Jalopnik: How To Tow A Jaguar Equipped With An Electronic Shift Lever

[Der Stig]

The question is though, why put in such an illogical place? If you are stranded, have no internet access, and like most Jaguar owners, have not memorized the owner's manual, then you're pretty much SOL.

I don't see what would be so hard about putting a small panel on the transmission tunnel or under the steering column that one could pop off and then disengage the parking brake from there.

I like the XF, it's a good looking car, (IMO, of course) and it makes all the right noises handling and drivetrain wise, but the nagging reliablity issues and engineering/design/management/whatever flaws do not belong in a modern car, especially a Jag.

Keep in mind, this is the first iteration of the XF, a brand new model to begin with, so it was bound to have teething problems. Being a new, Jag loaded with unnecessary electronic equipment begets more problems.

Also, that two press cars were faulty speaks volumes for what the customer is potentially getting.

 

[WillDAQ]

Also, that two press cars were faulty speaks volumes for what the customer is potentially getting.

It does and it doesn't, there are revisions made to cars as they continue the production run (I can think of a part on my car that they've revised 21 times so far) which are used to iron out the sort of niggles that only pop up once production is in full swing. Press cars by their very nature come right at the start so will not have the benefit of any production run updates.

 

[thevictor390]

The question is though, why put in such an illogical place? If you are stranded, have no internet access, and like most Jaguar owners, have not memorized the owner's manual, then you're pretty much SOL.

I don't see what would be so hard about putting a small panel on the transmission tunnel or under the steering column that one could pop off and then disengage the parking brake from there.

I like the XF, it's a good looking car, (IMO, of course) and it makes all the right noises handling and drivetrain wise, but the nagging reliablity issues and engineering/design/management/whatever flaws do not belong in a modern car, especially a Jag.

Keep in mind, this is the first iteration of the XF, a brand new model to begin with, so it was bound to have teething problems. Being a new, Jag loaded with unnecessary electronic equipment begets more problems.

Also, that two press cars were faulty speaks volumes for what the customer is potentially getting.

You don't carry your owner's manual in the glove box? And why is a panel in the steering column more intuitive than a panel in the center console? It could have been better designed but it serves its purpose.

 

[Der Stig]

I have my manual saved on my phone, as my car didn't come with one.

By "panel," I meant something easy to open and access like a 12 volt cover, just a piece of hinged plastic/soft touch plastic/whatever that opens easier than prying a piece of trim off.

It does and it doesn't, there are revisions made to cars as they continue the production run (I can think of a part on my car that they've revised 21 times so far) which are used to iron out the sort of niggles that only pop up once production is in full swing. Press cars by their very nature come right at the start so will not have the benefit of any production run updates.

And by this I meant in the public's eyes. Sure, not everyone reads Jalopnik, but people use Google and articles like this will turn up in a search. Most car buyers are unfamiliar with factory revisions, even model facelifts, so two catastrophic failures in a row is disconcerting.

 

[prizrak]

And why is a panel in the steering column more intuitive than a panel in the center console?

If you ever seen a car with a foot parking brake you'll be familiar with a release mechanism some of them use. It's a little lever that you pull generally located near the driver's left knee. What would be so difficult about putting something like that in the car? Nice and easy to get to and also easily discoverable since that's where the hood release is.

You don't carry your owner's manual in the glove box?

You mean the glove box that uses a proximity sensor to open that requires electronics to work?

 

[Adunaphel]

You mean the glove box that uses a proximity sensor to open that requires electronics to work?

The real fail uncovered, finally. There's nothing wrong with the panel, given it is correctly documented in the owner's manual (sadly the article doesn't say), except that it may be a tad too hard to remove for Joe Average ("Pull so hard you think it breaks" and then making a sound like it breaks?) The fact, however that you need working electronics to access your fucking glovebox, where EVERYONE keeps their owner's manual, which nobody reads until they need it is the real FAIL that shows that they didn't really think this one through.

 

[prizrak]

The real fail uncovered, finally. There's nothing wrong with the panel, given it is correctly documented in the owner's manual (sadly the article doesn't say), except that it may be a tad too hard to remove for Joe Average ("Pull so hard you think it breaks" and then making a sound like it breaks?) The fact, however that you need working electronics to access your fucking glovebox, where EVERYONE keeps their owner's manual, which nobody reads until they need it is the real FAIL that shows that they didn't really think this one through.

Pfft, I have a special compartment for my manual in the car its right under the steering wheel

 

[AiR]

If you're going to use hand force to pull your trim off you'll always have the feeling that it'll break. But if you use the proper tools (as per the owners manual) it's a breeze to pry away trim that is not screwed in place. Only thing they should do is add a lock to the glove box that works with the emergency key. I'm sure they can hide it someplace out of sight.

 

[prizrak]

If you're going to use hand force to pull your trim off you'll always have the feeling that it'll break. But if you use the proper tools (as per the owners manual) it's a breeze to pry away trim that is not screwed in place. Only thing they should do is add a lock to the glove box that works with the emergency key. I'm sure they can hide it someplace out of sight.

Yes let me carry interior removal tools in my Jaaag....

 

[MXM]

Well who is stupid enough to buy something british which has electrical gizmos? Seriously, it's like wearing a deer costume in Slovenia.

D-Fence logic. Surely a deer costume is the safest way to travel on the Slovenian roads?

 

[AiR]

Yes let me carry interior removal tools in my Jaaag....

Even my Astra comes with a switchable philips/flatblade screwdriver
If you buy a BMW you get a bunch of tools. I can only assume that if you buy a Jaguar it should come with an entire tool cabinet.

 

[Dr_Grip]

D-Fence logic. Surely a deer costume is the safest way to travel on the Slovenian roads?

It is, cause IceBone would swerve

 

[Spectre]

Even my Astra comes with a switchable philips/flatblade screwdriver
If you buy a BMW you get a bunch of tools. I can only assume that if you buy a Jaguar it should come with an entire tool cabinet.

You assume incorrectly. Jaguar toolkits from the early Series III era forward often consist of exactly what you need to change the tire and other tools are optional extras. many models don't even have a toolkit, instead having a styrofoam insert that fits into the spare wheel that carries the jack and jack parts.

Edit: That's the type the XF mounts. Here is the similar set the X100, X300 and X308 mount. The EZW1035 set the XF has is pretty much identical except for the shape of the styrofoam.

Older Jaguars had more - sometimes. The late Series III and XJS in the US only had a jack, jack handle and lug wrench in a bag, like this:

Earlier versions of these cars and some non-US market ones came with one of these standard, and you could order it as an optional extra for a few years (good luck finding an unmolested one now). Non-US cars sometimes came with them, but sometimes they didn't. Here's the kit in the back of another Series III:

(And before you ask, I do have one but it's missing a couple of tools)

XKEs came with this really nice tool roll and a rawhide mallet (to take off the knockoff hubs and to hit things when they didn't work.)

Also, the excuse 'but the XF is a brand new car and therefore these problems can be excused' - no it can't, it's been out for more than two years and is almost halfway through the rumored 5 year design life!

Bottom line - the car's been out for going on three model years now, none of the faults have been corrected and when you do have a problem the user is pretty much screwed.

 

[AiR]

We need some crazy coachbuilder that makes Jaaaaaags with this and a lifetime supply of wrenches

https://pic.armedcats.net/k/kn/knarkas/2010/05/07/henry_studly_tool_chest.jpg

I don't know if it has a screwdriver but it does have a lovely hammer which will satisfy any customer that is Jeremy Clarkson.

 

[bone]

^you want them to make wooden cars?

 

[Spectre]

Well, a proper Jaguar is supposed to contain acres of dead tree (if it's not a racing or hard-core sports model)...

Perhaps what he wants would be a new Panther/Harrods Jaguar.

 

[WillDAQ]

Most car buyers are unfamiliar with factory revisions, even model facelifts, so two catastrophic failures in a row is disconcerting.

To be honest I suspect that most car buyers would consider describing an electrical glitch as a "catastrophic failure" a little bit disingenuous.

More to the point, if you're buying a Jag rather than a Skoda then presumably reliability isn't your number 1 priority.

 

[Spectre]

To be honest I suspect that most car buyers would consider describing an electrical glitch as a "catastrophic failure" a little bit disingenuous.

More to the point, if you're buying a Jag rather than a Skoda then presumably reliability isn't your number 1 priority.

There are certain minimum reliability standards below which Jag buyers won't put up with it - and if they're expecting conquest buyers to take up the slack, they're certainly not going to put up with it.

Also, the last time we had a car this bad was the XJ40 - and that almost ran Jaguar out of business.

Finally, failure-to-start in a brand new car is considered a major failure. It's catastrophic in terms of PR and brand reputation when it happens twice to a well known review organization.

 

[WillDAQ]

There are certain minimum reliability standards below which Jag buyers won't put up with it - and if they're expecting conquest buyers to take up the slack, they're certainly not going to put up with it.

Also, the last time we had a car this bad was the XJ40 - and that almost ran Jaguar out of business.

Finally, failure-to-start in a brand new car is considered a major failure. It's catastrophic in terms of PR and brand reputation when it happens twice to a well known review organization.

The problem is that the sales figures tend to suggest that they will put up with it: http://www.ibtimes.com/contents/20100426/jaguar-xf-sales-soar-uk.htm

news from the UK that monthly sales figures are up nearly 100 percent

 

[Labcoatguy]

The problem is that the sales figures tend to suggest that they will put up with it: http://www.ibtimes.com/contents/20100426/jaguar-xf-sales-soar-uk.htm

Key word there is monthly sales figures, aka month vs month. Last year this time, next to nobody was buying cars. That sort of nearsighted analysis means nothing without context. On the other hand, when British Leyland quality seeped into Jaguar in the 1970s, sales went down. When the XJ40 launch was botched, sales went down. I'll let Spectre find hard numbers, but the point is that quality matters. The fact that Alfa is on its deathbed and is only surviving with infusions of Fiat money suggests that "soul" can only take you so far.