31st Jul 2012, 05:52
I want to buy a second hand jaguar S-Type 3.0 V6 GF-J01FA. What would be your advice?
21st Jan 2013, 15:14
What is the upgrade for the timing tensioner? I had one replaced, and 20,000 miles later it's broken again. I guess they put the same part (but new) back in the car.
29th Jan 2013, 23:16
I thought my transmission was slipping (shops told me it was common and quickly offered to replace it). It turned out to be the shifter cable was stretched and the trans wasn't going all the way into one gear or the other - kinda stuck between, which felt and sounded exactly like it was slipping.
If your transmission is in fact bad, just buy a new one, or locate a lower mile used from a salvage yard (a lot of them around) and pay a trusted mechanic to swap it out (a much cheaper alternative).
A lot of OEM items can be bought online for much cheaper than the dealership; just search thoroughly. These cars are not as complex as some mechanics make them out to be, but the parts can be rather expensive. I try to invest $$$ with a quality technician, and do it right the first time.
20th Feb 2013, 19:04
I have owned a lot of different cars, Buick included, and all cars are made to last only a certain amount of time without doing any major repairs.
If you have the ability to turn a wrench and have a $100 tool set, you can fix what a dealer charges a $1000 for about $125.00 and a couple of hours of your time.
I replaced 2 window regulators, a cool expansion tank, and 8 ignition coils for $300; all new quality parts online at the dealer or should I say stealer. It would be $2000. So get a manual and some hand cleaner; it's really not as complicated as made out. But if you just aren't able, then get more than one estimate and read a repair manual, so you understand when an incompetent mechanic is trying to fix your car by just adding new parts.
7th Sep 2013, 17:43
I own a 2001 4.0 S Type with 88k miles. I have owned it since 2007. I have much the same issues with my car that many of you have had; transmission hard to shift at times, headliner coming loose, power window issues, and clunking noises whenever I drive on bumpy roads or drive over bumps.
Now the plastic joint between the upper coolant hose has cracked and spewed coolant under the engine cover. I love the car, but wish that Jaguar would fix some of the more common issues with the S Type.
12th Oct 2013, 15:21
I have a 2000 S Type myself, and it's a monster! Just as everyone's been complaining, something always goes wrong, as if each part has a timer to fail. It's a pretty money pit I say... but what are people doing about it? I heard someone mention a class action??? Please let me know. I love Jaguar, but I would love to have my transmission problem fixed too.
31st May 2014, 14:27
I have a 2001 S Type with 83k miles and have had the same problems. My DSC light came on and the brakes failed. I was told a piston may have knocked the caliper loose. Rear brake fluid on ground.
I have had a series of electrical problems, with the latest being a "phone" message showing on the CD display, and it stops the radio and CD from playing. I have to turn it off and turn it back on, but it still flashes phone and kills the music.
The passenger side rear lights continue to blow. I think it's a short, but I can't find it. I have had two window regulator problems, and now I need a major tuneup because of some sensors that have gone bad twice!!!
19th Oct 2014, 03:09
I am a member of the group of Jaguar S Type victims. I wish I had done more research before making the purchase.
I have a dead battery. Apparently the boot light is on all the time and draining the battery. It also says boot open on the dash. The boot access button only works after you install a key and unlock the boot, then it will open with the button, but only for a limited time. Then it doesn't do anything when you push it.
I purchased the car and it has been a costly experience. If the lawsuit materializes, include me! wcem435@yahoo.com
2nd Jan 2015, 16:40
You should change your heater valve, which is connected on the bottom right corner of your car where all the water hoses are connected. My heater wasn't working; I changed the thermostat and nothing. The only thing I could think of was the heater valve. So I changed it, and after a few hours of driving, the heater started working as soon as the coolant flowed thru.
22nd Jun 2012, 23:25
I have worked at a Jaguar dealership since 1996, and I still work there. All of the problems/stories posted here are very typical, and are only the tip of the iceberg. I honestly don't know how this company stays in business. The only good thing I can say is that the XJ and XK are true luxury cars, and they don't have to pretend to be anything else. The X and S-types are going to be the death of Jaguar; already they have just about ruined any perception of prestige that remained in the brand. At my dealership, no one who works there will own or buy a Jag for any reason unless it is an XJ or XK. It's the same concept as the Cadillac Cimarron, which someone has already mentioned: you cannot slap a badge from a so-called prestigious marque onto a cheap piece of junk, and not expect the entire brand to take a nose dive!!
For comparison, my dealership also sells Buicks. Buicks have been consistently rated in the top 3 brands for reliability and customer satisfaction for over a decade. This reality is obvious to anyone who works at the dealership; we get Buicks all the time with very high mileage, which still run and perform like new. On the contrary, when a Jaguar has about 75-100k miles on the odo, they are pretty much universally worn out. Also telling: the Buick buyers tend to be much more well-off, and the Jaguar buyers often cannot really afford the car, but are so obsessed with their personal image that they cannot control themselves. The lesson here is to never let your excitement about the styling and prestige of the car's brand outweigh the facts. LOL, many of our Buick buyers are actually old customers who have first purchased a Jaguar, and traded it in for a new LaCrosse or Regal. They learned the hard way...
Didn't anyone here do any research on the reliability of Jaguar cars? Seems like everyone loves to reference Consumer Reports when shopping for Hondas and Toyotas, I don't see why it should be any different for Jaguars. These cars just don't hold up. The market also definitely recognizes the true value of these cars, just look at the resale values. Also, for future reference, you should also examine the car on which these pseudo-Jags are based. The Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique and the Ford Taurus are already some of the lowest quality and least reliable cars ever to have been unleashed on the American public, so how can you expect the same car with a luxury badge to perform any better?
Cheap junk.