A
personal experience of owning a 2003 Jaguar S-Type with a
LURCHING ZF Gearbox
TheLurch
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My Personal
Experience of the ZF automatic gearbox LURCH on my Jaguar S-Type
My S-Type's
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All about The ZF Lurch
- Lurching from my Jaguar S-Type's
ZF 6sp Automatic Gearbox (6HP26).
Description of Lurching Jaguar ZF
Transmission (6HP26) fault that I experience :
Variant 1 : The
Lurch we experience occurs when you bring the
car to a halt in a smooth manner by braking very
gently and letting the car come very smoothly
to rest. Just before the car has come to a complete
rest a little lurch like somebody has gently nudged
the car occurs. It feels like a gear is being
engaged or disengaged just before coming to rest.
This can vary in intensity from a very slight
nudge to a powerful jump that rocks the car.
Variant 2 : In
addition, when you slow very gently to a creeping
halt without actually stopping and then gently
try to accelerate - there is a slight hesitation
when the engine revs higher, then the gearbox
engages the drive wheels with a jolt. This varies
from a harsh jolt to snatchy.
Background :
I wrote to Mr. Joseph Greenwell, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, of Jaguar UK on 15th April 2004,
along with 7 other S-Type
owners who also experienced this ZF gearbox lurch fault,
to demand this issue be taken seriously (letter
71kb) and on 1st February 2005 to Ms. Bibie
Boerio, Jaguar Managing Director (letter2
60kb). The official Jaguar line is that the Jaguar Dealers
themselves would take care of it. My Dealer does not
acknowledge that my S-Type lurches.
Many Jaguar TSBs discuss issues with the shifting
quality and adaptive functions of the ZF Gearbox (For
more details - see Jaguar TSBs).
TSB S307-09 : Harsh shifts.
TSB S307-10 : Transmission hesitating and then thumping.
Judder.
TSB S307-11 : Growling Noise In 4th Gear During Warmup
TSB S307-12 : Transmission driveline clonk/knocking
when changing R to D, 5 to 4, 2 to 1.
TSB S307-13 : Fault with the clutch lining of the
torque converter.
TSB S307-14 : Surge in excess of 150rpm during engine
warm up.
TSB S307-15 : Squeal or squeak noise heard during
gearshifts under acceleration.
TSB S307-17 : Drifting of adaptive learning causing
higher than normal clutch pressures.
TSB S307-19 : Erratic or Harsh transmission shifts.
BMW has a TSB (SIB240305)
for the BMW E60 (New 5 Series) and E63/64 (New 6 Series)
with the same ZF 6HP26 transmission, that defines
IDENTICALLY the symptoms as outlined above.
Excerpt below - full text see Jaguar
TSBs
SITUATION Customer may complain
of the following:
An excessively harsh 2-1
downshift when decelerating to a stop, or
Transmission "bangs"
into gear when accelerating from a full or
a "rolling" stop
(vehicle did not come to a complete stop).
In addition read about one BMW Owners' experience
and discussion with a ZF Engineer on the Lurch variants
- a simple technical admission of the Lurch by ZF
:
A Jaguar Test Driver
also confirms the existence of the ZF Gearbox / Transmission
Lurch - See Owners'
Feedback.
A German Jaguar Dealer organises a visit from a
ZF Engineer to specially reprogram the ZF Gearboxes
on many cars during the same day. See Owners'
Feedback.
I had my S-Type independently tested by the AA (Automobile
Association, UK since 1905) and the TCS (Travel Club,
Switzerland since 1896). Along with the other faults
I have experienced, they both state categorically
in writing that my car lurches. See AA
& TCS reports.
This ZF gearbox Lurch fault has been experienced
by many other Jaguar
S-Type Owners - see Owner's
Feedback which now includes over 80 comments from
S-Type 4.2, S-Type R, S-Type Diesel and XK8/XKR owners.
Michel J. Tinguely, the Service & Training Manager
for JAGUAR Land Rover Schweiz AG explained in an e-mail
(dated 27th Nov. 2002) :
"It is true that we have
reported this kind of trouble to the manufacturer.
The trouble seems to be in relation with the Adaptive
Shifting programme this type of Gearbox is configured
with. Jaguar Cars Ltd will soon give us a solution
to this, may we ask you to be patient for while
until we will be in possession of this software
updating programme?"
My Dealer STILL does
not acknowledge the Lurch I experience and claims they
are unaware of this fault. I still experience this Lurch
every trip after around 10 ZF Gearbox TCM software upgrades.
Latest :
In June/August 2005 I had a list of faults addressed
by my main and local Dealer
Gearbox oil flushed and replaced - "whooop"
noise on brisk acceleration S307-15v2.
Transmission Control Module & Engine Control
Module reprogrammed (previous TCM adaptive points
deleted) TSB S307-17 - For
the Lurch.
Rear Brake discs replaced - to replace heat damaged
and burned-out rear brakes (now experienced by EVO
magazine's Journalists - see Rear
Brakes Fault).
Torque Converter replaced - due to low frequency
rumble/judder that occurred at about 80km/h (50 mph).
Rear Differential replaced - Diff whine most noticeable
at 100 km/h (60 mph)
During this time I have not experienced version 1 of
the Lurch (as defined in the animation above). I have
been in contact with other owners who have reported
a similar experience, and who also have had both S307-17
and the S307-15v2 performed together. If you experience
variation 1 of the Lurch this seems to finally cure
the problem.
I am still left with occasional appearances
of variation 2 of the Lurch.
The replaced steering rack has, at the moment, appeared
to cure the squeaking steering wheel. The steering rack's
oil was previously flushed.
The time
taken for the lurch to be addressed .....
934
Days - Almost 3 YEARS
passed since informing Jaguar in writing
about the ZF Gearbox LURCH to address variation
1 of the lurch
"Buyers of premium
luxury saloons expect the highest standards
of build quality, performance and attention
to detail. Jaguar continues to work relentlessly
towards total customer satisfaction."
The REAL experience
of owning a 2003 Jaguar S-Type
The REAL experience of
Swiss "Quality"
The experience of
Swiss "Quality"
