After doing a lot of maintenance, coolant flush, transmission fluid change, oil change, e-diff fluid change, brake fluid flush, remote top installation, complete paint correction and detail, etc, etc, I thought I would drive up/down the driveway a few times to stretch it's legs. At a sharp left or right turn at very slow speed going down hill from a stop I get a lot of shudder. I also had a similar sensation a few times in my 2013 XKR when I bought it new. My car only has 14.000 miles on it. I searched the form but nothing obvious showed up. The sensation feels and sounds like a build up and release of pressure over a moving part.

 

Very common, and many threads in here already about it. Some say it was alleviated with the E-diff fluid changed, others have stated that the fix was replacing the power steering fluid. Still others say It's the Nature of the Beast.

 

Thanks Cee Jay. It's definitely not the e-diff and has something to do with the front towers. The e-diff shudder is something else. I experienced it only a few times on my 2013 when I got it. I've also experienced it on the 2013 MB SLK55 AMG I had. I'm thinking it is experienced more on performance oriented cars and is common. I have the XKR-S upgraded knuckles.

 

I think its because not getting used , i moved mine the other day it felt really stiff coming from front end . well done in getting all that work done

 

I'll check the power steering fluid...my next fluid change, lol.

 

Aw, I getcha. I had a car that did that because the brakes hadn't seated in yet. I did some drive-cycles and it went away. Not saying that's YOUR problem, but it was mine. Same thing; downhill and a slow sharp corner.
Also sorta the same, I had a bad bushing on one of the upper control arms on an older car years ago. I know not really a thing nowadays, but it could also be a lower bushing.

 

My 2012 XK does it every day. Freaked me out at first, now I don't even really notice it.

 

Mine has done it ever since I got it a 100,000 miles ago.

 

Must be a common thing with these cars. I checked the power steering fluid and all good. I remember when I first experienced the sensation when I got my new 2013. It felt like I drove over a rock or something broke. My daughter was with me and asked, "what's that". The cold weather may also be adding to it. Another 6 to 8 weeks to go before it comes out from the garage. You guys in the south make be want to move.

 

Come out for a visit. I've got plenty of cars you can use.

 

This is an interesting thread. My car seems to have a similar "low speed shudder/groan while decelerating and turning" too. At first I thought "oh boy, here's that hidden damage-used car-front end collision-thing you fear you missed at the used car lot." I checked if maybe the rack and pinion was stripped at the far ends but it looks ok. But then I got to thinking it might be the CATS system fussing with the front shocks in some tough math problem trying to reconcile the position it should be in with all the variables being thrown at it. Maybe the 50000 previous miles weren't helping? So that is why I got new shocks. I've only driven it once since I installed them and have been more focused on the brake bed-in process to analyze if the shocks resolved my shudder problem.

But if it ever stops raining here on a day off... I'll let you know if it helped mine. ; )

 

It is my opinion that it is a mixture of the car trying to provide maximum power steering at low speed and a pump sized to be efficient at higher RPM not being able to provide enough uumph at the lowest of RPM's.
All it takes I the extra load causing a slight engine RPM drop and it kicks in. When I changed the fuel filter on my car four years ago the amount this would happen reduced a lot.

I believe that just a light touch of the throttle would keep you from experiencing the issue.

 

This problem seems to be a part of the DNA in our cars. I'm sure Jaguar is well aware of it. If there's a solution it would be nice to know.

I'd rather have your rain than the east coast cold. Like you, I never drive my XKR in the rain or bad weather.

 

An educated guess would say it might be a combination of several things.
I'll assume you have thoroughly inspected your suspension for worn parts.

Shallow tread depth? (Tires not flexing)
Cold tires? (again no flexing of the tread)
Incorrect tire pressure? (over inflated?)
Incorrect toe settings? (too little or too much toe?)

Just pondering out loud....
Vince

 

1 through 3 conditions are absolutely checked. 1. Tread depth is getting low (original tires). 2. -8 Celius, 3. Tires over inflated for winter storage (40lbs). 4. I noticed uneven tread wear. Left side front and back wearing on inside more than outside.

 

It’s called the Ackerman effect and is totally normal. It’s worse in the cold weather.

 

Interesting. Thanks.

 

My XK 5.0 has it also. I believe it`s worse with 20" wheels and with cold temperatures.

bernd

 

Could you explain further?
My Z06's tires scrub like mad in tight turns even on a summer day.
You can feel the grip tighten and release as the tires go past their peak grip from the scrub, then as they slip and release the tension they move back into peak grip again.
This does cause what you might call a shake, it is very distinctive and only in extremely low grip conditions for my tires do I ever find this in my XK.

I do not believe this is the same as the power steering shudder the X150 has.
I could be wrong.

 

I don't get this on my tarmac drive but do as soon as I get onto my block paved road.

Only ever in cold conditions...not that it get's too cold here and I've only seen minus temps half a dozen times in 15 months