podge72

Well after 9 months of S-Type ownership I've decided that I'm beaten. I've lost count of the amount of things I've had to sort out on the car and although I know I'm going to take a big hit on the price I paid for the car to what I'll not get when selling I'm at the point where I just want it gone, for whatever I can get for the damn thing. Had nothing but problems since the day I bought the car so have gone back to a BMW. This will be my last post on the forum as I will certainly not be buying another Jaguar in this life or the next hopefully. I'm sure you'll all say I've been unlucky but even with bad luck the S-Type has still been an absolute dog. Shame really as on the rare occasion it was on the road I enjoyed driving it. Anyway, thanks to those who gave advice as was much appreciated but I wish I had not strayed from BMW ownership. Good luck. Shaun

Have now got Jag back again but still have the same issue. The torque converter has been replaced again but the noise and surge in rpm still happens. I'm getting to the point where I may just have to live with it. No-one can identify why or where the noise etc is coming from as it is an intermittent fault. Was back at my local garage yesterday, which are pretty good and they test drove it but couldn't make it make the noise etc. I've also used an OBD2 reader and no faults show up. Not sure what else to do...any suggestions? Cheers Shaun

Jim, Refurb...as in original box with any worn/broken parts replaced rather than a recon box from another car. Anyone want to buy an S-Type (3.0 Sport Plus) I'm joking...I think?? Shaun

The trouble is the car was initially fixed under warranty from the dealer I bought it from and as he paid for the gearbox refurb he chose where it went to be fixed. It's at a gearbox specialist not a garage too. The gearbox has had new clutches, torque converter etc but the problem still persists. It onlt occurs when lightly accelerating up an incline between 30-45 mph. The revs surge up and down by approx. 250 rpm and past 45mph and under 30mph it doesn't do it. The hand brake is electric so cant be used when in motion. If it was a wheel bearing it would occur all the time when under load. If it was the diff or driveshaft why would it only ever do it under these particular circumstances? It's driving me nuts to be honest as no-one (i.e. garages or gearbox specialist) can come up with a definitive answer. Cheers Shaun

Paul Yeh, bit of a shock for me too as I always played my music from a USB stick...! Anyway, if you don't want to mess with the current set up get a Parrot kit installed. There is a kit for about £140.00 (MKi9200) which will connect to your phone/download your contacts and stream music etc by Bluetooth and also has hard wired connections for ipod, USB and 3.5mm jack. Widely available on Interweb and Halfords also stock a range of Parrott kits too. Obviously need to get it fitted but better option than replacing what's there and you can remove it to use on another car when/if you sell the Jag. This should give you all everything you could possibly need I would have thought. Cheers Shaun

Make sure you check gearbox changes smoothly and does not make any odd noises. From my experience this will be a minimum of a torque converter (£1200 to replace) or maximum of total gearbox rebuild (£2500+). Had this with mine (with the later ZF 6 speed box 2004-onwards). I believe the pre-facelift had the 5 speed and less complicated gearbox but basically, any noises at all walk away. Good luck. Shaun

I'm sure everyone's getting bored by now but I'll give an update anyway... Jag back to gearbox specialist who updated all software, test drove etc and confirmed all is well. Caught train over to pick car up, drove 2 miles down the road and surprise, surprise same !Removed! noise again. Called garage again and told them that nothings changed, who decided to tell me it was fine when it left them. Needless to say that didn't wash so have booked car back in again. Decided to go to lunch with family, came out of eatery to discover a pool of coolant under car! Called mobile mechanic to diagnose what the problems was who quoted me £500 for new radiator (fitted). In the meantime added some Radweld to coolant which seemed to have no effect whatsoever. Decided to get a second opinion from the usual garage I used for my BMW E30 who said they couldn't find a leak so thought it may be the head gasket (x2) being a V6 (£1600-1700 to repair). Although no mayo under the oil cap as I checked?? So, to summarise, car still not fixed after 6 month of ownership and I have a radiator that I'm sure will eventually fail and to top it off some little sh*t decided to key the car from front to back just to make my day! I'm still waiting for the Jag ownership to get better!!! Shaun

Ok - so update from previous. Car went back to gearbox specialist who advise me that to cure the rumble would be a software update. Not convinced to be honest...don't really understand how a software update can cure, what seems to be a mechanical fault? Anyway, a week or so later go and pick car up, apparently all sorted, test driven etc, etc so take it as gospel and drive tentatively away. So get to about 30-40mph and hear the sound again. Thought maybe I'm just being over sensitive and hearing things! Following day prove to myself I'm not mad as this time hear it clearly and can make it do it again at will. Call garage again who tell me it was fine when it left them, shocker! ...so it's going back again (3rd time) next week and I have asked that the torque converter is looked at again as although they say they have replaced this I think it could be faulty. Lets hope third time lucky!!

I'll get the exhaust mountings checked etc but that wouldn't account for the change in rpm at the same time the rumble occurs. If it was the diff or bearings then the whine would be constant, albeit louder or faster depending on your speed, which it isn't. This is what makes me think it's the torque converter. Appreciate all of the advice. Cheers S

Malcolm I had a feeling that it would be the torque converter. As much as I like the S-Type I'm regretting buying the !Removed! thing at the moment. Thanks for letting me know. Cheers

Malcolm Would appreciate your comments on this once you have spoken to the Jag specialist. To be honest I've had nothing but trouble with the car since I bought it so to get this resolved would be a big relief. At the moment I feel like getting rid of it. Cheers Shaun

Peter I'll check the exhaust mounts but what about the rpm issue, as this only seems to happen at the same time as the noise? Cheers

Ok...so story so far...bough car then within a few weeks of ownership had reconditioned gearbox at a cost of £2500 due to rumbling sound coming from rear. Assumed knackered gearbox, torque converter etc. Have had the car back for a few weeks now and the rumbling seems to be still there. Oddly it seems to only be when under light acceleration and between 30-50mph (as before). Also, the rpm seems to go up by approx. 250 rpm then drop back down then go up, then back down etc, etc at the same time as the rumbling noise occurs. Is there a simple explanation for this or has anyone come across this before. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Shaun

Ok. Problem solved. Phone work, get engineer out who then removes filler cap with brute force. (my attempts must have loosened it!) Walk to Halfords and buy Ford fitment locking filler cap. Job done. Hopefully the Jag will now stop kicking me in the teeth at every possible opportunity now!! Just the parking sensors to tackle or possibly disconnect now... Thanks to all for assistance. Sure I'll be asking more questions soon...

Is there any way to release it from the inside of the car??