I like it when you said, " I'll leave you with some shots of the trunk opening, to make you jealous." I'm not really bothered about having this feature on my XF, but guess what..... I like it, and I was a little jealous. Great video.
I expect this guy to start singing Careless Whisper in a second - he has the best George Michael, soothing voice I've ever heard! Thanks for this video.
Thanks so much for all your Jaguar XF videos. I recently acquired a Jag XFS and my dad would always say to me, watch your videos. He sadly passed away last Friday and whilst on UA-cam I could see his history and he was clearly a big fan :). Keep up the good work.
I am so sorry for your loss my friend. My heart goes out to you and your family. I wish you strength during your difficult time and hope that as time passes, the sadness will fade to happy memories of your father.
Hi, I did this today and overjoyed. Its so odd that it works with this mod. Thanks again from the UK. Next i need to sort out my door handles, they're stiff when it gets to releasing the lock
I used just neodymium magnets (very strong ones) 10x10x4 mm and it does exactly same job with no drilling involved. After few months, boot is still opening flawlessly.
@@thomasharris5151 I placed these magnets on exact spot where he drilled holes for bolts, however... I don't recommend this mode anymore. My boot opener failed eventually. First time - soft close failed, couldn't lock the car, bought new parts, reinstalled magnets again, but after few weeks it failed again, this time boot lid was closed, that was really painful, cos had to enter to trunk from the back seats, which is nightmare, cos xf has folding seat mechanism in the boot. This mode is based on creating constant pressure for hinges, gas struts and other parts, causing pre mature wearing off. It was working 2 years without any issues.
Hi again Hilton, you are keeping me busy working on my car!! 😄, I just upgraded my lights from your last video and I’m delighted with the result and I have just ordered all the parts to do my boot, I’m in the UK and I managed to find all the bits on eBay UK I got the links from your original video on this subject so thanks a million 👍 Regards Kevin
Hey Kevin - you will love the results. I went shopping yesterday and popped the trunk as I was walking to the car with my shopping cart and all I had to do was chuck my shopping in. Before, I had to grab the trunk and push it open and then the cart would start running off without me and I'd have to chase after it. Annoying, but now it's so much easier.
I've had my 2012 XF for five years now and I never knew, until this video, that 1) the boot is meant to swing up and not just limply unlock, 2) the boot will open if the key is in there! Think I'm going to have to watch a few more of your videos...
LoL hey Scott - yep, this is my 3rd Jaguar, so I've been around the block a few times and learned quite a lot about them. They are brilliantly engineered cars and have so many easter eggs most people don't even know about ;)
I just did this yesterday, works perfect. All done in 10 minutes, it was easier than I anticipated, even the drilling was quick - with a more expensive drill bit there's definitely a difference. And I did indeed find a hardware store that sold them with 0.2-0.3 mm increments, learned again something new! The screw heads are now ~2 mm higher than the original plastic pegs, that's all it needed together with new gas struts. This is the third improvement I've done on my X250 based on your content, once again big thanks to you sir, you're doing us all a big service 🏆
Help, am I missing the point because I cannot see any correlation between drilling a small hole and the boot fully opening? It would appear that without changing the spring or adding longer gas struts, the boot opens fully after a small hole is drilled. It just doesn't make sense!
Another great video, thanks Hilton. I'll be doing the same to my 2013 3.0D S Portfolio - which has barely moved since this time last year, sadly. I have it permanently connected to a CTEK charger, given the sensitivity of XFs to battery voltage. Possibilty not so much a problem in the heat of RSA, unlike the 'frozen' north of England!
Good to see you back with a proper XF! I’ve had my 2012 3.0 Luxury for 3 years now, so to give it a bit of a facelift I had it de-chromed. I would include a before and after picture, but I don’t know how to. I have to say, it looks pretty cool!
I don't know how, but you even topped yourself from the last time you made this video for your other XF. So, easy that I have to do this now as you commanded I do!
Hey Jeff - yes I did. But unfortunately I didn't show me actually doing it in that video, I showed you guys after I'd done it and always regretted never filming it.
Nice job Hilton. A small change made a big difference. I suitably jealous lol :-) Just saw the new Tucson video, it's so different!. Have a good weekend. :-)
Hey Andy. Yes, I saw the new Tucson as well. It's quite the looker. The tail lights are striking and the headlight design is similar to the Kona. It's going to be beautiful inside too. Very luxurious. Pricing is going to be steep though so materials will have to etch more towards luxury bad opposed to premium. Still, it's going to be a stunner!
You know when I look in the dictionary for Jaguar your picture pops up, among a host of exquisite descriptive adjectives. Simply beautiful. God bless Hilton.
Hi, after watching your(and others video's) on this topic I decided to do this mod on my XF, but did mine slightly different to you. The holes where the original plastic stops fit are 5mm diameter and this hole size is ideal to tap for an M6 thread so no need for any drilling, I hand tapped the original plain holes to accept M6(the holes tap quite easily even with a cheap tap set), and used M6 x 10mm long stainless bolts with a washer under the head, you can then easily add or remove washers to get the right amount of tension needed, looks neat and works perfect. I've also tried cheap aftermarket gas struts and found that some come to an abrupt stop and shake the boot lid at the end of it's travel. The original gas struts on XF boots were made by Stabilus and their part number is Stabilus 246897, In 2020 I paid just under £29 for 2 with an ebay coupon, they're exactly the same as originals but without the Jaguar logo. Please note, all gas struts will operate different depending on temperature, my boot fully opens around 5 degrees Celsius or above, but opens less below that temperature.
Use a drill with a depth gauge (metal rod that attached to the top) so you can use that to limit your drill depth. I bet its very easy to accidentally dent the outer skin.
One time my trunk latch (soft close mechanism) stopped working in sub zero freezing temperatures. I had to drive with my trunk unlatched and free to move slowly to the dealer shop. In this case I wouldn’t want the automatic opener as the trunk would be wide open on my drive due to this fault .
I remember you doing this to your older X250. I've given it a try, but it has never worked for me. I've replaced the struts, the springs, and even the hinges but no luck. Well, if you open it manually the first time, then it will work a few times after that. What I've noticed is that the struts seem to catch/ rub on the boot (trunk) seal which stops it from opening.
That's really odd Mohammed. Are you using genuine Jaguar struts or aftermarket? When I did my first video of replacing the springs and then the struts, I had the same problem with those AliExpress struts - they were catching on the trunk rubber. This time round, I bought a set of genuine Jaguar struts and oiled the hinge joints with sewing machine oil to ensure it worked well and didn't have any issues. It still works perfectly. In cold weather, it will be a little slower to pop up, but still pops up by itself. I think the genuine struts are pumped to 425nm of torque which is enough to push it open. The aftermarket one's are questionable though. Those AliExpress struts would also pop off and scratched my paint - made me fed-up which is why I bought original OEM again.
@@carfanfan They were aftermarket. I’ve just bought an XF-S so I will get genuine struts for that. Interesting about the force - all the aftermarket ones seem to be around 375 which led me to believe that is normal, but clearly they’re not up to the job! Thanks for the reply.
Hi, I do like it. Just a silly question: Why did you take the lamp out? Another question. Is it possible, after the transformation, to close the trunk by touching it lightly?
Hey. I remove the lamp because the job takes about an hour or so. By opening and closing the trunk while busy doing the job, the light will keep coming on and run the battery down. Jags are very fussy about battery voltage and a slight dip in viktage can cause the car to act like it has numerous electrical gremlins. To answer your 2nd question, you need to close the trunk as usual. It won't close by tapping it lightly.
Hi thanks so much for the tip. As I only just bought my xf 2011 year..and know nothing much about them as yet. Why did you have to remove the light. Please ?
These cars are very sensitive to battery voltage. If the voltage just goes slightly below 11.9v it will become difficult to start. So when working on your car, if the trunk or doors need to be open for long periods at a time, turn the interior lights off by long pressing the middle light, it will flash twice to tell you it's set. And if the trunk needs to be open for a long period, disconnect the bulb. It will save you many headaches. My XFR has a loose negative terminal on the battery and would not start intermittently. In addition the vents acted weird and would not open sometimes after starting the car. I tightened the terminals on the battery and all the issues went away.
I have the opposite problem, the boot will not open except by using the fob and interior button. That's a reasonable solution but I would have been tempted to use a rubber plug to stop the opener rather than the head of a screw. In the UK we don't need any more excuses for the Jag to rust ... NB I don't want it to open fully, as there is nothing worse than popping the boot from the driver's seat and then watching your luggage disappear down the road before you have opened the door ... 🤨
Lol yes luggage disappearing before you get to it can be a problem. I mainly need the function when one's hands are full of shopping and I have the fob in my hand for the trunk to pop open so I can get everything in without putting it in a parking lot 🤣
Hey Marius - I've inserted the links in the description of the video. I'd suggest going for the hex head screws as the head creates more resistance. I have since changed my screws to these. Also, you might want to go for the 19mm long screws instead of 16mm to give you more leeway for adjusting the screw in or out.
Not at all. The trunk was designed to open automatically and the gas struts when the car was new had more opening power. As they age they lose their strength. The catch is actually very strong. Mine had soft close and it still pulled the trunk lid down because when the struts reach as certain point they no longer pull.
I'd be grateful if you could make a video about illuminated door sills. Mine has stopped working all of a sudden and it was one the things I really loved about my Jag. Not quite sure why its stopped working
@@yomibash4930 have you checked all the fuses relating to your interior lights. Check the manual for all the fuse locations. If fuses are okay, the it's probably the led bulbs have blown. If you know how to solder led bulbs you can fix it yourself by removing the scuff plate and taking the backing off where the led sits. In fact, if you remove the scuff plate and unplug them and hook a 9v batter up to the plug, if it lights up you know the problem is not the lights but somewhere before the lights like wiring or fuse.
@@yomibash4930 Were they a factory fitted option or added later ? I have a PDF of the fitting instructions that might help you trace the fault but not sure how to get it to you. If your central courtesy light is working it can't be the fuse as Hilton mentioned.
@@pauljohnston712 Thanks a massive bunch for the reply. I have got it fixed now, it wasnt actually a fault. All I had to do was touch the overhead lights for 2 seconds to change it from manual mode to Automatic. That sorted the illuminated plate lights and the interior lights out, as they also didn't come on when I opened the doors.
Got a 2014 XF 2.0 - and got this issue. But I'm clumsy when it comes to cars - would you by any chance be near JHB and willing to do it for money? Also same time the driver's airvent doesn't go up or down, Jaguar said it'll cost 12k so if you have a fix for that... I'm in Germiston but work in North JHB.
Hi great video, I have just bought a 2009 xf and followed the instructions in this video but when I open it using the button it opens perfectly but the last 10% it is a lot faster than your video. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
When you mentioned the inside and outside diameter measurements of the screw, what did you mean exactly? From the video it looked like you're measuring from the threads of the screw. Is the "outside" measurement the width of the threads and inside the width of the stem without the threads? Also - where did you find the 3.5 mm drills? I've never seen them with 0.5 mm increments.
Hey there - yes you are correct. The outside is the width of the thread and the inside is the stem. Both are quite important considering it's a self tapping screw, so if your hole is too big, the screw won't tap. I have a set of of drill bits and these are the increments they came with in the tool box. You don't have to use the same width that I did though. You can do a 2mm hole and then a 3mm hole and use a screw that will fit 3mm. I'd say for a 3mm hole you need a screw with a 4mm outside thread width.
I didn't know that either! Good to know as I had a habit of putting my key down in there if my hands were full then closing the lid and locking it in. I always had to carry a spare emergency key with me for that exact reason! Looking dull outside but if the rain keeps off I'm going to do mine this afternoon. New struts arrived this morning.
Thanks. No the X260 uses springs to pull it up. You can buy spring tensioners which requires you to remove the carpet in the trunk on the sides to reveal the springs.
Mine still opens half way, added the screws and new struts, would wd40 on the springs help? Also do you know what the black bolt covers are called, you have 2 on each side
Hi Hilton can you tell me where the parts number is for xf2008 jaguar my boot harness as broken so the boot will not open it broken when the black sleeve joint the boot and the body of the car👍
Hey Paul - perhaps this link will help you www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php/299932/5497/trunk___boot_lid_harness_with_rear_camera_parking_aid___jaguar___xf_range
Here's a link to the rubber grommets I used www.aliexpress.com/item/4001233886593.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.3d1c71b1hYs8mN&algo_pvid=bd8436d2-9c04-4cb7-b51f-3189b148b8b8&algo_expid=bd8436d2-9c04-4cb7-b51f-3189b148b8b8-3&btsid=0b0a555616056894272466009e630a&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_ As for the screw, this screw will work very well as it is 19mm and has a washer as well as a large head
Hello ! I'm in the UK and have a 2012 XF 2.2D Sport LE. Can you tell me please the size of the rubber grommets you used, diameter and thickness. Great mod ! Thanks
Help, am I missing the point because I cannot see any correlation between drilling a small hole and the boot fully opening? It would appear that without changing the spring or adding longer gas struts, the boot opens fully after a small hole is drilled. It just doesn't make sense!
@@carfanfan I did indeed watch the video in its entirety ( I have watched many of your videos which I find both exciting and informative) and it provides the same information that others have posted regarding the boot fullying opening. Again, why is the boot fully opening with just drilling a hole and adding a self-tapper screw? I ask the question because I want to complete the same work on my XF.
@Chris Neye I explained in my video how the entire boot hinge works and why there is a little spring attached to the hinge with a small lever which makes contact with a rather useless grommet on the body of the car. That lever is supposed to receive pushback from the grommet which puts tension on the spring to help the truck lid jump open to the point where the gas struts cam then take over and push it open entirely. By drilling a hole where that rubber grommet sits and installing a raised screw, it adds more tension to the spring making it open properly. It helps if you oil the hinges properly and replace the struts at the same time so that everything works as it was intended to by the designers and engineers.
@@carfanfan Bora Da (good morning in Welsh) and many thanks for your reply. I believe I have a better understanding through your explanation of the resistance of the rubber grommet, compared to the raised head and no resistance of the self tapper screw. As soon as I get a couple of self tappers screws, I will give your sound advice a go. Many thanks for the videos you post on here. Diolch yn fawr (thank you)
Congrats on your purchase. It's a bit of a faff. If you open the trunk, look at the roof of the trunk. On either side, there are two knob like levers - you have to pull the lever and push the seat on that side down with the other hand. You literally have to climb in the trunk to do it - not a very gracious exercise, but once done, it expands the space in the car tremendously. I've carted four 20 inch wheels in my XFR already with the seats down and it swallows them up with ease ;)
@@carfanfan No, it just won't open. The full story is that I'm looking to buy another Jaguar, the XF, and the one for sale has a boot that won't open so I was wondering if anyone heard of that happening and what the fix is... I like your videos and your XF!
@@charliestanley4502 sounds like a fuse may be blown. To get the trunk open manually remove the little rubber grommet above the license plate and use the key which sits in the key fob to open it manually.
That really just requires the trunk latch from one of those cars. There are already wires leading to the latch for the auto unlock, so it shouldn't be too difficult to wire it up.
Unfortunately that won't work. The depth of that hole isn't deep enough to accommodate any screw and if you were lucky enough to get a short screw in there, it would pop off the moment you close the trunk. I tried that with my old XF back in 2017 and no matter what I stuck in that shallow hole, it just popped off. You need a deeper hole in which most of the screw can fit into.
@@DBCSgaming That's not right. It should work. Did you use a rubber grommet to make the protrusion more pronounce or a screw with a raised hex bolt head?
That could work Ayryon, as long as the material you're using is strong enough to withstand the daily pressures of the springs putting tension in them with every day use 😉
You have to drill holes for the screws to screw into the trunk. Make sure the screws are not longer than 19mm otherwise they could end up going through the skin of the trunk. You have about 25mm to play with, so 19mm is safe.
Because having the trunk open so long runs the battery down. Keep in mind, my car doesn't drive every day. It stands for five days at a time before it gets driven again, so it's better to be safe than sorry.
Replace the loom between the car and the trunk. The wires are probably barely touching. Soon it will just stop working altogether. Repairing the broken wires can be a short term fix, but rarely lasts long.
@@carfanfan due to the boot still only opening half way, Iam sending my struts off to get re-pressured, what Nm would you say would be the best for your grey car as I have the same one, thanks again
I like it when you said, " I'll leave you with some shots of the trunk opening, to make you jealous." I'm not really bothered about having this feature on my XF, but guess what..... I like it, and I was a little jealous. Great video.
LoL - it's really such a simply little mod that makes life so much easier ;)
I expect this guy to start singing Careless Whisper in a second - he has the best George Michael, soothing voice I've ever heard! Thanks for this video.
Lol thanks so much for the kind words 🤗
Thanks so much for all your Jaguar XF videos. I recently acquired a Jag XFS and my dad would always say to me, watch your videos. He sadly passed away last Friday and whilst on UA-cam I could see his history and he was clearly a big fan :). Keep up the good work.
I am so sorry for your loss my friend. My heart goes out to you and your family. I wish you strength during your difficult time and hope that as time passes, the sadness will fade to happy memories of your father.
@@carfanfan thank you for your kind words. He kept telling me to do the automatic boot/trunk 'mod' so I think that'll be the next one!
RIP… to your father!
@@thomasharris5151 ❤
Did mine a while back, perfect. But i cant stress enough, "be careful when drilling", you do not want to go through your boot skin !!
I don't even own a Jaguar but i like watching your work! 🇬🇧❤️🇿🇦
Thanks John 😉
Hi, I did this today and overjoyed. Its so odd that it works with this mod. Thanks again from the UK. Next i need to sort out my door handles, they're stiff when it gets to releasing the lock
I used just neodymium magnets (very strong ones) 10x10x4 mm and it does exactly same job with no drilling involved. After few months, boot is still opening flawlessly.
Interesting solution Rob. I'm really happy with my trunk. Tested it in cold weather and it's working such a treat.
Where did you placed them ? Above the oem rubber?
@robert can you explain? Sounds kool! Thanks
@@thomasharris5151 I placed these magnets on exact spot where he drilled holes for bolts, however... I don't recommend this mode anymore. My boot opener failed eventually. First time - soft close failed, couldn't lock the car, bought new parts, reinstalled magnets again, but after few weeks it failed again, this time boot lid was closed, that was really painful, cos had to enter to trunk from the back seats, which is nightmare, cos xf has folding seat mechanism in the boot. This mode is based on creating constant pressure for hinges, gas struts and other parts, causing pre mature wearing off. It was working 2 years without any issues.
Watched your video, tried it myself and am delighted that I now have a boot lid that fully opens. Many thanks 👍
Hi again Hilton, you are keeping me busy working on my car!! 😄, I just upgraded my lights from your last video and I’m delighted with the result and I have just ordered all the parts to do my boot, I’m in the UK and I managed to find all the bits on eBay UK
I got the links from your original video on this subject so thanks a million 👍
Regards
Kevin
Hey Kevin - you will love the results. I went shopping yesterday and popped the trunk as I was walking to the car with my shopping cart and all I had to do was chuck my shopping in. Before, I had to grab the trunk and push it open and then the cart would start running off without me and I'd have to chase after it. Annoying, but now it's so much easier.
@@carfanfan Hello my Brother I hope you can help my Jaquar doesn’t lock at all
@@luckydelitetmoeletsi740 did you check all the fuses controlling the locking
@@carfanfan I don’t even know where they situated 😂😭🤦🏾♂️
I've had my 2012 XF for five years now and I never knew, until this video, that 1) the boot is meant to swing up and not just limply unlock, 2) the boot will open if the key is in there! Think I'm going to have to watch a few more of your videos...
LoL hey Scott - yep, this is my 3rd Jaguar, so I've been around the block a few times and learned quite a lot about them. They are brilliantly engineered cars and have so many easter eggs most people don't even know about ;)
I just did this yesterday, works perfect. All done in 10 minutes, it was easier than I anticipated, even the drilling was quick - with a more expensive drill bit there's definitely a difference. And I did indeed find a hardware store that sold them with 0.2-0.3 mm increments, learned again something new!
The screw heads are now ~2 mm higher than the original plastic pegs, that's all it needed together with new gas struts.
This is the third improvement I've done on my X250 based on your content, once again big thanks to you sir, you're doing us all a big service 🏆
Good to hear. Congrats 👏
Help, am I missing the point because I cannot see any correlation between drilling a small hole and the boot fully opening? It would appear that without changing the spring or adding longer gas struts, the boot opens fully after a small hole is drilled. It just doesn't make sense!
Another great video, thanks Hilton. I'll be doing the same to my 2013 3.0D S Portfolio - which has barely moved since this time last year, sadly. I have it permanently connected to a CTEK charger, given the sensitivity of XFs to battery voltage. Possibilty not so much a problem in the heat of RSA, unlike the 'frozen' north of England!
I did this to mine a while ago and flies up so fast now it could knock you out lol
Your videos are really helpful to Jaguar owners, thanks for making them.
Thanks You. And thanks for watching 🤗
Good to see you back with a proper XF! I’ve had my 2012 3.0 Luxury for 3 years now, so to give it a bit of a facelift I had it de-chromed. I would include a before and after picture, but I don’t know how to. I have to say, it looks pretty cool!
Show off 😂 now Ive gotta do mine Hilton .....thanks for the tutorial bud appreciate it and I will get on to it this week 👍
You will look for reasons to pop that trunk from far :D
I don't know how, but you even topped yourself from the last time you made this video for your other XF. So, easy that I have to do this now as you commanded I do!
🤣😂 It worked great on my grey XF and it's working great on this one too. You will love it 😉
Yeah I also did this, I'm sure you did this to your "baby" XF a while ago. I was smiling when I watched ;-)
Hey Jeff - yes I did. But unfortunately I didn't show me actually doing it in that video, I showed you guys after I'd done it and always regretted never filming it.
I’m the clumsiest of them all so this is not a good idea for me, but great option to have! Thank you for sharing
I was waiting on the boot to open in outstanding back drop, of the sunset and sea. 👌🇬🇧Awesome tip 🍺🍺
😂🤣
OMG this is so useful! Thank you so much! 😊👍🇬🇧
Nice job Hilton. A small change made a big difference. I suitably jealous lol :-) Just saw the new Tucson video, it's so different!. Have a good weekend. :-)
Hey Andy. Yes, I saw the new Tucson as well. It's quite the looker. The tail lights are striking and the headlight design is similar to the Kona. It's going to be beautiful inside too. Very luxurious. Pricing is going to be steep though so materials will have to etch more towards luxury bad opposed to premium. Still, it's going to be a stunner!
@@carfanfan Indeed. It will be interesting to see the pricing......it will be probably bad for the blood pressure! :-)
Would be great if you could do a video on how to dismantle the centre console bits and centre spear in wood effect to wrap them.
WOW, what a nice discovery, thanks Hilton.
Great result, well done and thanks so much for the informative video !
Hey Hilton, thanks as always. Great job. Your the best.
Thanks Debbs., 😉
You know when I look in the dictionary for Jaguar your picture pops up, among a host of exquisite descriptive adjectives. Simply beautiful. God bless Hilton.
@@mygodisable2 🤣😂 You're too kind Debbs
Brilliant, very impressive tip and well described.
Love your videos! Very insightful. Keep up the great work Hilton.
Thanks Peter 👍😉
Hi, after watching your(and others video's) on this topic I decided to do this mod on my XF, but did mine slightly different to you. The holes where the original plastic stops fit are 5mm diameter and this hole size is ideal to tap for an M6 thread so no need for any drilling, I hand tapped the original plain holes to accept M6(the holes tap quite easily even with a cheap tap set), and used M6 x 10mm long stainless bolts with a washer under the head, you can then easily add or remove washers to get the right amount of tension needed, looks neat and works perfect.
I've also tried cheap aftermarket gas struts and found that some come to an abrupt stop and shake the boot lid at the end of it's travel. The original gas struts on XF boots were made by Stabilus and their part number is Stabilus 246897, In 2020 I paid just under £29 for 2 with an ebay coupon, they're exactly the same as originals but without the Jaguar logo. Please note, all gas struts will operate different depending on temperature, my boot fully opens around 5 degrees Celsius or above, but opens less below that temperature.
I went this way too, nice neat and adjustable with washers. Paired with sgs engineering 425nm struts!
Excellent video. Just done this works like a dream. Thanks for posting.
Use a drill with a depth gauge (metal rod that attached to the top) so you can use that to limit your drill depth. I bet its very easy to accidentally dent the outer skin.
One time my trunk latch (soft close mechanism) stopped working in sub zero freezing temperatures. I had to drive with my trunk unlatched and free to move slowly to the dealer shop. In this case I wouldn’t want the automatic opener as the trunk would be wide open on my drive due to this fault .
Wow! That must have been scary. 😱
I remember you doing this to your older X250. I've given it a try, but it has never worked for me. I've replaced the struts, the springs, and even the hinges but no luck. Well, if you open it manually the first time, then it will work a few times after that. What I've noticed is that the struts seem to catch/ rub on the boot (trunk) seal which stops it from opening.
That's really odd Mohammed. Are you using genuine Jaguar struts or aftermarket? When I did my first video of replacing the springs and then the struts, I had the same problem with those AliExpress struts - they were catching on the trunk rubber. This time round, I bought a set of genuine Jaguar struts and oiled the hinge joints with sewing machine oil to ensure it worked well and didn't have any issues. It still works perfectly. In cold weather, it will be a little slower to pop up, but still pops up by itself. I think the genuine struts are pumped to 425nm of torque which is enough to push it open. The aftermarket one's are questionable though. Those AliExpress struts would also pop off and scratched my paint - made me fed-up which is why I bought original OEM again.
@@carfanfan They were aftermarket. I’ve just bought an XF-S so I will get genuine struts for that. Interesting about the force - all the aftermarket ones seem to be around 375 which led me to believe that is normal, but clearly they’re not up to the job! Thanks for the reply.
@@ikhan5 any time mate. Congrats on your new purchase. The genuine ones will do the trick for defs 👍😉
Superb mate
Thank you! Cheers!
I strongly believe there is no need to drill and replace nothing but the gas pumps. Anyhow I will try it on my car. Thanks
Hi, I do like it. Just a silly question: Why did you take the lamp out? Another question. Is it possible, after the transformation, to close the trunk by touching it lightly?
Hey. I remove the lamp because the job takes about an hour or so. By opening and closing the trunk while busy doing the job, the light will keep coming on and run the battery down. Jags are very fussy about battery voltage and a slight dip in viktage can cause the car to act like it has numerous electrical gremlins.
To answer your 2nd question, you need to close the trunk as usual. It won't close by tapping it lightly.
Hi thanks so much for the tip. As I only just bought my xf 2011 year..and know nothing much about them as yet. Why did you have to remove the light. Please ?
These cars are very sensitive to battery voltage. If the voltage just goes slightly below 11.9v it will become difficult to start. So when working on your car, if the trunk or doors need to be open for long periods at a time, turn the interior lights off by long pressing the middle light, it will flash twice to tell you it's set. And if the trunk needs to be open for a long period, disconnect the bulb. It will save you many headaches. My XFR has a loose negative terminal on the battery and would not start intermittently. In addition the vents acted weird and would not open sometimes after starting the car. I tightened the terminals on the battery and all the issues went away.
I may design and print a 3d extended grommet to do the same thing. I don't want to drill any holes unnecessarily.
I have the opposite problem, the boot will not open except by using the fob and interior button.
That's a reasonable solution but I would have been tempted to use a rubber plug to stop the opener rather than the head of a screw. In the UK we don't need any more excuses for the Jag to rust ...
NB I don't want it to open fully, as there is nothing worse than popping the boot from the driver's seat and then watching your luggage disappear down the road before you have opened the door ... 🤨
Lol yes luggage disappearing before you get to it can be a problem. I mainly need the function when one's hands are full of shopping and I have the fob in my hand for the trunk to pop open so I can get everything in without putting it in a parking lot 🤣
Hi Hilton, can you do a video of how to replace the cam belt?
I wish I could my friend but my car doesn't have one. I take it you have a diesel?
I achieved the same just fitting new struts and stronger spring
Great video! Can you link all the used products from this video? I would like to do the same modification on my XF. Cheers!
Hey Marius - I've inserted the links in the description of the video. I'd suggest going for the hex head screws as the head creates more resistance. I have since changed my screws to these. Also, you might want to go for the 19mm long screws instead of 16mm to give you more leeway for adjusting the screw in or out.
Good morning hilton. My project this weekend is to do the boot.(trunk).
But does this put to much pressure on the catch. ?.
Not at all. The trunk was designed to open automatically and the gas struts when the car was new had more opening power. As they age they lose their strength. The catch is actually very strong. Mine had soft close and it still pulled the trunk lid down because when the struts reach as certain point they no longer pull.
I'd be grateful if you could make a video about illuminated door sills. Mine has stopped working all of a sudden and it was one the things I really loved about my Jag. Not quite sure why its stopped working
Mine doesn't have illuminated door sills so unfortunately I can't do a video on it. But are both not working or just one?
@@carfanfan both unfortunately. The centre console and door lights still work though so not sure what the problem is.
@@yomibash4930 have you checked all the fuses relating to your interior lights. Check the manual for all the fuse locations. If fuses are okay, the it's probably the led bulbs have blown. If you know how to solder led bulbs you can fix it yourself by removing the scuff plate and taking the backing off where the led sits. In fact, if you remove the scuff plate and unplug them and hook a 9v batter up to the plug, if it lights up you know the problem is not the lights but somewhere before the lights like wiring or fuse.
@@yomibash4930 Were they a factory fitted option or added later ? I have a PDF of the fitting instructions that might help you trace the fault but not sure how to get it to you. If your central courtesy light is working it can't be the fuse as Hilton mentioned.
@@pauljohnston712 Thanks a massive bunch for the reply. I have got it fixed now, it wasnt actually a fault. All I had to do was touch the overhead lights for 2 seconds to change it from manual mode to Automatic. That sorted the illuminated plate lights and the interior lights out, as they also didn't come on when I opened the doors.
Got a 2014 XF 2.0 - and got this issue. But I'm clumsy when it comes to cars - would you by any chance be near JHB and willing to do it for money? Also same time the driver's airvent doesn't go up or down, Jaguar said it'll cost 12k so if you have a fix for that... I'm in Germiston but work in North JHB.
Sent you an email Matt 😁
Hi great video, I have just bought a 2009 xf and followed the instructions in this video but when I open it using the button it opens perfectly but the last 10% it is a lot faster than your video. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
Hmm, not sure how to remedy that. Perhaps tighten the screws a little deeper to reduce the tension on the springs that lift it up.
Thanks
Where do you get these ideas from?
I did this morning my old 2009 XF and when I opened the trunk on my XFR I just knew I had to do this. 😂
When you mentioned the inside and outside diameter measurements of the screw, what did you mean exactly? From the video it looked like you're measuring from the threads of the screw. Is the "outside" measurement the width of the threads and inside the width of the stem without the threads?
Also - where did you find the 3.5 mm drills? I've never seen them with 0.5 mm increments.
Hey there - yes you are correct. The outside is the width of the thread and the inside is the stem. Both are quite important considering it's a self tapping screw, so if your hole is too big, the screw won't tap. I have a set of of drill bits and these are the increments they came with in the tool box. You don't have to use the same width that I did though. You can do a 2mm hole and then a 3mm hole and use a screw that will fit 3mm. I'd say for a 3mm hole you need a screw with a 4mm outside thread width.
I didnt know the boot opened by itself if the key was left in there. I gotta see if my car does that lol.
🤣😂
I didn't know that either! Good to know as I had a habit of putting my key down in there if my hands were full then closing the lid and locking it in. I always had to carry a spare emergency key with me for that exact reason!
Looking dull outside but if the rain keeps off I'm going to do mine this afternoon. New struts arrived this morning.
Gear fix 👍😀😀
Hey Hilton, thanks for another great video, and not so much for making us jealous
Where do I source the gas struts from?
I got mine from Jaguar. And I recommend buying the genuine ones because they fit better than the non OEM ones. The pressure must be 4.25nm or more 😉
Great video. Is this the same process for a 2016 XF S? Thanks!
Thanks. No the X260 uses springs to pull it up. You can buy spring tensioners which requires you to remove the carpet in the trunk on the sides to reveal the springs.
💡👍👍👍
Mine still opens half way, added the screws and new struts, would wd40 on the springs help? Also do you know what the black bolt covers are called, you have 2 on each side
Try silicone spray on all the joints. WD40 attracts dust and will make it worse.
Hi Hilton can you tell me where the parts number is for xf2008 jaguar my boot harness as broken so the boot will not open it broken when the black sleeve joint the boot and the body of the car👍
Hey Paul - perhaps this link will help you www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php/299932/5497/trunk___boot_lid_harness_with_rear_camera_parking_aid___jaguar___xf_range
@@carfanfan thank Hilton for the link keep the videos come my friend 👍
Hi Jag i am trying to find the specific screw and rubber without success. Can you please assist from where to buy it?
Here's a link to the rubber grommets I used
www.aliexpress.com/item/4001233886593.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.3d1c71b1hYs8mN&algo_pvid=bd8436d2-9c04-4cb7-b51f-3189b148b8b8&algo_expid=bd8436d2-9c04-4cb7-b51f-3189b148b8b8-3&btsid=0b0a555616056894272466009e630a&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_
As for the screw, this screw will work very well as it is 19mm and has a washer as well as a large head
Hello !
I'm in the UK and have a 2012 XF 2.2D Sport LE.
Can you tell me please the size of the rubber grommets you used, diameter and thickness.
Great mod !
Thanks
Hey Richard, I measured them with my Vernia and they are the following:
Diameter - 14.3mm
Thickness - 6.6mm
Inner diameter - 5.8mm
That's great thank you
Does it work in cold weather too? My trunk won’t open completely if it’s cold outside (only fitted new stronger gas struts from AliExpress)
I've tested it early in the morning when it's around 15 degrees and it still works. Have you oiled all the hinge joints?
Help, am I missing the point because I cannot see any correlation between drilling a small hole and the boot fully opening? It would appear that without changing the spring or adding longer gas struts, the boot opens fully after a small hole is drilled. It just doesn't make sense!
You clearly didn't watch my video entirely.
@@carfanfan I did indeed watch the video in its entirety ( I have watched many of your videos which I find both exciting and informative) and it provides the same information that others have posted regarding the boot fullying opening. Again, why is the boot fully opening with just drilling a hole and adding a self-tapper screw? I ask the question because I want to complete the same work on my XF.
@Chris Neye I explained in my video how the entire boot hinge works and why there is a little spring attached to the hinge with a small lever which makes contact with a rather useless grommet on the body of the car. That lever is supposed to receive pushback from the grommet which puts tension on the spring to help the truck lid jump open to the point where the gas struts cam then take over and push it open entirely. By drilling a hole where that rubber grommet sits and installing a raised screw, it adds more tension to the spring making it open properly. It helps if you oil the hinges properly and replace the struts at the same time so that everything works as it was intended to by the designers and engineers.
@@carfanfan Bora Da (good morning in Welsh) and many thanks for your reply. I believe I have a better understanding through your explanation of the resistance of the rubber grommet, compared to the raised head and no resistance of the self tapper screw. As soon as I get a couple of self tappers screws, I will give your sound advice a go. Many thanks for the videos you post on here. Diolch yn fawr (thank you)
Hey how do you fold the backseat down? Just got myself a xf
Congrats on your purchase. It's a bit of a faff. If you open the trunk, look at the roof of the trunk. On either side, there are two knob like levers - you have to pull the lever and push the seat on that side down with the other hand. You literally have to climb in the trunk to do it - not a very gracious exercise, but once done, it expands the space in the car tremendously. I've carted four 20 inch wheels in my XFR already with the seats down and it swallows them up with ease ;)
So what was the point of fitting the grommet and screw?
Oh I understand now after watching again
Hi Hilton my boot will not open with both fob or boot switch in the car think wires may be broken
Sounds like the main loom between truck and body. That concertina looking one.
@@carfanfan thank Hilton will have a look today 👍
Hi Hilton from Cyprus!! I am having difficulties finding the rubber. Can you please assist?
Hey Theo. Which rubber are you referring to?
Grommet I believe?
How do you get the boot to open when it won't open at all...?
Do you mean when the battery is flat?
@@carfanfan No, it just won't open. The full story is that I'm looking to buy another Jaguar, the XF, and the one for sale has a boot that won't open so I was wondering if anyone heard of that happening and what the fix is... I like your videos and your XF!
@@charliestanley4502 sounds like a fuse may be blown. To get the trunk open manually remove the little rubber grommet above the license plate and use the key which sits in the key fob to open it manually.
@@carfanfan Thanks for your help but I decided to buy a different one. It's an incredible car!
@@charliestanley4502 glad to hear. Congratulations 👏🎊🎉
What i want to know/add is soft closing doors/trunk like on the XJ on my XFR
That really just requires the trunk latch from one of those cars. There are already wires leading to the latch for the auto unlock, so it shouldn't be too difficult to wire it up.
Can you do a tutorial on it with a friends XF or borrow one from a dealer and just show us the wires; don't cut them of course😁… or a graphic? Thanks
Or tap the larger hole you pulled the bung out of?
Unfortunately that won't work. The depth of that hole isn't deep enough to accommodate any screw and if you were lucky enough to get a short screw in there, it would pop off the moment you close the trunk. I tried that with my old XF back in 2017 and no matter what I stuck in that shallow hole, it just popped off. You need a deeper hole in which most of the screw can fit into.
Mine only opens halfway still :( would changing the gas struts work or?
It might, bit if you change the struts and it's still lazy this mod will work a treat every time. Mine is still working strong.
@@carfanfan thanks 😊 I did the mod on both sides and still only opens half way which is a bit weird
@@DBCSgaming That's not right. It should work. Did you use a rubber grommet to make the protrusion more pronounce or a screw with a raised hex bolt head?
@@carfanfan I used both of those, the only thing I can think of is the bolt head isn’t big enough
@@DBCSgaming That could be the issue. But did you oil each and every hinge joint? That makes a big difference too 😉
I think this could be done without drilling my getting a new larger oem style plug 3d printed
That could work Ayryon, as long as the material you're using is strong enough to withstand the daily pressures of the springs putting tension in them with every day use 😉
@@carfanfan i will model them up and printo some to try, i think it should probably hold up fine for a couple of years before it needs replacing 🤔
It doesn’t open automatically it just opens further
Try opening it when the fob button malfunctions!
Huh
@@carfanfan Exactly!
Why did u Drill holes i didnt understand it
You have to drill holes for the screws to screw into the trunk. Make sure the screws are not longer than 19mm otherwise they could end up going through the skin of the trunk. You have about 25mm to play with, so 19mm is safe.
Why disconnect the boot light?
Because having the trunk open so long runs the battery down. Keep in mind, my car doesn't drive every day. It stands for five days at a time before it gets driven again, so it's better to be safe than sorry.
My screen is flickering what's your fix solution
Replace the loom between the car and the trunk. The wires are probably barely touching. Soon it will just stop working altogether. Repairing the broken wires can be a short term fix, but rarely lasts long.
@@carfanfan got continuity on plug to truck. Have disconnected optic cable still no change
@@prestigeluxuryservice8253 my guess is the optic cable is broken from bending open and closed. You going tknhave replace the loom my friend.
My boot is now quite hard to shut, is this normal?
Yes, it will wear down as time goes by and become easier to shut. That's just the tension on the little springs that makes it a little tort
@@carfanfan due to the boot still only opening half way, Iam sending my struts off to get re-pressured, what Nm would you say would be the best for your grey car as I have the same one, thanks again
@@joshb9657 425nm should do it
@@carfanfan the new struts arrived today and wow,wow,wow all that effort paid off, works amazingly well now, thanks again Hilton ❤️
@@joshb9657 any time mate 😉👍
I think he dented his boot skin
FYI - I didn't. The trunk is fine. No dents :)
Part number please
Updated in the description ;)
Even *I* can do this at home? Well, if a mindless idiot like me can do it, anyone can...