JAQUAR 2007 XR XENON HEADLIGHTS (BILATERAL!) BULBS WITHIN HEADLAMP CASE ACTUALLY FULLY MELTED. CAUSED A SMALL CONTAINED FIRE, WHILE CAR WAS PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. DRIVER WITNESSED THIS & CALLED FOR TOW AFTER CONTAINING RT SIDE FIRE INSIDE HEADLAMP..BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE...ORDERED NEW HEADLIGHTS....WAITED 1 MONTH FOR PARTS TO COME FROM UK....COULDNT DRIVE CAR---NO LAMPS AVAILABLE AT NIGHT...JAGUAR RULED CAR DRIVEABLE WHILE AWAITING PARTS...DRIVER DISAGREED FOR SAFETY REASONS. ONE MONTH WENT BY, HEADLAMPS, BULBS REPLACED....CALLED JAQUAR SAID I WAS 1 ST SERIOUS HEADLAMP DEFECT. *TR
2014
STEERING
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