Hi All, my 2013 XF 81,000 miles recently had a steering malfunction and caused me to crash into a highway center divider wall. The driver side control arm sheared into 2 and caused me to lose control of the car. The left wheel came unconnected to the control arm and turned outwards, sticking out, almost perpindicular to the car. This caused the car to be pulled hard left into the center wall at 60 miles an hour.
Has anyone heard of this type of malfunction on Jaguars?
Thanks
Steve

 

Jesus,... Jag3x I know we are coplete strangers on these forums, and many of us have never met in person, but still.... when you relate details like this to someone, you've GOT TO LET US KNOW FIRST : ARE YOU ALIVE AND INTACT, after that????!!. No eye knocked out your socket (Sammi Davis Jr lost his eye exactly that way, in a car crash impact). All 10 fingers and toes running well, no skin grafts, and you're not writing this from a full-body cast in the hospital.
Many of us know how to care.

I've heard and seen that sort of disconnection with the wheel before, and it's going to take a trusted mechanic to tell you WHY is likely happened. Rusting-through? Metal fatigue? But I don't recall hearing this happen excessively on a Jaguar, if that's what you mean.

Did you buy this car 2nd hand, or has it been yours and yours alone for X-years? Some of us peek under our car's skirt incessantly. And when we spot the slightest sign of rusty-looking metal somewhere, it freaks us out and we rush to remedy it. Some of us follow experts' advice not to bother with a little rust, and we leave the spot for decades.

Did you figure the details of this crash, or did you mechanic give you that detailed conclusion about the failure?

 

Thanks for asking, I suffered a concussion and whiplash, still suffering from dizzy spells and some ptsd though. Ive had MRI of head and neck and fortunately nothing that requires surgery.
The wheel acted like a bumper when I got pulled into the wall so it took the hit.
The only answer I get is the metal sheered, definitely Not a common occurance. It wasnt rusty at all. I did purchase the car used in 2017 with 49K miles on it.

 

Here in the UK, we have a roadworthiness test which is mandatory for all cars over 3 years old regardless of mileage. Do you have such in the US ? The suspension of the XF is double wishbone. Both wishbones, (US=control arms), are of forged aluminium, with both having a steel ball joint at the apex of the wishbone. I have seen an old Japanese SUV here in my village with one of the front wheels at a peculiar angle because the shaft of the bottom ball joint had fractured. The ball part of these joints rotates in a cup with grease inside and protected by a rubber boot. If the boot splits, water and grit enters and over time can cause the joint to seize, or at least try to seize, The steering action then can apply such force as to snap the shaft of the balljoint. I suspect this has happened to you. Have you had the car properly serviced and examined for safety items since your ownership started ?

 

Fraser, I sorely WISH we had such mandatory re-testing and rechecking of vehicle worthiness here in the US. I watch the UK's enforcement and patrol of driving in even the smallest townships, and I cry with envy. The UK is champion in both its testing, AND its penalizing of folks who don't take the requirements seriously.

Here in the US, I think most cities (and some townships) only have insurance practices that "dwindle" their coverage of person's owning the same car for more than 10 years (as encouragement to dispose of your vehicle rather than continue to drive a car that authorities ASSUME you likely have not been maintaining to full road-worthiness).
Apart from that small prejudice, we owners are left on our own to struggle to be conscientious with our cars' health and economical with our finances at the same time. Difficult struggle.

 

Have a look on here around 2 minutes 23 seconds - wheel at extreme angle.


Lots of horror stories on this channel that we haven't seen in the UK for decades.

 

NewLester de Rocin, congrats on fearlessly showing the human emotion of empathy in this world that seems to want to pull away from that connection! I bow to your gentlemanly decency!

Jag3x / Steve, wow, I must be a bit of a selfish cad because I assumed you were all right, and then read the toll on you. Get better, and if you weren't thinking this, it's something that my cousin's doctor husband told her after she had been T-boned at a four-way country road stop....do your best to get back in the saddle so you don't let any doubts and fears interupt your previous confidence behind the wheel. I am wondering if this car spent some or all its time in the rust belt based on NewLester's comment.

And Fraser Mitchell / Jag3x, SO TRUE that the US needs stricter vehicle inspections along the lines of an MOT, but that's the kind of thing left to the state. New York State, where I reside, is typically more strict about various things, yet the NYS inspection is laughable....lights work, horn works, brakes checked by removing a wheel, wiper works, tires not worn..... The Beverly Hillbilles 1920 Oldsmobile truck could pass that requirement, and then collapse on the highway going 40 MPH in 70 MPH traffic.

Thanks for allowing me to indulge in pet peeve commentary that take us away from the original topic....

 

Have you yet found what failed on the suspension ?