was just a fluid issue. They claim that the fluid is fine, and that its the programming is bad.

Supposedly they have to clear and reprogram the tranny. The dealer is claiming that the programming alone takes several hours. Then they have to send a technician out to 'teach' the tranny with some special driving program. So it's going to be an overnight repair.

I have a feeling they did something not quite right, because they were more than happy to provide me with a rental car for the overnight.

 

If I remember correctly, there is a specific driving procedure to re-teach the transmission, otherwise, it learns alot slower under normal driving from you, and you'll feel the growing pains, so to speak. When doing service work under select, a loaner is standard protocol. Enjoy the various models you'll get to drive. I've gotten a Land Rover LR2 and a Volvo C90 (depending on if your dealer is affiliated with the various brands, and they're lots are close)

 

According to my warranty, a loaner car is not standard protocol. The selling dealership offers a loaner car, but my local dealership does not.

A few weeks ago I had an XF for a week, and that was really enjoyable. Today I got an X type. Not as much fun.

 

Well, they didn't do that in the proper sequence, did they? Toss you into an XF on your first warranty issue.... then an X? humorous though... Maybe next time you'll get an XJ!

 

Regarding the loaner policy, mine read the same as yours under Select, selling dealer only. However, I think its dealer choice to offer it. I haven't been denied yet. A loaner adds great value and reduced stress to any service visit, whether it's paid by myself or Select.

 

Sadly it was not my first warranty issue

 

O2,

Please do post the results of the service visit, I'd be happy to learn that the shift faults you described were just software related.

 

I had a 1998 Ford Ranger that started to slam into different gears, upshifting and downshifting. The PCM was replaced and all was fine again. The PCM was not regulating the pressures which were too high.

It didn't shift and bang and shudder when stopped or at a stand still, only when going forward. Once in high gear things were fine but getting there and then back to first it really slammed.

I didn't have any slipping.

 

Well unfortunately today my X-Type loaner car started seized up. So I had to exchange loaner cars.

They told me they had reprogammed the tranny, and that the fluid levels were fine, but they were quite happy with the 'adaptions'. So they needed the car longer. Perhaps by lunchtime tomorrow I will have more answers.

Dave

 

Jag Techs

My 2001 XKR developed a trans leak a few weeks ago. Brought it to the dealer and they indicated that the leak was coming from an electrical connector that enters the pan from the side. Not sure what the connector does--any info would be appreciated on that. Does it simply mount on the side and monitor temperature or something more complex.

anyway--I am trying to get an estimate from my mechanic for him to replace the filter, gasket and connector.

Can anyone provide the part number for that connector?? Dealer will provide prices but no part numbers. The cost for the dealer to fix was $760--thought this was way excessive--not to mention I have already had the convertable hydraulic lines replaced for $1500 and the secondary chain tensioners replaced for $1200.

any help would be appreciated
thanks

Gary

 

Hey Dave. If you don't mind my asking, which dealer have you been using for your repairs/servicing--the one where you bought the car (Newport Beach if I recall correctly) or Galpin in Van Nuys, or someone else entirely? I have found a bunch of local independent Jag mechanics but the only real convenient authorized dealer near me (and I guess also you) is Galpin. My first experience with Galpin was iffy--they fixed the convertible top hydraulics but broke a wire for the navigation system in the process. However, they at least have been very nice to deal with so far. Need to bring it in to get the J004 bulletin taken care of.

Doug

 

OK , I'll bite. If there was no reprogramming done on the first visit, essentially all they did was a fluid change. Where's the adaptation issue? After the reflash on the second visit, I can understand.

 

sometimes Im ashamed of my peers, that connector is an easy fix, the orings leak but you can only get with a new sleeve. and im more than happy to do it for 1.5 with a trans fluid ck and top off
its for the entire electrical functions inside the trans

 

Hey Guys,

I will try to answer the questions posted before I give the update:

Seismic, I bought the car from South Bay Jaguar in Redondo Beach. Galpin is the dealer that I had the car towed to because they are 10min from my house. So the tranny situation has been with Galpin. They have been very friendly and nice, but it also took a week for them to do the repairs, and now 3 days to reprogram the tranny. I have another issue where the GPS loses signal for anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours. I have had it in to Galpin 3x for this issue. Their response after last week (since it's intermittent and non-repeatable) is that 'Jags sometimes lose satellite signal'.

JagTechOhio, the story was that they did the repairs and the refilled the fluid, then did the Tranny Recall Upate and they claimed it didn't take.


Ok, so this afternoon they call to tell me the car was ready. Because we had heavy rains here the last couple of days, the road they need for programming the 'adaptions' was flooded out, and that is why it has taken 3 day to 'reprogram' the tranny again.

So I returned my x-type, they brought my car around and as I went to put my briefcase in the trunk I notice major scuffing on the bumper. So the car goes off to the detail shop who buffed out the bumper.

So I drive the car out of the driveway get 100ft from the driveway and the tranny slams down from 2nd to First. I pull right back into the service line. My service writer calls the Technical Manager, who is the person that programs the 'adaptions'. So he hops in for a ride. The tranny slams into low in the parking lot, and then double slams going from 2nd down to first leaving the driveway and the technical manager said to pull the car back in.

He believes that it's the valve body that has an issue. He claims that he has to get permission from ZF to warranty exchange that. He said that the Tranny did not have any fault codes in it when he updated the tranny.

So tomorrow they are supposed to get permission from ZF, and then try to locate the part.

I have been pretty understanding about the situation, I am just very dissappointed and frustrated that they have put 51miles on my car in the last 3 days and felt that the tranny slamming was acceptable. I drove the car all of about 300 feet this afternoon (in both exits from the service dept) and the tranny slammed 3 times.

So tonight I left the dealership with another x-Type. Hopefully the news tomorrow evening will be better.

Dave