I always use my cruise control whenever possible. That allows me to move that leg and foot around, rather then having to keep it rigid as you have to do when you keep your foot on the pedal.

 

Yeah--it is the cruise control that eventually saves me when I am able to find a stretch long enough and without traffic. I have not driven all that many "drive-by-wire" cars but in the few I have driven, the Jaguar is the only one where it feels and reacts like an electro-mechanical system. I believe my wife's 2012 Acura is drive-by-wire but the ergonomics of the gas pedal as well as the responsiveness is much more throttle-cable like.

Doug

 

Wow - I see I'm not the only one experiencing this. Similar to Seismic Guy I think for me it is the seat is too low and my legs being extended straight out that is creating the discomfort. I also find myself controlling the gas with my left foot at times - just to give my right leg a break.

I have tried adjusting the seat - but never found a position that was truly comfortable. When I did raise the seat height, it seemed to help minimally - but my head was brushing up on the headliner.

Oh well the trial and tribulations of being a cat owner.

Thanks for the responses. Has anyone tried putting in a different set of seats - maybe from an XKR?

Mike

 

These seats seem to be love or hate. I've taken my Jag on two cross-country trips and I think the seats are quite comfortable. My wife, on the other hand, does not like the seats. At all.

 

Agreed.

It's the same on the X308. The gas pedal is offset way over to the right. This forces you to angle your thigh, while twisting your lower leg to the right to reach it, and at the same time extend the foot to depress it while holding the foot up because of the lack of spring return. Try it sitting on the couch ... not very comfortable at all.

Notice that Jaguar's home market is RHD where the gas pedal would normally be placed beside the nice flat side panel. On LHD cars, they crammed it against the tunnel and went too far. Look at the nasty bend to the right in the support arm.

This is possibly to leave as large a separation as possible from the brake pedal to avoid "unintended acceleration" syndrome, aka stupid drivers.

 

I "do" prefer the semi-reclined position with my legs slightly out and the steering wheel low in my lap. What I hate is that the seat back doesn't raise and lower with the seat cushion. When I have the rear of the cushion lowered to give me the geometry I like, there is a big gap below the seat back and the head rest is ridiculously high. Actually, I could remove the head rest altogether and still have neck support from the seat back itself! However, I can make 9+ hour drives effortlessly. Forget about eating the miles - the damn thing just devours entire States at a chomp.

The bolsters and seat cushion bucket are pretty ineffective too. I tell people that the limiting factor to the car's handling is the "Driver's Seat". I get thrown all over the place, and may consider sheep skin seat covers just to keep me in one spot. Then again. maybe I should just get fatter.

 

You described the problem perfectly. The combination of seat-to-pedal position compounded by the weak spring is what ends up causing the leg fatigue and, in my case, eventual leg cramping. Guess there is no simple fix so this is just one of those niggling Jaguar things that we need to put up with.

Doug

 

I find the seats in my 99 XK8 to be quite good but, as has been mentioned you need one leg to be 6"longer to reach the dead pedal comfortably. Has anyone moved or extended the dead pedal location?

 

The fix for the heating duct that interferes with the tip of the shoe when moving in a hurry to get to the gas pedal was to cut off the last 3 inches of duct ... problem gone.

The fix for the gas pedal position *may* be to fabricate a suitable extension to the left using a brass or stainless plate that is cut larger than the current pedal and sweeps up to taper into the original width of the arm. Fasten using screws. This is basically like those ebay custom pedals, but specifically designed to address the cramping/shin splints by extending the contact area to the left. The pedal could be trimmed on the right to avoid fouling on the carpet as well as lengthened or re-angled.

The existing position can actually be considered dangerous because once the pain starts it is more difficult for the driver to apply fine movements at the pedals. Even moving to the brake pedal is slowed down.

 

Absolutely--I also notice this. Let's find somebody to sue

Doug

 

You know who to sue.

Who is going to be first to make the add-on plate?

The XK is slightly different in that the gas pedal seems to be a seperate unit. There is a used one on ebay for something like $40 that can be used to mock up the plate without crawling around in the footwell getting neck cramps. A brass or stainless door handle plate from Home Depot could be enough to do a matched set of pedals.

On the XJ it's made of Jaguar's choice for engineered parts ... plastic And it's hollowed out plastic to save on materials

 

The add-on plate/pedal extension sounds like a slick idea. I have those fancy so-called racing pedals on my XKR. I will have to see how the gas pedal piece is attached.


Doug

 

see above .. we cross posted

 

Well I see I am not the only that suffers right leg pain while on long drive of on hour or more. I don't think that it is the low seat with the leg going straight to gas pedal. If I recall correctly, my XK-120 had a flat floor with a low seat and one drove with your legs straight out. For me anyway, I think that the back of bottom is to low compared to the front and the forward part of the right side bolster. Inspired by this thread, I am going to start experimenting with various cushions and supports.
Wish me luck.

 

Plums, thanks for the tip about cutting the vent. My size 13's had a hard time at first making the move back and forth. Actually a little scary. Somehow I adapted and it doesn't seem to bug me any more. Maybe I wore through the vent?

 

It happened to me on the first intersection of the first test drive. Almost got t-boned by a Corolla on the busier street.

You will need a mirror, light and hacksaw blade. 30 minutes should do it.You can find single ended blade handles at most hardware stores.

 

I have actually considered a block of wood on that useless dead pedal. I have done a quick look for an adjustment - found nothing. +1 on moving the pedal. I just have to figure out how it's mounted.

 

It's funny, I have read all of these posts about how uncomfortable the seats are but, I find my XKR's seats very comfortable and the dead pedal just perfect for my long legs. I'm 6-2" and although I'd love a little firmer seat bottom (and a taller windshield so that the headrail didn't bisect my vision), I have not experienced the pain and suffering of some of you. As far as the gas pedal, in my Pantera, if I wear shoes my size 13 feet cover both the gas pedal and the brake pedal even when pushed all the way to the right against the transmission tunnel. I therefore drive it in socks, so the XKR footwell feels absolutely cavernous in comparison. In our Enclave there is a switch that extends the gas and brake pedals toward the driver, maybe one of our enterprising members can design such a system for our shorter XK members.

 

It's not a matter of height. The pedals are at the correct "distance", wrong lateral displacement. As a matter of fact, it is worse when the pedal is closer because the vertical angle gets even worse.

The fact that you do not experience pain does not make it any less real for those who do experience the pain.

 

Tberg did echo the primary thing that is wrong with the interior layout--seat height. I have to admit that I came from the other extreme when, for 14 years, I was practically on the floor in my Corvette. The seat was very low and the cushion not that thick and the seat could be moved rather far back since there are no rear seats. The resulting position of having the legs almost straight out was the most comfortable and natural of any car I have driven.

So when I started looking to buy an XK8 and got into my first, while I had expected a sporty seat placement similar to the Corvette, I was amazed that the actual seating felt more like a large family sedan. Worse, I am not tall (5'-7") but definitely feel my line of sight is too high with respect to the windshield. I was disappointed to find that I could not drop the seat low enough to get what I consider to be the correct orientation.

Probably moving the seat back further than it is actually able to go along with dropping the height lower than it is actually able to go would provide a more comfortable/natural driving position.

Doug