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When my 07 XK was still under warranty , I brought it to Wilde Jaguar in Sarasota , Florida and was given an 09 XF as a loaner. I noticed the dash seemed to be 'bubbling' . When I returned the car I told the service rep and he said that they all do that and the dealership was constantly replacing dashboards
He seemed to think it was because the cars were parked outside all day in the Florida sun
I live in Naples, and I have a repair shop who specializes in Jaguar upholstery down here who leaves the dashboard intact, but rather pulls the windshield and reapplies the right glue to keep it from peeling back up. The vents will break upon removing them in order to re upholstery the dash, but I found someone on eBay selling them. My 2010 XKR had the same problem and the repair is flawless
Wow, so they did it without removing the windshield??
From what he's explained to me via email, he's trying to sell them to Jaguar as an OEM part. In the interim, he's making them from original casts in a silicone mold, but is trying to generate revenue with retail sales to move up to a steel mold. I have a dashboard with slight bubbling around my center speaker.My upholstery shop down here in Florida does not pull the dash,but rather the windshield to gain forwards access to the dash. He has done many XK/XKR dashboard fixes, and last month showed me this individuals vents (how I found him)while repairing a customer's dash with this very same problem. He also explained the substandard glue used by Jaguar is also a big reason why the dash peels. He uses a more heat resistant glue when he reapplies the dash cover. This upholstery shop charges 1200.00 for the dash repair which include new defrost vents. I think he said he paid 500.00 for them. It's still cheaper than a new dash and the 6 hours labor for removal and install of the dash. I just want to be clear, I'm not selling them, but rather in a similar boat as most of you after reading this thread and just wanted to share what I've learned about this common dilemma we all share.
What was the cost at Encore Vinyl & Leather Repair in San Antonio.
Originally Posted by Old Radar
$85.00 Still looks perfect today!
Originally Posted by Queen and Country
Wow, so they did it without removing the windshield??
Yes. The whole operation took about an hour and I sat in the passenger seat while he did it. Included in the process, he stretched, re-glued and stapled the leather around the glove compartment. (he moved to the passenger seat for that part...)
But remember, this repair was for the leather coming out above the center console vent--not at the windshield.
I don't have that issue with mine (yet) just around the center speaker cover. I'm guessing for this particular fix,they just removed the center A/C vents?
Interested in the pictures and more importantly the process. Somewhere in this thread, the process using steam also followed up with immediate application of leather conditioner to preserve the look and feel.
Thanks.
^^^ any warranty goes to point "a" not "b". It is covered under the original factory warranty but no extended warranty be it select or any other, ever ever covers trim items. But like like i also said, sometimes there goodwill to be had if original purchaser, bought new at that dealer and get everything done there, but its not a given, depends on dealer, and more so the jaguar rep that makes the decision. We tried because the one we had's warranty just expired. Unfortunatly, had purchased the car used from somewhere else(non jag dealer) and hadnt had the that car long.
I remember in the 70's in highschool and a shop teacher telling us that if you purchased all the parts to build a then $5000 car. The parts would run well over a $100,000!!! Do know the factory charges dealers more because theyre under contract to purchased those parts
its all supply and demand in this free trade economy, they supply and they demand
Brutal, I understand the finite terms of warranties, however, I think most here are considering this specific dash issue with these specific model year cars to be classified more as either manufacturer defect or defective workmanship. On a previously owned Ford and Toyota, I had vehicles repaired for brakes and camshafts respectively outside of factory warranty because in both cases the dealer acknowledged that their product did not perform as they intended and both vehicles were repaired for me at no charge. I don't think the question is warranty at all.
You're right, it's not about the warranty because it expired and no longer exists. Your Ford and Toyota dealers covered those out-of-warranty repairs as a customer accommodation. If Ford and Toyota issued Technical Service Bulletins about those repairs, those dealers could have been reimbursed for both parts and labor by those manufacturers even though those vehicles were out of warranty.
Always ask your Jaguar dealer for a copy of any TSB that applies to your problem. That will tell you how many hours of labor will be reimbursed by the factory, so you'll know if you're being overcharged.
brutal, i understand the finite terms of warranties, however, i think most here are considering this specific dash issue with these specific model year cars to be classified more as either manufacturer defect or defective workmanship. On a previously owned ford and toyota, i had vehicles repaired for brakes and camshafts respectively outside of factory warranty because in both cases the dealer acknowledged that their product did not perform as they intended and both vehicles were repaired for me at no charge. I don't think the question is warranty at all.
im sure if jaguar wasnt such a boutique car line and sold as many as ford and toyota the situation might be different. But im not in that position. But then jaguar would not be so unique and desirable if they were on every corner like a 7-11. Thats dashes never use to pull, why? Because they were not a decomposing leather back then that shrinks. Why do asians cover themselves with umbrellas when not raining? Because they know that the sun damages their skin and prematurely ages them. Much like a dash is exposed too. That and tan asians are considered laborers and field workers, lower class. Wealth and beauty is white and creamy. That sun(uva/uvb) makes that leather dry and shrink even faster. I see a ton of cars with unopened leather care conditioner bottles all the time in the trunks never used, kinda like using sunscreen, only works when you use it just my observations lol
Always ask your Jaguar dealer for a copy of any TSB that applies to your problem. That will tell you how many hours of labor will be reimbursed by the factory, so you'll know if you're being overcharged.
Stuart
Stuart that is the contracted warranty times not out of warranty times for customers or ext warranty companies. Most of the time theyre not even enough time to do the job
An owner of a $100k luxury car is expected to be able to afford to replace the luxury items.
A guy that buys a luxury car used is expected to be resourceful enough to find an upholstery shop.
The problem occurs when people want to think they brought the used car from Jaguar, they did not. Someone else made money on that, not Jaguar.
Ford and Toyota replaced the brakes and camshafts because life is not a luxury item. And both are under observation from authorities for ignoring life risks.
Last edited by Queen and Country; 11-07-2019 at 04:38 PM.
Queen and Country,
I would normally agree with you on this, however, not this time. The reason the leather "shrinkage" occurs is as a result of a shortcut taken in manufacturing that replaced stapling and anchoring with glueing. And Jaguar is aware of the large number of owners, both purchasers from Jaguar and others who have had a problem with this issue. My aunt has a base model 2007 Toyota Sienna minivan, a car that cost about a third of our cars' original cost. Last year, when the car was already 11 years old, she received a letter from Toyota saying that they were aware of premature cracking of the dashes in the Sienna and would replace the whole dash at no cost if desired. Hers was not affected or cracked so she didn't do anything, however, the fact that Toyota was willing to back an 11 year old car, well out of warranty, was highly impressive. If Jaguar wants to build a reputation for quality and service, they need to step up as well.
I am planning to get my dash sorted soon but can't find anyone locally who is prepared to try stretching and refixing the existing leather so it looks like I will have to get it recovered.
They also recommend using vinyl rather than leather as it is less likely to have the same issue. The sample they showed me looks identical to what is already on the dash so I will probably go with their recommendation.
An owner of a $100k luxury car is expected to be able to afford to replace the luxury items.
A guy that buys a luxury car used is expected to be resourceful enough to find an upholstery shop.
The problem occurs when people want to think they brought the used car from Jaguar, they did not. Someone else made money on that, not Jaguar.
Ford and Toyota replaced the brakes and camshafts because life is not a luxury item. And both are under observation from authorities for ignoring life risks.
Not sure that the fact that one can easily afford an exotic or luxury auto affixes an expectation of accepting sub-standard design, engineering or workmanship. What would be the point of forums like this if the default was to take it to the Jaguar dealer and pay whatever the cost? While a Toyota or Ford auto may not qualify as "exotic" one only has to research racing and auto engineering track records to see that Toyota, in particular holds it's own against all auto marques, regardless the cost. Which makes it more impressive when they openly acknowledge and remedy design or workmanship defects even on cars years out of warranty. The fact that a dash, timing chain or other tech questions are raised on forums is because many have not defaulted to dealership resolution regardless of their financial means to do so.
One of the two paths below is both more profitable and the right way to do business:
a. sell millions of cheap high margin molded vinyl dashes, and reimburse the 5% who complain about them cracking.
b. sell few thousand ultra expensive stitched leather dashes that wont even pay for the tooling let alone any reimbursements.
Sadly the answer is A.
Thats why we have a sea of ubiquitous characterless Camrys (I have one)
But a Jaguar owner is someone who is willing to risk minor niggles for a higher gain.
Ironically, it is the very trade-off between vinyl anything, (furniture, clothing) and real leather.
This is not a manufacturing defect, design flaw, or even shortcut. They have never heard of dash shrinking in Europe. And the finest leather is assembled without staples.
Its just par for the course of a low volume boutique product untested in all climates....
That's what baffles me about most Jaguar owners...If you look at brands such as the 911 or anything Ferrari makes, cracked heads under 100k miles is an accepted downside to low production, as is all plastic interior- which fades, and they increase in valve.
The XK is a supernova in design by even the standards of a Subaru if only a trip to the upholsterer is required.
I think people dont realize Jaguar is a smaller outfit than Porsche and Ferrari.
I finally got my car back over the weekend after having the dash repaired. It was away for nearly two weeks unfortunately because one of the defrost vents snapped in half when the trimmer tried to lever it out.
The vents are actually two parts that clip together and once the trimmer had snapped the end off the first one they disassembled the whole of the underside of the dash fittings to pop the retaining lugs as they couldn't see any way to do it otherwise. As you can see from this picture the upper vent snaps in to the lower half and is retained by the tabs.
Once the dash was back with my mechanic, he said that we couldn't possibly put it back in with the cracked vent so offered to send it away to get plastic welded.
He managed to get the broken one back out again using a welding rod with a small hook bent in to it and pushed the hook between the two halves of the vent (the side nearest the driver rather than the windscreen side) and popped each connector one by one until it was all free. I am really impressed with the results and am glad I waited.
The trimmer had initially said that they weren't prepared to glue down the existing leather because it had shrunk and would just pull off again but when I went to have a word with them once the dash was out they said it didn't look as bad as they expected so would give it a go if I wanted. I would much rather have the factory leather than replacement vinyl so gave them the go-ahead.
The leather looks as good as new so I am really pleased that they were able to reuse it.
It had popped on the passenger side before I bought the car then the drivers side popped this year and got bad quite quickly.
Looks great. Hopefully, your trimmer stapled the edges down and around the center speaker to anchor the leather permanently, otherwise it will be happening again. It's been six years since I had my leather restretched and stapled, and it looks just like the day we did it. Congratulations on getting yours done.
08-26-2019, 07:48 PM
No need to pull dashboard for repair
