Jaguar X-Type: 2.0D timing chain — the diesel's reputation for not lasting past 100,000 km
2.0D timing chain — the diesel's reputation for not lasting past 100,000 km is a common engine fault on the Jaguar X-Type on the 2003–2009 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $1,800 to $5,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 9 documented faults on the Jaguar X-Type.
- Vehicle
- Jaguar X-Type
- Engine
- 2.0L
- Years
- 2003–2009
- Fuel
- diesel
- System
- Engine
What you are looking at
Example of the part — not this vehicleThe front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.
What goes wrong
The 2.0 diesel has a poor reputation for timing chain trouble, and it is the reason so many of these diesels are cheap. The chain and its guides wear, and on an interference engine a chain that jumps or breaks bends valves and ends the engine — so this is not a noise to run on and see. The warning is a rattle from the front of the engine, worst in the first seconds after a cold start before oil pressure builds. Plenty of these have never had the chain looked at because a chain is widely assumed to be a lifetime part, which on this engine it is not.
What you would notice
- Rattle or chatter from the front of the engine for the first seconds after a cold start
- A rattle that returns at idle once the engine is hot
- Rough running or a check-engine light for camshaft/crankshaft correlation
- Poor starting
- No record of any timing chain work at high mileage
How to check it
Where to look. Timing chain, guides and tensioner at the front of the engine
The cold start is the whole test, so arrange to see the car first thing and check the bonnet is cold when you arrive — if it has been warmed up before you got there, come back another day.
Stand at the front of the car with the bonnet up while somebody turns the key, and listen hard to the first three or four seconds: a rattle or chatter that then quietens is the chain and its tensioner, and it is a reason to walk unless the car is priced as needing the job.
Listen again at idle once fully hot.
Watch for a check-engine light.
Read the service history for any timing chain work and note the odometer, because on this engine a high-mileage car with no chain record is carrying the whole risk.
What it costs to put right
$1,800 to $5,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Has the timing chain ever been replaced, and at what mileage?”
- “Is there any rattle from the front of the engine on a cold start?”
- “Has the check-engine light ever come on?”
Now check the Jaguar X-Type you are actually looking at
Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.
Where this comes from
- What Car? — Used Jaguar X-Type 2001-2010 reliability and common problems
- BreakerYard — Jaguar X-Type common problems and solutions
Jaguar X-Type buyer questions
Is 2.0d timing chain — the diesel's reputation for not lasting past 100,000 km serious on a Jaguar X-Type?
We rate it critical and common on the Jaguar X-Type. The 2.0 diesel has a poor reputation for timing chain trouble, and it is the reason so many of these diesels are cheap. The chain and its guides wear, and on an interference engine a chain that jumps or breaks bends valves and ends the engine — so this is not a noise to run on and see. The warning is a rattle from the front of the engine, worst in the first seconds after a cold start before oil pressure builds. Plenty of these have never had the chain looked at because a chain is widely assumed to be a lifetime part, which on this engine it is not.
How much does it cost to fix on a Jaguar X-Type?
$1,800 to $5,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.
Which Jaguar X-Type years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 2003–2009 Jaguar X-Type. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.
How do I check for it before I buy?
The cold start is the whole test, so arrange to see the car first thing and check the bonnet is cold when you arrive — if it has been warmed up before you got there, come back another day. Stand at the front of the car with the bonnet up while somebody turns the key, and listen hard to the first three or four seconds: a rattle or chatter that then quietens is the chain and its tensioner, and it is a reason to walk unless the car is priced as needing the job. Listen again at idle once fully hot. Watch for a check-engine light. Read the service history for any timing chain work and note the odometer, because on this engine a high-mileage car with no chain record is carrying the whole risk. Look here: Timing chain, guides and tensioner at the front of the engine