It looks as if certain 2019 model year Jaguar E-Pace crossovers have left the factory improperly equipped. Back in November, an owner created an account on the EPaceForum to share their experience. According to the posting, the E-Pace arrived with some features missing. Functions like navigation, WiFi, live weather and sports updates, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto were all absent.
While you might assume Jaguar could sort this out by simply issuing a software fix at an accredited service center, things are a little more complicated than that. The poster said they were swiftly contacted by Jaguar Land Rover and their dealer, only to be told what they already knew: that their vehicle left the factory missing the “InControl Pack and Smart Settings” that make these systems functional.
Worse still, JLR said nothing could be done about it.
Since the issue laid dormant for several months, the problem seems isolated to a small number of E-Paces. But it’s still bigger than one lone crossover. Jaguar issued a brief stop-sale on affected vehicles in October 2018; the forum post included a copied document showing the automaker notifying dealerships that all 2019 model year E-Pace S, SE and HSE models up to VIN SADFJ2FX6K1Z43230 are affected.
Jaguar responded to AutoGuide, which was the first outlet to mention the blunder, to explain that customers will be reimbursed for their hardship. However, a $600 in-store credit as compensation seems insufficient, especially considering these customers were effectively given faulty products they now have to live with.
“A small quantity of cars left the UK without the Connect Pro Pack — this includes functionality for features like InControl Pro Services, WiFi HotSpot and Smart Settings — which are required for Apple Car Play and Android Auto to function correctly,” a JLR spokesperson explained. “Adding this pack is not something that can be retrofitted, so the decision has been made to proactively communicate this to potential buyers (of vehicles at retailers) and offer a $600 credit in lieu of the content.”
No recalls, no part replacement, no repairs — just a coupon. We know JLR is coping with harder times these days, but this feels unacceptable, especially for a premium brand that’s supposed to make its clientele feel special to help rationalize the price of its products.
[Images: Jaguar Land Rover]
Seems rather simple to me, provide what I purchased or refund the purchase price, interest, taxes and license.
Exactly. There was a written contract. JAG didn’t meet it’s part of the contract. Undo the deal.
As I read it, these cars haven’t been sold yet “proactively communicate this to potential buyers” —“proactive” and “potential”—they are essentially advertising this small set of cars as having the missing functionality prior-to-sale, at a presumed discount. Sort of like selling a new car that has hail-damage prior to sale. Sometimes they acknowledge the damage and sell at a discount—I would think the new buyer will get more of a discount than $600 when it is all said and done.
If its in the contract and window sticker, and 3 repairs doesn’t fix the problem, most states will lemon law the car. Even if its for missing features. And one may consider navigation to be a critical feature.
The $600 coupon is a pittance for a vehicle that can neither provide navigation nor Apple Car Play in 2019.
Jeoff, if you’re correct, this is a non-story.
According to the Autoguide story, the issue was brought to light by a customer who received one of the affected vehicles.
So they can’t (or won’t) replace the radio, the BCM, something? Customer service? Lol.
“Adding this pack is not something that can be retrofitted…” The hell you say.
I smell a lawsuit coming.
British electronics win again! Customers should be happy, they are getting authentic experience with their purchase.
I would be contacting a lawyer for sure. And this can’t be retrofitted junk is pure BS. It is a module or a software update. Granted this module might be hidden in a painfully difficult to reach portion of the dash which generates a massive labor bill that Jag must eat, but saying its unfix-able is nonsense. We fixed the Hubble Telescope while it was in SPACE! So adding WiFi to a Jag is far from “impossible”. Maybe they meant say its improbable.
Lucas would be So proud!
Was wondering if this was Lucas electronics!
I’d be asking for a replacement vehicle!
Good God Almighty!
Jaguar hasn’t used Lucas components for about 30 years now.
Engineering done in India, parts made in China, and assembly in the UK, home of the dark lord Lucas? What could go wrong?
And who designs a system that is not modular and “cannot be repaired”? Seriously, that is Electrical Engineering 101.
If it was Lucas they would have already received the bottle of replacement electrical smoke.
Eh, chabuduo.
Bring the vehicle to the dealer three times with the complaint that these features aren’t functioning. Retain documentation. Invoke Lemon Law. Try not to believe the lying imbeciles who tell you all new cars are good next time.
That’s the correct approach. Seems to work sufficiently when dealing with Volvo.
“All new cars are good” refers to normal circumstances, not lemons, which always exist.
(Note ref. above that it’s not clear that anyone who *bought one of these already* is not being made whole; the $600 thing is for *new buyers* as an incentive to buy inventory with a disclosed defect.
It’s probably not so much a “can’t fix” as a “will never be worth the labor costs to tear it apart and replace the required bits” thing, so … like someone said above, it’s like selling a new car with hail damage.
Tell the customer, offer discounts, move on.
*IF* JLR is telling the handful [?} of people who got such a vehicle *without knowing it in advance* to pound sand with a $600 coupon, that’s another matter and a horrible idea on their part that they should be punished for with lemon returns and lawsuits.)
I didn’t call you a lying imbecile. You self-identified. Then you completely fabricated a narrative where Jaguar didn’t offer someone who bought a car that was delivered missing features a $600 credit when the customer complained that they noticed the car they bought was missing said features. Is this a compulsive behavior?
Good way to inspire confidence and brand loyalty JLR.
Yeah I would think the fix would be: “I get a new E-Pace with everything I paid for, JLR gets my old one.”
That is the fix. It’s just not the fix JLR is offering yet. I’m sure a few letters and calls from attorneys can sort this out. I’m also sure it won’t end with a $600 coupon.
Yes, agreed.
And that $600 JLR coupon is worthless if all you planned to buy from them is the car. I’d rather have a $600 Amazon gift card.
I’m suddenly not sympathetic to JLR’s sales woes.
They CAN fix it, there’s just something about the repair that makes them really not want to.
Wrong wiring harness most likely and way too tough to run the needed wiring.
I don’t use those features. Where can I buy my HEAVILY discounted E-Pace?
LOLZ!
There is a posterior for every chair!
I looked at the detail list, and … yeah, the only UGH missing is real-time traffic for the Nav system, which is super nice.
(I can live without CarPlay/etc., as long as I can do Bluetooth audio streaming.
I actively don’t want a WiFi hotspot in my car, at current 4G prices.
The rest of it is all related to “no 4G”, as far as I can tell, since it’s all “the internet-connected stuff no work”.
I don’t care about *any of that*.)
No way in hell anyone just responds with “okay, I’ll just take that $600 voucher… no worries.” I’d be livid.
Can’t be fixed ? Sure…try “can’t be fixed without installing a whole new electrical system in the field”.
Buy-back. $600 coupon is to weed out those who will settle out cheaply.
Tesla’s over-the-air updates look more brilliant every day.
The OTA updates are all well and good, but for that to work in this case, JLR would have to install all the same modules and wiring in all the cars, and then just deactivate the features that haven’t been purchased via software. The cost of the unnecessary wiring and modules would add up over time.
Mazda does this to an extent, at least with GPS. If I recall correctly, the difference between GPS and non-GPS models is just a card that is installed at the dealer and that can be installed after the fact.
Most OEMs and auto manufacturers install common head units and controls, and software enable modular features as they are added to the price. Some crafty people figure out how to unlock them, but it doesnt always work out – distance pacing cruise needs both the feature unlocked AND the radar module installed.
I would be absolutely pissed if I were affected. Absolutely no excuses for a premium brand. I’m already experienced with Jaguar as they refuse to fess up to a defective waterpump involving a huge part of their 5.0 engines. No recall. If the warranty is expired and the pump fails causing engine destruction (which has happened) your screwed. I’d contact a local TV station to see if they would be interested in running the story. That would get Jaguar’s attention! Ultimately, Karma is on it’s way for Jaguar as their sales are plummeting.
In the words of General McAuliffe when surrounded at Bastogne by the Germans who demanded he surrender.
Nuts!
“Worse still, JLR said nothing could be done about it.”
Bovine excrement. Full buy-back option. Then, a substantial incentive for customer to acquire a JLR replacement vehicle. Then, dinner at a nice restaurant near the dealer, paid for by the dealership.
Hey JLR: Want loyal customers? Earn them!
There is little excuse for such a manufacturing screw up, but there are plenty of ways JLR and the dealers can work to retain their customers.
I retrofitted the factory navigation to my X-Type, which was also something that was officially impossible. It involved sourcing connectors, making my own wiring harness, making a new fiber optic network, and reprogramming some modules as 3 computer works go through the navigation/climate control/ICE/bluetooth systems.
Not possible to do with factory parts, but possible after spending some quality time with the electrical guide and combing junkyards for harness connectors. This was tech from 15 years ago, I’m sure it’s far more difficult to do with modern cars.
I suspect for the E Pace it would involve stripping the car completely and changing wiring harnesses and fiber optic networks, as well as component and programming changes. Impossible? No. Impractical? Yes! Can’t say as that’s something I’d be comfortable being done to my car by dealer mechanics. Exchanging it for a properly equipped cars seems like the only practical option.
I would say that the initial purchase involved fraud. The Monroney sticker surely stated that the car was equipped with these features.
What’s the penalty for not delivering what is stated on the sticker?
I believe fraud has to be intentional. This is merely a failure to fulfill a contract.
That.
Fraud is intentional deception; this is a lemon law issue.
How is this not criminal fraud? Why are these owners not calling their local prosecutors?
Here in Oregon, if it was *intentional* on the dealer’s part, it’d be false advertising (ORS 646.608(1)(i), “Advertises real estate, goods or services with intent not to provide the real estate, goods or services as advertised”).
Fraud in general, even if it applied under local law, would still require *intent to defraud* in the initial sales, and it looks like JLR stopped sale as soon as they found out, suggesting very strongly there was never any intentional deception.
For anyone that bought such a car, before the “disclose and offer a discount” program, if JLR doesn’t satisfy them with something, they can sue to be made whole; “I paid for X and you gave me Y that is worth less than X” is a tort, I’m pretty sure.
So much fir the first Tesla killer – fail (I still vividly remember the long procession of iPhone killers – worked on Android SW for OEMs – not one made it).
The Samsung Galaxy S3 rendered the iPhone a regional product. A friend I went to college with who was a senior engineer on the iPhone team admitted to me that all they could do to save the US market was fight Samsung with lawyers. The rest of the US-loathing world was glad to abandon the iPhone when the Galaxy Android matured.
Well, Apple has a bit of a problem now with that iOS bug that is out in the wild where someone can remotely turn on the mic and listen in on your conversation.
Heard it today on BBC-News CNET article.
My wife uses an iPhone, and I use it as a hot-spot for my iPad Air (that is also affected by this same bug.)
Except confusingly the E-pace isn’t the electrics Jaguar crossover, it is the sub compact one (with ICE)
“InControl Pro Services”
*Clouseau voice*
“Not anymore.”
Jaguar: “Sorry about that. Here’s $600, and a free Starbucks Mocha Latte.”
Me: “Oh that’s cute. You’ll be buying the car back now.”
Except, they didn’t even offer $600. They offered a freaking credit.
If they forgot to install this particular module, what else may have been left out or not completed during assembly? The fact that these cars were allowed to leave the factory like this suggests that JLR’s quality control is just not up to par for other western manufacturers.
Odd that they say the E-Pace left the UK missing the functions. The E-Pace – along with the electric I-Pace – is assembled in Austria by Magna.
I would assume that part of what you are selling, if you are Jaguar, is not only a vehicle but a premium ownership experience.
Insulting your customers after you screw them over by offering them a laughable coupon doesn’t really seem like the way to show your relatively well-heeled clientele that you give a hoot about their patronage.
I’d have probably handled this differently. Give the owners a few options. Maybe a grand cash money if they sit tight, fifteen hundred toward brand accessories, or two grand toward a trade in. This way the owners get the impression that you give a crap, and they feel like you’re giving them some options…people like choice.
Stopped by my local Jaguar dealership yesterday for a complimentary car wash on my 2010 XK Coupe which I only drive occasionally on weekends. The showroom looked like a ghost town! In the 45 minutes I spent there, I saw one individual walking around which I assumed was for service as well. Premium brand? No Lexus customer pampering here.
If I purchased a vehicle that was misrepresented and was missing these functions, I would be LIVID! If they then offered me a $600 in-store credit? What can you even use that for – a Jaguar Jacket? I’m not one to call a lawyer, but this might do it. I would do everything in my power to get that vehicle purchase refunded and/or covered under the lemon law.
A couple of these modern technologies are the primary reasons I would consider buying a new vehicle.
BMW and Mercedes replaced whole engines under extended warranties as goodwill gestures (M60 for the BMW and OM603 for the Benz). Yet Jaguar “can’t” replace electronics boxes? If the issue is whole wiring harnesses, yeah, that’s a lot of work… so give the customer a new car, take back the old, make up a lower-spec trim and resell the original as a new or CPO under the new trim.
Doesn’t selling a multi-featured product, some of whose features turn out not to exist, constitute fraud?
I guess it all hinges on how the customer base reacts. If their buying demo really is old enough they might get away with buying back a few of these and everyone else will settle for the $600 (two jag oil changes I’m assuming). If, however, there are enough already delivered cars out there missing this tech and the customers notice…well, they just made this way more expensive for themselves than buying them all back would have been.
I would be so hot if I took a car home and found missing features, especially a quite expensive new car. I would consider a $600 in store coupon an insult in that situation, not an accommodation. That insult would drive me online in a hurry, and I really am not the scorched earth type.
I once bought a hunting dog with a great pedigree from a well-respected breeder.
The dog was transported to me, and I found out the dog was blind. Beautiful retriever, but kept walking into walls.
I called up the breeder to complain and he said “Don’t worry. The great thing about blindness is that the other four senses make up for the loss of one. Plus, I’ll send you a check for $100.”
The dog became a part of the family, and lived with us for more than ten years as a house animal, full of love and affection.
I never bought another dog from that breeder.