2009 Jaguar XF Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Jaguar XF most often describe two very different kinds of trouble: the electronically controlled gear selector refusing to move or dropping into neutral, and unintended or runaway acceleration while parking at low speed. Many complaints also concern the leather dashboard rippling and separating, plus the passenger airbag inflator recall and delays in getting parts. Reported mileages vary widely, from almost-new vehicles to well past 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Gear selector stuck or transmission drops into neutral

   • 22 complaints (24%)
   • median 40,943 mi at 3.5 yrs old (21 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2020

   Owners describe the rotary gear selector refusing to turn out of Drive, Reverse or Sport, sometimes leaving the car stuck in gear and unable to restart. Others report the transmission slipping into neutral at a stop, requiring a shutdown and restart to move again, and some were told the transmission control switch or the gearbox itself needed replacement. Several complaints note that parts were unavailable or that a prior service action did not resolve it. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 15,000 to over 140,000 miles, often during low-speed parking maneuvers.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for any transmission control switch or gear selector service history, and test the selector through Drive, Reverse and Park several times, including a stop-and-restart cycle. A pre-purchase scan for transmission fault codes is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Transmission control shift module - there was a recall notice k063 dated 9/19/11 from Jaguar about trasmission control switch (tcs) replacement for the 2009 xfs. Apparently, the earlier k048 recall for the circuit board fix didn't quite cure all the problems. My transmission control shift module got stuck wouldn't go into drive or reverse; it was stationary. I had it towed to the Jaguar dealer, they stated that the recall was for certain jaguars particular to VIN#'s. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11076316, filed 2018-03, 109,980 miles

   “On the night of july 2nd. 2011, I stopped my 2009 Jaguar XF in a parking lot. I was unable to turn the gear dial selector from s (sports) and noticed a warning which said gearbox fault. I turned off the engine and applied the parking brake. I was unable to restart the car as the transmission was still engaged. I was unable to use the internet on my cell phone but called a friend who googled the problem and told me to wait a while. I did this and was able to operate the gear selector dial and continue the 30 miles to my home. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10410345, filed 2011-07, 17,800 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration at low speed or while parking

   • 11 complaints (12%)
   • median 29,500 mi at 3.4 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2017

   Complaints describe the engine surging or revving while the brake is applied, typically at parking-lot speeds or when pulling into a driveway, in some cases resulting in collisions with vehicles, a garage door or a pole. Owners report that dealers often found no fault codes or could not duplicate the condition, and several mention that the car had to be shut off or forced into Park to stop it. Mostly reported at very low speeds during parking or maneuvering, generally between about 1,000 and 42,000 miles.

   What to check: During a test drive, try slow parking-lot maneuvers and note any unusual engine revving with the brake applied. Ask whether any throttle or pedal-position repairs or software updates have been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We just bought a 2009 Jaguar XF two weeks ago. Yesterday when pulling into the driveway, the car's engine surged and I went thru the garage door and didn't stop until I hit the kitchen cabinets, all the while, pressing on the brake. There are skid marks from the beginning of the driveway until the car stopped. No one was hurt thank god, but could have been serious if I had been on the freeway or anywhere for that matter. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10356007, filed 2010-09, 31,000 miles

   “While in the act of parking my father n law's car at the mall. I began to pull the car forward after a complete stop with my foot covering and applying the brake as another car began to pass in front of me. His 2009 Jaguar xfl surge and accelerated violently while the brakes were applied. Although this action didn't cause any accident or injury to anyone nor property damage. This occurrence was not the first while driving his car during my vacation in puerto rico. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10606689, filed 2014-06, 43 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Dashboard leather ripples, separates and glares

   • 19 complaints (21%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 7.1 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $3,500 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2022

   Owners describe the leather dashboard bubbling, rippling and pulling away from its base, leaving ridges and a gap at the windshield. Several say the rippled surface reflects sunlight directly into the driver's eyes, and some are concerned the loose material could interfere with passenger airbag deployment. Complaints report the dealer's only option was full dashboard replacement, not covered by warranty. Typically reported between roughly 50,000 and 130,000 miles, and often described as worsening with sun exposure over time.

   What to check: Inspect the top of the dash in bright sunlight for ripples, lifted edges or a gap at the base of the windshield, and check whether any dashboard repair or replacement has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The leather dash has separated from the back causing ridges in the leather up to 3/4 high. In the event of a crash this will prevent proper deployment of the airbag. The leather needs to be firmly attached and stretched tight for the stitching to rip correctly. If the leather is loose and ridged, the stitching will only partially rip and may prevent full airbag deployment into the cabin.”

   NHTSA complaint #11056159, filed 2017-12, 82,000 miles

   “Dashboard rippled. Took to a specialist and they stated that this issue is a defect. The dashboard letter shrinks and it separates from the foundation of the dash which cause it to stick up and leave a gap between the dash and windsheild. Called Jaguar headquarters. Haven't had much luck on return calls”

   NHTSA complaint #10871821, filed 2016-06, 65,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Stalling, no-start and sudden loss of power

   • 8 complaints (9%)
   • median 51,500 mi at 3.6 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2019

   Owners describe the engine stalling at low speed or on the highway, sometimes with the check engine light on, and intermittent no-start conditions where the car will not restart until it is left for a while. Some complaints note that fuel delivery problems appeared when the tank was low, and several report that dealers could not identify a fault code or cause. Reported from under 20,000 to about 100,000 miles, with several cases occurring at highway speed.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask about any history of stalling or hard starting and whether fuel system components have been replaced. Note the stalling complaints tied to low fuel levels and check that the fuel gauge reads correctly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased the 2009 Jaguar XF supercharge and I had multiple stalls in this vehicle , where it would stop working and the reading board would read default system and would not start from anywhere to 2-20 minutes. I took the vehicle in of course several times and they only indicated it one time on one invoice, even though I had the recurring issue with this car. I finally took a video and gave it to the Jaguar shop in walnut creek (european Jaguar), and they sent the video to the manufacture. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10637847, filed 2014-09, 17,000 miles

   “Car stalls upon a warm start. May require 2 attempts for the car to stay running. Took it to the dealership 3 times and because the problem is intermittent, they were unable to replicate the problem. I was told by the dealership that Jaguar north america is aware of the problem but there is no fix available at this time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10442369, filed 2012-01, 36,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag inflator recall and part availability

   • 22 complaints (24%)
   • median 85,500 mi at 7.9 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2018

   Many complaints concern the passenger frontal airbag inflator recall, with owners describing long waits or being told replacement parts were not yet available. Some owners report uncertainty about whether their vehicle is included in the recall, and a few describe the airbags not deploying in a collision. Reports span the recall campaign periods, with mileage ranging from a few thousand to about 100,000 miles.

   Recall 16V373000Recall 16V229000Recall 18V009000Recall 17V027000

   What to check: Check the vehicle identification number against Jaguar's recall lookup and confirm in writing that the inflator recalls have been completed, since parts availability was a repeated complaint.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall-safety recall j069 takata passenger airbags-recall no 16v373. Received recall notification letter dated july 29, 2016. To date have not received 2nd notification to take car to authorized dealer. I have several attempts to check status and told the parts are not available.”

   NHTSA complaint #10981476, filed 2017-04, 119,000 miles

   “Jaguar sent me a letter with a recall related to the passanger airbad stating prolonged exposure to combined high heat and humidity can cause the affected inflators to degrade -- at varying rates in different conditions -- increasing the risk that the front passenger airbag module inflator housing may rupture and deploy abnormally in the event of a crash; potentially resulting in metal fragments striking the passenger or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death . …”

   NHTSA complaint #10913854, filed 2016-10, 100,000 miles

Buying note. A 2009 XF can be a rewarding car, but budget time for a thorough test drive covering slow parking maneuvers and repeated gear changes, and confirm all airbag recalls were completed. Ask for service records covering the gear selector, transmission and fuel system before agreeing on a price.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.