Hello from South Africa!
#1
08-28-2012, 03:13 PM
Hello from South Africa!
2003 X400 - 3.0L V6
Hi Guys,
So finally decided that I will get nothing out of this forum by not subscribing. haha, glad I did! Members are most helpful!
Ok, so I'm 22 and stay in Cape Town, South Africa. Dad has a silver 2003 X400 - 3.0 V6. He actually bought it off the Safe House movie with Denzel Washington. Apparently they had 6 cars (I think) and trashed 4 of them. There were two left, the one my dad bought and one kitted out with roll cage etc. I'm honestly not a huge fan of the car. I was very dissapointed the first time I drove in it (Sorry, just being honest no offence guys) but maybe it's because he also has a 1998 E39 540I BMW. The Jag is not soft and quiet like the BM, but then again I suppose it was acutally abused in the movie. I must say the X400 IS an amazingly good looking car. It sounds good too. But its very plastic and road noise is higher that I expected. But enough of that. A few months after we bought it, there were/are 5 issues.
1) The battery light comes on and doesnt go out.
2) The car does not idle properly from cold and sometimes has to be restarted.
3) There is a scraping noise when turning sharp right.
4) Sports mode seems either not to work, or it is actually stuck in sports mode.
5) Gearbox Fault, and when putting your foot down more thna usual, would seem to hit neutral between 2nd and 3rd, and then SLAM into 3rd with a scary neck ripping jerk.
These are outstanding issues!
Ok, so I guess i don't like the car because it has all these problems.
We found out 3 is the whole suspension arm thingy that the back wheel is on, is bent. (Probably from all the drifting etc) It touches the wheel when cornering.
We found out - after we were TOLD that the gearbox is shot and needs to be replaced. We were told something like R75 000 + - $10 000. I suggested to my dad we replace the oil as it must be filthy. It was brown. We were told we can only use expensive Jag oil. I found Castrol meeting Ford specs, and it is fine up to now and actually runs better. The Castrol was less than half the price. Anyway, landed up seeing a few joins under the taped up gearbox plug. There was a broken wire which runs a sensor in the gearbox. Gearbox needs this sensor to change smoothly. Hence the jerking. Soldered it up and tadaa! Gearbox fault gone. I have a HUGE hunch that the wiring landed up being caught in the pully and it sliced the wires, hence all the joining. Anyway, lesson learnt was start with the simple things and don't think the worst. It seems the Jag engine bays get extremely hot, and the wiring is so close to heat and is not the best protected, so check that first.
Anyway I hope that was ok for my intro, long, i know.
Hi Guys,
So finally decided that I will get nothing out of this forum by not subscribing. haha, glad I did! Members are most helpful!
Ok, so I'm 22 and stay in Cape Town, South Africa. Dad has a silver 2003 X400 - 3.0 V6. He actually bought it off the Safe House movie with Denzel Washington. Apparently they had 6 cars (I think) and trashed 4 of them. There were two left, the one my dad bought and one kitted out with roll cage etc. I'm honestly not a huge fan of the car. I was very dissapointed the first time I drove in it (Sorry, just being honest no offence guys) but maybe it's because he also has a 1998 E39 540I BMW. The Jag is not soft and quiet like the BM, but then again I suppose it was acutally abused in the movie. I must say the X400 IS an amazingly good looking car. It sounds good too. But its very plastic and road noise is higher that I expected. But enough of that. A few months after we bought it, there were/are 5 issues.
1) The battery light comes on and doesnt go out.
2) The car does not idle properly from cold and sometimes has to be restarted.
3) There is a scraping noise when turning sharp right.
4) Sports mode seems either not to work, or it is actually stuck in sports mode.
5) Gearbox Fault, and when putting your foot down more thna usual, would seem to hit neutral between 2nd and 3rd, and then SLAM into 3rd with a scary neck ripping jerk.
These are outstanding issues!
Ok, so I guess i don't like the car because it has all these problems.
We found out 3 is the whole suspension arm thingy that the back wheel is on, is bent. (Probably from all the drifting etc) It touches the wheel when cornering.
We found out - after we were TOLD that the gearbox is shot and needs to be replaced. We were told something like R75 000 + - $10 000. I suggested to my dad we replace the oil as it must be filthy. It was brown. We were told we can only use expensive Jag oil. I found Castrol meeting Ford specs, and it is fine up to now and actually runs better. The Castrol was less than half the price. Anyway, landed up seeing a few joins under the taped up gearbox plug. There was a broken wire which runs a sensor in the gearbox. Gearbox needs this sensor to change smoothly. Hence the jerking. Soldered it up and tadaa! Gearbox fault gone. I have a HUGE hunch that the wiring landed up being caught in the pully and it sliced the wires, hence all the joining. Anyway, lesson learnt was start with the simple things and don't think the worst. It seems the Jag engine bays get extremely hot, and the wiring is so close to heat and is not the best protected, so check that first.
Anyway I hope that was ok for my intro, long, i know.
Last edited by jagx400; 08-28-2012 at 03:23 PM.
#2
08-28-2012, 05:28 PM
Welcome to the forum jagx400,
Great intro now you've made it here by a roundabout route through the X-Type section.
One or two issues with the X400 but perhaps understandable given the first owner was not one careful driver.
I see you're already getting good advice in the X-Type section so no need for me to give you the link. Remember to add vehicle details to your Signature to help others to give relevant advice. Go to the User ID button on the left of the top menu bar, then Settings & Options under Your Control Panel. Select Edit Signature and enter the details.
Enjoy the forum.
Graham
Great intro now you've made it here by a roundabout route through the X-Type section.
One or two issues with the X400 but perhaps understandable given the first owner was not one careful driver.
I see you're already getting good advice in the X-Type section so no need for me to give you the link. Remember to add vehicle details to your Signature to help others to give relevant advice. Go to the User ID button on the left of the top menu bar, then Settings & Options under Your Control Panel. Select Edit Signature and enter the details.
Enjoy the forum.
Graham
#3
08-28-2012, 07:18 PM
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#4
08-28-2012, 08:19 PM
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