1990 Jaguar Xjs

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 JAGUAR XJS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS ARE NOT LOCKING INTO PLACE. THE CONTACT STATED PREVIOUSLY THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SEAT BELTS FOR HER VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PART TO REPAIR THE SEAT BELT AND THAT IS ON BACKORDER WITH NO ESTIMATED TIME. THERE HAD BEEN NO REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157000. UPDATED 03/02/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAS DEVELOPED AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM. IT DOES NOT LOCK INTO PLACE, IT KEEPS RATCHETING BACK AND FORTH, WHICH WEARS DOWN THE BATTERY. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS TO PULL THE FUSE TO DISABLE IT, WHICH RENDERS THE SEAT BELT INEFFECTIVE . THE CONSUMER STATED THE PARTS HAVE BEEN ON BACKORDER FOR OVER A YEAR. UPDATED 03/09/11

FUEL TANK DEVELOPED LEAK. WEB SEARCH REVEALED THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM. CAUSE IS EITHER TANK PUNCTURE BY CONTACT WITH RIVET OVER TIME OR A REAR WINDOW LEAK ALLOWING WATER INTRUSION. WATER SATURATES FOAM ON WHICH TANK RESTS AND CORRODES METAL FROM OUTSIDE. PASSENGER CABIN IS CONTAMINATED WITH FUMES UNLESS WINDOWS ARE CLOSED AND FAN IS ON. TRUNC CONTAINS BOTH LIQUID AND FUMES IN THE AREA OF THE BATTERY AND ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP.

THE JAGUAR XJS V12 FROM MID 1989-ON, EQUIPPED WITH MARELLI IGNITION HAS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR THAT RESULTS IN LOSS OF IGNITION ON THE RIGHT BANK OF CYLINDERS. THE MOTOR CONTINUES TO RUN ON THE 6 LEFT BANK CYLINDERS, AND UNBURNED FUEL PASSES THROUGH THE RIGHT HAND CYLINDERS, AND IGNITES IN THE HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER, RESULTING IN A FIRE THAT LEADS TO THE TOTAL LOSS OF THE CAR. THIS PHENOMENON HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN DEPTH ON THE FORUM "XJ-S@JAG-LOVERS.ORG" AND DETAILS CAN BE EXTRACTED FROM THE SEARCHABLE XJ-S ARCHIVES AT WWW.JAG-LOVERS.ORG ENGINEERS IN THE DISCUSSION FORUM HAVE ANALYZED FAILED PARTS AND DETERMINED THAT THE MARELLI-TYPE DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR BURNS THROUGH AND ARCS TO GROUND THE CURRENT FOR THE RIGHT SIDE BANK OF CYLINDERS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS AND COSTLY SITUATION, AND SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. WWW.COPART.COM, THE INSURANCE SALVAGE SITE, TYPICALLY LISTS SEVERAL FIRE DAMAGED XJSS PER MONTH. INSURANCE COMPANIES AND JAGUAR DEALERS CAN SUBSTANTIATE THE NUMBER OF FIRES THAT HAVE OCCURED, BUT THEY MAY NEVER HAVE INVESTIGATED THE CAUSE OF THESE FIRES, SINCE THE VEHICLES ARE USUALLY DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS AND SOLD FOR SALVAGE. THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE MARELLI-TYPE ROTOR. ORIGINAL OR AFTERMARKET DOES NOT SEEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THIS PROBLEM IS SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM ENGINE FIRES IN EARLIER XJS CARS THAT WERE CAUSED BY AN ARCING HIGH TENSION IGINITION WIRE, OR FROM OLDER XJS CARS THAT HAVE ENGINE FIRES DUE TO DETERIORATION OF FUEL INJECTION HOSES. I HOPE THAT NHTSA WILL DEVOTE SOME RESOURCES TO INVESTIGATING THIS.