Tips to Avoid Differential Problems in Jaguars

A Jaguar is one of the most opulent luxury European vehicles. Known for their elegance, style, and high end performance, Jaguars are very popular. Jaguar ownership transforms your daily commute into a stylish excursion. However, Jaguars are not perfect, and like any vehicle, owners should be aware of common structural or mechanical issues Jaguars can have.

A common issue that Jaguar owners could face is problems with the rear differential. Knowing what a differential is, where it is located, and how to avoid any issues with your Jaguar’s differential is essential to optimize vehicle performance and prevent any serious malfunctions. Since understanding all of this information could be difficult, especially if you are not well versed in car mechanics, it is always important to consult a Jaguar professional if you have any questions about your vehicle’s performance.

What is a differential, and what does it do?

A differential is a part of your vehicle’s suspension system. A differential guides how fast your vehicle’s wheels move when turning. When you make a turn, your wheels are actually turning at different speeds to keep your vehicle under control. The outer wheels move faster while the inner wheels move slower. You will have two differentials in your vehicle: the differential that controls the front wheels and the differential that controls the back wheels.

The differential, simply put, balances the difference between the speeds of the inner and outer wheels. For example, if you make a turn and accelerate, the differentials will increase the speed of the outer wheels while decreasing the speed of the inner wheels. If your vehicle’s differentials malfunction, your safety and the safety of other could be at serious risk.

Preventing Differential Problems

Oil is essential to keep your differential functioning properly. Rather like how your vehicle’s engine relies on oil to stay lubricated, the differential needs oil to ensure its gears move smoothly and consistently. Also rather like how your vehicle requires regular oil changes, differential oil can get contaminated and needs to be changed as well.

Without oil, the gears in the differential could corrode and your beautiful Jaguar will not perform as well. While differential oil does not have be changed as frequently as regular motor oil, it is important that you keep tabs on how your differential oil is lasting. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to ask a certified Jaguar mechanic to check on your vehicle’s differential oil when you take your vehicle in for factory maintenance.

Your differential gasket could also be the cause for your differential problems. The differential gasket is the mechanism that circulates oil through your differential, keeping the gears lubricated. If the gasket is broken, then oil cannot properly circulate. If you notice a lot of leaking underneath your car, you should get your car seen by a mechanic quickly. Leakage can be a sure sign of a differential gasket issue. Having a Jaguar specialist frequently check on the gasket could save you a lot of trouble and headaches.

Other Ways to Detect Differential Problems on the Road

Even if you are extra vigilant about checking your vehicle’s differential fluid and gasket, mechanical issues can still occur. Every so often when you drive your Jaguar, turn off the music or your podcast and listen to your car. You especially need to be cautious when you hear the following noises:

• Clunking or rumbling sound when making turns
• A consistent clunking noise that occurs every few feet when you are driving
• A howling or whining noise when you are driving straight, which can be exacerbated by acceleration or deceleration

Differentials are complex mechanisms. If you hear any of these sounds, there could be a number of issues with your differential. Talk to a certified Jaguar mechanic to ensure your differential gets properly fixed.

Come to Cerrone’s

Since differential issues could have several causes, it is important to get your Jaguar checked out by trusted, certified Jaguar mechanics. Our professionals at Cerrone’s European are highly qualified to service speciality European vehicles.

Our mechanics can service a wide range of Jaguar models, so if you have a differential problem, your vehicle would be in excellent hands. Serving the Redwood City, CA area, Cerrone’s European is a family business that has been in operation since 1976. You can take your Jaguar to Cerrone’s knowing you can trust the many years of experience our Jaguar specialist mechanics possess.

* Jaguar F-Pace image credit goes to: teddyleung.