Folks, I need some help here. I am a new proud (I think) preowned owner of a beautiful looking 2006 XKR. I have had it exactly one month now. I have had the convertible roof lines blow oil. The steering wheel column motor has failed to retract. The pulleys/belt has been replaced. Electrical issues with the center thermostat. Lighting issues behind the speedometer. Should I get out of this car ASAP? I have been told that I have a wonderful year model, that the bugs have been 'worked out'. I hate to see what problems Jag possibly had before this model year. Guys/Gals any word or hope for me, is this normal, or maybe a lemon? Any thing else I need to expect if I keep this car? Seriously, I hestitated to purchase this car, because I have two friends that had Jags during the past decade, and said that they looked pretty behind a tow truck. Thanks if anyone has any hopeful advice for me. Like I said, I am not giving up just yet, but, too many issues all at once it seems.

 

Ouch!!! I am no expert, by any means, but it sounds like you may have gotten hold of a car with some serious problems, like being wrecked or water damaged or something that is causing all of these problems. Did you do a CarFax? Do you know the history of the vehicle? I've had my 2001 for about a year and a half (don't drive it much) and I have only had a couple of minor issues that I repaired myself. You should not be having all of those problems with a 2006 unless something is not quite kosher.

 

OK M'friend. Don't panic. I've had my 2006 for about 6 months and it seems to me that the steering wheel motor (or switch, or logic) does have a mind of its own. I can live with that. I just had the first bulb in the instrument panel burn out, and there's a good thread on the forum about how to replace them (with long-life bulbs). The job seems a bit tedious, but hey, it's a Jag. The hydraulic line bit is another story. That's the one lesson Jaguar did not learn as the XK8 evolved. Again, there's a lot written on this forum about it. New lines and a slick pressure relief system have been developed by forum members. Search on "top leaks" or something like that and you'll learn more than you ever wanted to know. There are some really sharp and knowledgeable guys lurking here. I'm putting the relief valve in mine this winter.

Hang in there - - -

 

OK, nevermind, I guess that in a 2006 you should be expecting those problems.

 

No, you really shouldn't expect major problems with a '06 . . . . except for the top hydraulics problems. Install one of the fixes in the FAQ sticky above and it will be gone for good.

 

I am surprised you are having such mundane issues, it should be bliss but you are not blissful!

But I am surprised the roof lines have gone, sure on a 10 yr old XK maybe the odd issue but yours is half that age.........Does seem a little strange, I have guys with XKs twice the age of your car and no probs at all, it seems to me this car wants to make you worthy.......good luck!

 

Very interesting thread.

I bought a 2006 XK8 convertible 1 1/2 weeks ago. I have what I think is a natural concern about the long term functioning of all the great features and technology on the car. Everything works now. I love it.

Review of the maintenance records shows the previous owner had the "green shower" of hydraulic fluid from the top. Ruined the cashmere top liner and other stuff. Near as I can tell from reading about this problem, having one fix doesn't stop the next episode. Right now this is my biggest concern.

I read about the "fix" developed by fellow forum members to minimize the chances of another occurance. I don't think I have the knowhow to install it myself. I also wonder how installing it would impact the Select Edition warrantee I have through 4/2012 and the two additional years warrantee I bought from the dealer.

Whether this problem would be covered by warrantee appears to be a grey area.

A bit of a pain. Makes you almost duck when you hit the top button.

All of that said, I love this car and will continue to drive and enjoy it.

Jack

 

Hey Jack--the installation of the pressure relief valve is really not all that hard if you are even slightly mechanically inclined. If that is too much then the solution involving electrical resistors is even easier (I prefer the relief valve).

In terms of how this might effect your SE warranty is another story. What happened with me was that shortly after I bought the car, there was a leak of fluid by the latch. The dealer replaced the hoses and I installed the relief valve for good luck. Two years later, right at the end of the SE warranty, the pump motor for the convertible top died. I knew this should be covered under SE warranty but I was afraid that the presence of the relief valve could cause issues (even though the valve has NOTHING to do with the motor failing). So to be safe, I removed the relief valve before bringing the car in. The dealer replaced the pump (part alone was about $2,000) and I have reinstalled the valve.

Installing/uninstalling the valve is maybe 1/2-hour to 45 minutes the first time but no more than 15 minutes after that.

Good luck.

Doug

 

....and that's the thing. The car runs so nice, I hate to give up on it right from the start, but, we all need reliable cars. I realize that every car on the road has its ups and downs, but for a car that once was valued over $90k (I think), it should be virtually flawless.

I wonder why Ford did not demand Jaguar to engineer a correction to the 'green shower' syndrome, or perhaps to engineer a power top? This issue started in 1997 all the way up until 2006. There really is NO excuse for it in my mind, period. VERY thankfully, my leak started just hours before things really became a total green shower mess. I had to clean up the toxic oil on my console wood and the dealership took over from that.

So as I continue down the road, hopefully these quirks will be cleaned up. I did look at the Carfax, and everything seemed ok from the previous owners, but I will say a car is as good as the treatment it receives right from the very beginning. Apparently they had more money than God not to care with their investment, but who can tell?

 

for XKRacer:

The top hydraulic problem has never been an European issue because of clouds and temperature. In the southern/western US the solar heat on the top hydraulic hoses at the top latch cause the hoses to fail on a four year, 40k mile basis. My two cars have had the hoses fail 4 times at about 40k mile increments, one at 30k miles.

Everyone in the southern/western US: Please install one of the pressure reducing solutions found in the FAQ Sticky above.

Your choice.

 

My Jag Service Mgr. said the very same thing about the situation vs. the heat. He also said that it might happen again several years from now. Thanks for the information.

 

Order the pressure relief valve. I put one in my 2001 two months ago. It took me longer than 45 minutes, but it really was mostly just a wrench and screw driver job. Just a little less room to work in if your car has the CD changer and amplifier back there next to the pump.

 

Don't get discouraged. You now have new hydraulic lines. Protect them by ordering and installing the pressure relief valve that has been developed and thoroughly tested by expert forum members. It really is an easy job, with only one tool to buy: the correct size star driver (a few bucks at Autozone) and you're golden. I installed the valve as soon as I could after buying a 2000 XK8 with only 10k miles. The dash bulbs are not difficult, if a bit time consuming, to replace. And please have your battery thoroughly checked under load. A lot of the little "electrical gremlins" that appear in XK8s are quite often caused by low battery voltage. If the voltage drops near the 10 volt mark, all kinds of things happen: the automatic steering column begins to act weird: sometimes it works, sometimes not; the automatic window drop when opening the door fails to work properly: the window stays down instead of closing tight when you shut the door. But a properly maintained and charged battery can change everything.

So hang in there, Tim. You have a beautiful ride; once these little gremlins are taken care of you will appreciate your car all the more.

PS part of the joy of an XK8 is learning about and tackling some of the DIY jobs so you can save some of your hard-earned dollars; and have fun doing it.

 

For TexasTim:

"I wonder why Ford did not demand Jaguar to engineer a correction to the 'green shower' syndrome, or perhaps to engineer a power top? This issue started in 1997 all the way up until 2006. There really is NO excuse for it in my mind, period."

What you said. Even worse, reliable hydraulic convertible tops were already around (and could easliy have been copied) back in 1997. I once owned a '93 500SL. It had such a convertible top, and I have no memory of any mention on Mercedes boards of hydraulics coming undone. It just didn't come up.

Two methods (that I know of) are in use in our cars to lessen the odds of a blowout. But there's no defensible reason why we should be going through any of this in the first place. It seems impossible to escape the conclusion that the system was put together on the cheap.

Good luck with the headaches. Nothing you mentioned seems like a deal-breaker, IMO.

 

The mechanicals - engine and transmission made the biggest leaps over the first few model years. The hydraulics, as you read, remained unchanged since time and exposure to heat is what kills them in the end. My rams were leaking after only 5 years of use. Dealer warranty replaced hoses and my rams, and one day...the pressure relief valve will get installed.

On my 7 year old xk, the coolant system and the suspension are the most maintained on my car (i also have 116k miles remember) I've chased 4 different leaks, all repairable by myself with parts ranging from $4 to $75. The suspension needs attention every 4-5 years it seems when used as a daily driver - bushings and maybe a shock once in awhile. When the get closer to the 100k mile mark, more of the mechanical and longer-life items seems to need replacing, like tie rod ends, end links, wheel bearings, that plastic air pipe cracks creating vacuum leaks, etc. - expected on high mileage vehicles, so I am prepared for those repairs. My engine and transmission have been flawless, just changed plugs at 100k miles, dealer drain & fill with filter and new pan on the tranny at 75k - no other service needed.

I've never had a light bulb go out behind the dash, but it can happen, they're not exactly space age materials. With our member support, there's even a video to show you step by step how to get them out and new ones in. (Go rev sam!)

I wouldn't stress about the car if I were you. Those are common, relatively small items (ok...hydraulic hoses maybe not, but under warranty repair, more palatable) and no surprise to anyone here I think. Drive with the confidence you have a good 'support system' here with the forum members to rely on for advice and also what to expect as your car ages with you. I always recommend a small maintenance savings of $1k-2k, just in emergency. I had do recently dip into mine when a power steering hose failed and an oil cooler line chose to leak at the same time....not a simple fitting R&R here, but an entire section of hose. $350 parts w/ $450 labor for both. I did not have the experience to do either repair and there were 4 different part numbers for the oil line...the correct one only determined after removal from the car, so and Indy shop got my business.

sorry to ramble, or worry you, but keep in mind this is my daily driver and I've had it 4 years w/ 45k miles at purchase. I've driven it a ton. I remember my first year and a half, I didn't do anything but drive and change the oil (ok, brakes, but that was because of the horrendous dust generated by OEM pads, not because of wear).

 

Great post. I have owned the car for almost two weeks and although it is magnificent, stressing out about all this almost has me seeking psychotherapy. Seeking deep seated reasons for getting rid of a perfect, fun, easy and cheap to maintain Miata for this. Reading about "green showers", electrical gremlins, etc. doesn't help. However......

To keep things in perspective, I knew that all these features would cost money. I got a good deal on a 4 year old car, but hey, it was a $90K car 4 years ago. I am reaping the benefits of a well maintained car along with huge Jaguar depreciation. The car is darned near perfect.

I have a warrantee. I have a great dealer around the corner.

I would like this car to be my daily driver for years to come.

When I drive it all I think about is how great it is. How stunning it looks. All the features.

I am going to chill about all this and just drive and enjoy it for a while. So many people love these cars for the long term. I want to be one of them.

To paraphrase John Lennon - Give Jag a Chance

Jack

 

Funny, I traded my 03 miata for a 99 XK8. I am with you on loosing the total reliability of the Mazda. I did it so I would have a back seat for the dog. (Also had a 69 XKE so I wanted to relive the past). Put in the pressure valve for the top (easy-peazy), replaced the tensioners (you don't have to) and will be doing the front suspension in the spring. You'll find that sticker price new is totally unrelated to overall quality and Mazda could have sold the same car for half the price. On the other hand, the ride is way better, car is much faster, and there's that extra panache. Enjoy, get into the British car mindset and relax about not having everything work. The battery advice is key...a trickle charger can cure alot of ills. Also makes people think you're driving a plug-in!
Mike

 

Every design defect is always about the money. When defects show up in the field that get past beta and field testing, the factory analyzes the cost of a redesign against the failure rates (only during the warranty period, that is) and compares it to the cost of just replacing defective parts. If it is less expensive to just keep replacing parts over the life of the model, that will be the road taken. Sometimes it means a part redesign (like the secondary tensioner in an AJV8) sometimes it is a repair kit (like the top hose kit for XK8/Rs), sometimes it is just keep replacing with the old part because of lower failure rates. Keep in mind too, that once a car is past warranty, a chronic defect means continuing dealer revenue.

I've seen this in many Jaguar models. The X-Type comes to mind. It had several chronic parts failures early on that were never addressed. Dealers were simply directed to replace the defective parts over and over. Once the car fell out of warranty, the owner bore the replacement cost. Ask any X-Type owner how many times the driveshaft has been replaced in their car all the way up to end of model life.

 

TexasTim, the problems you mentioned don't seem to be excessive. The only "big" problem is the hydraulic hose, and once that's fixed you can just install one of the two pressure reducing options and not worry about it again. Everything else is minor. On the later XK's like yours, the drivetrain is very reliable. I doubt the car is going to strand you anywhere. It could be that the prior owner had been living with the issues that you mentioned and he just never bothered to get them fixed. Once you've corrected those minor things the car will bring you enormous joy.

By the way, the dashboard bulbs are easy. You can change them yourself in 20 minutes. Here's how: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af3YRj60Yro