Hollywood Hills curvy roads wear you out. I know they have to be wrong.. I will post back once I drive another 2004 - 2007 xj8 or Vanden Plas...

 

Our '04 XJR is definitely not difficult to steer under any condition or at any speed, so something must be malfunctioning. Did the mechanics test drive your car under the same conditions where you're experiencing the stiffness?

 

Thanks.. they don't want my business because they know I'm too smart to price gouge... could putting it on the lift have messed up the rear air shock? Anyway testing for steering issue guy is almost doing donut and I tell him to chill out I don't want to break anything else.. the they seem pissed when I bring it back because air deflector was loose on back right..

Anyway, when cold, stopped, power steering really easy, once warm, it gets stiffer and whines... that's power steering pump wearing out right?

 

Back of car suspension on bump stops but no air suspension fault light.. I don't hear air leaking... front is good. Just changed front air shock then noticed back left corner was lower... now on bump stops... could it be anything else but shocks...

 

Actually I don't hear compressor working either... no fault light though...

 

Which shop was this? I'm in the Los Angeles area also so I'm very curious. I know there's not many Jag shops in LA.

If you're near North Hollywood, I can recommend Jack at North Hollywood Auto Repair. Him and his guys are the only mechanics I've ever trusted, more than any Jag specialist I've ever been to.

Also regarding steering, this car has the lightest easiest steering of any car I've ever driven and anyone who gets behind the wheel agrees. So resistance of any kind is definitely NOT normal.

 

Thanks a million...

 

Absolute on Hoover... said steering was normal..

Steves Jaguar in Canoga said steering was normal and he starts circling crazy, they leave bottom hanging, and now I have leaking rear air shock, ignore me in office, and seem mad I want the bottom plate secure.. bad vibes..

Both mechanics say iv driven tons of jags it's normal.. Steve turns ignition off while I'm driving and says .. that's no power steering...

Bad vibes both places...

 

If you do go there, tell Jack that Jon Robinson sent you!

 

I've been to Steve's before. Years and years ago for a throttle body sensor issue. It took multiple trips for them to figure out the problem. I wasn't impressed with them and never went back.

Then I found what used to be Exclusive Jaguar on Venice, and I was very pleased with them until the new complete moron owner came along. He and his new crew were such idiots, it inspired me to finally get down and dirty and start doing my own maintenance and wrenching. But once in a while there's a job that's too big for me, and Jack at Noho Auto Repair comes through every time. They are 100% honest and reliable and recommend them to anyone who will listen.

 

Thank you. I know I'm not crazy... I know what power steering is supposed to be... I have at least 200,000 miles of road I have traveled in my life... these places don't want my business because they can tell I am too smart to trick.. I will keep them in mind if these new guys I am trying mess up too...

I am pretty sure power steering pump is going out because after it warms up steering starts to fade even parked...

Thanks for the info...

 

Why no air suspension fault even though rear is sitting on bumpstops... did hard reset but nothing changed... Compressor not running... could relay be shot or compressor just toast from driving it a lot with major air leak... still don't know why no fault light... thanks...

 

Hi rocknrollteddy,

There are lots of existing threads on similar air suspension symptoms. Search the forum to see what has already been reported and resolved by others. If you are still not able to resolve your problems, please start a new thread on your air suspension issues. It's helpful to keep topics like suspension issues and steering issues separate for the sake of clarity.

Thanks,

Don

 

Solenoid was 8 ohms... it might be good, but no way to know for sure... do you think a weak power steering pump could be causing the problem.. once it warms up, even parked, with solenoid all the way open or closed (whichever position makes full assist), it gets stiffer...

It seems like if solenoid was sticking it wouldn't open and close so consistently at 9 - 13 mph...

Maybe if there were more pressure, the solenoid would open and close better???

I have the workshop manual but it is over 6000 pages and impossible for me to find the info I need..

I guess I should replace pump and go from there?? I don't want to keep throwing money at diagnostics with no real answers...

It does have a whining sound sometimes after warmup....

Fully cold, parked it works good..., but at 9mph it definitely all of a sudden goes to default stiff steering...

On a curvy road the steering is heavy...

Or maybe I'll try to find another mechanic.. 2 mechanics have already argued that it is normal, but I know they are wrong...

I have a 2004 vanden plas, which is basically identical as the 2004 xj8.. x350 chassis...

 

Also, in the servotronic info you posted I thought it said if signal was lost during driving solenoid would stay where it was at until next startup... if I unplug the sensor while running, parked, will it stay full assist?

Maybe I will try that sometime.

 

The resistance of the solenoid certainly seems close enough to 7.5 ohms, and the behavior you describe seems to indicate the solenoid is functioning.

Have a look at the thread at the link below, in which members have mentioned that the strainer/filter in the PS fluid reservoir can become obstructed, or the low-pressure hose from the reservoir to the pump can collapse under suction, leading to low pressure in the system:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...sducer-149078/

If you are using the CD or DVD version of the manual, I agree that it is more difficult to find things than it should be. I gave up on my DVD and am using the pdf manual available free from this forum. I use Adobe Acrobat Reader's search function to find things (Hold either the Ctrl or Cmd key and press the letter F to bring up the search window). You can download the pdf manual free at these links:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/md...f+contents.pdf
http://www.mediafire.com/download/aa...nformation.pdf
http://www.mediafire.com/download/n3...2.+Chassis.pdf
http://www.mediafire.com/download/9b...Powertrain.pdf
http://www.mediafire.com/download/0i...Electrical.pdf
http://www.mediafire.com/download/4j...+and+Paint.pdf


I'm with you - I hate replacing parts that don't resolve the issue, so check out the other possibilities referenced in the thread linked above.

Cheers,

Don

 

Any update on solving this problem

 

If the car steers hard when the solenoid is unplugged then I don't know.

The way VAPS works is fail safe. If the VAPS has a problem the default is full assist regardless of the speed.

From your other descriptions it sounds like you might have a P/S pump problem? The pump is common and cheap because all Jaguar 4.2L SC and NA engines as well as all Lincoln LS 3.9L from 2000-2006 use the same pump. I find it's about $60-$95 depending on where you get it. I think the same pump is also used on the Jaguar 4.0L but have not been able to confirm that.

Maybe change the pump first and see what changes? Pumps are not a known problem but after all these years and miles it may need replacing.
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Default is least assist.. if signal fails, it's like unplugging sensor, right.. Unplugged is least assist.. works good parked... review engine changes nothing..

 

Well maybe on the XJ but on the S Type it will always default to full boost.
Maybe one area where they differ.
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