INCIDENT #1 - JAN 2013: AS I WAS BRAKING TO A STOP, THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT TO WHAT I WOULD CALL "FULL THROTTLE". MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE SO I FIRMLY PRESSED THE BRAKE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM CRASHING INTO MY BUILDING. I TRIED PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR QUICKLY WHILE PRACTICALLY STANDING ON THE BRAKE BUT THAT MADE NO DIFFERENCE IN THE RPMS. I PRESSED THE BUTTON TO STOP THE ENGINE. I RE-STARTED THE CAR AND IT RAN NORMALLY. INCIDENT #2 - FEB 2013: THINKING INCIDENT #1, ABOVE, WAS A FLUKE, I CONTINUED DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT REPORTING THE INCIDENT TO MY JAGUAR DEALER. MY VICE PRESIDENT AND I STOPPED AT A MCDONALD'S, PAID AT WINDOW #1 AND AS WE MOVED TO WINDOW #2 TO PICK UP THE FOOD, THE CAR AGAIN WENT TO FULL THROTTLEќWITH NO ADVANCE WARNING WITH THE BACK WHEELS SPINNING. MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AS THERE WAS A CAR IN THE LANE IN FRONT OF ME. THIS TIME I KNEW TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF QUICKLY. AGAIN, THE CAR RAN NORMALLY AFTER RE-STARTING IT. MY VICE PRESIDENT, JACK FRENCH, WILL PROVIDE TESTIMONY TO THIS INCIDENT. INCIDENT #3 - EARLY APRIL 2013: THE CAR WAS PARKED ALL DAY. I GOT IN TO LEAVE FOR THE DAY AND STARTED THE ENGINE. WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL IN PARK, THE ENGINE REVVED TO RED-LINE 4 TIMES IN A ROW ABOUT 2 SECS EACH. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE IT WAS DOING THIS AND NEVER TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR OR BRAKE PEDAL DURING THE INCIDENT. AFTER REVVING FOUR TIMES TO RED LINE, THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO NORMAL IDLE. INCIDENT #4 - APRIL 25TH: MY VP AND I WERE AT A MEETING WITH THE CAR PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS. WE GOT IN AND DROVE ABOUT 4 BLOCKS. AS I BRAKED TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN WITH A CAR IN FRONT OF ME , THE ENGINE AGAIN WENT FULL-THROTTLE WITH NO WARNING; THE BACK WHEELS SPINNING. I AGAIN PRESSED THE START BUTTON AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. MY VICE PRESIDENT WILL PROVIDE WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF THIS INCIDENT AS WELL. *TR
2014
WHEELS
I BOUGHT A NEW XK IN AUGUST. I HAVE TO QUESTION THE RATIONALE FOR EQUIPPING IT WITH HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES (VIRTUAL RACING SLICKS) IN MINNESOTA. ON A WARM SUMMER DAY WITH ONLY A LITTLE RAIN, THE TIRES LOSE TRACTION FREQUENTLY. IN WINTER THEY ARE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. EVEN WITH ONLY AN INCH OF SNOW, THE FRONT WHEELS LOSE TRACTION IN GOING AROUND A CORNER AT ONLY FIVE MILES AN HOUR. THE REAL WHEELS HAVE SO LITTLE TRACTION THAT EVEN WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEMS TURNED ON, THE REAR END FISHTAILS WHEN TURNING. OUR STREET IS FLAT AND YET, WITH ONLY A LITTLE SNOW ON THE ROAD, THE CAR CAN NOT MOVE OVER 2 -3 MPH WITHOUT LOSING TRACTION SO IT INCHES ALONG, IF IT MOVES AT ALL. IT SEEMS TO BE THE HEIGHT OF STUPIDITY TO ASSUME THAT MOST DRIVERS WOULD DRIVE OVER 120 MILES AND HOUR MORE OFTEN THAN THEY DRIVE IN RAIN OR SNOW. WHAT ARE THE JAGUAR MARKETING PEOPLE (AND NHTSA) THINKING? PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY $90,000 FOR A CAR WANT SOMETHING THAT IS SAFE AND THEY DON'T DRIVE OVER 120 MPH SO DON'T NEED OR WANT HIGH PERFORMANCE RACING TIRES THAT ARE SUITABLE ONLY FOR DRY PAVEMENT. WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO REQUIRE CARS TO COME EQUIPPED WITH REACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL WHEN THEY ARE ALLOWED TO EQUIP A CAR WITH TIRES THAT TOTALLY DEFEAT THOSE SYSTEMS? YOU REQUIRE AIR BAGS, CENTER TAIL LIGHTS, ETC, IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, BUT ALLOW CARS TO BE SOLD WITH DANGEROUS TIRES UNSUITABLE FOR THE CLIMATE THEY ARE TO BE DRIVEN IN. SHOULDN'T NHTSA REQUIRE CARS TO BE EQUIPPED WITH SAFE TIRES WHEN THEY ARE SOLD? IF SOMEONE WANTS TO BUY UNSAFE TIRES AFTER THAT, OK; BUT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT A CAR TO BE SAFE UNDER TYPICAL DRIVING CONDITIONS WHEN I BUY IT. RAIN AND SNOW ARE TYPICAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *TR