Just weeks after admitting its new logistics hub has been the cause of thousands of vehicle parts being delayed, JLR's efforts to resolve the crisis are being severely tested by a spate of failures concerning the electric power steering motors fitted to the Jaguar F-Pace. 

It was reported last October that as a result of supply issues caused when JLR reconfigured its UK parts supply network from 18 warehouses to one ‘super centre’, 10,000 of the manufacturer's cars were off the road awaiting replacement parts.

In January JLR boss Adrian Mardell claimed the backlog had been reduced to fewer than 2000 parts and the following month said the company was resolving the problem, although cautioned that it would take dealers time to repair affected cars.

“That's going to take a bit more time but the original bottleneck is actually mostly through," said Mardell. "It’s not where we want to get it but it’s mostly through.”

His words are likely to be received with some scepticism by a group of customers who have formed a Facebook group to share their experiences.

Called the JLR Power Steering Alliance Group, it has more than 580 members, 130 of whom own F-Pace models registered between 2016-20 and which, they claim, are suffering water ingress of the electric steering motor, rendering the cars undrivable. 

Among their ranks is Adrian Woodward whose F-Pace suffered failure of its steering motor after it was driven on rain-sodden roads.

"Like the other owners, my car was not driven through a flood," he says. "We've had heavy rain recently and I suspect water entered the motor simply from the roads being soaking wet. I've seen evidence of other cars suffering the same problem where the motor has a hairline crack and the electrical circuit board inside the unit is white with corrosion.

"Replacement motors are supplied with a new steering rack. One member of the group is on his third. At first, insurers blamed flooding and paid the bill but there were so many claims that they will no longer pay out, forcing owners onto the goodwill of JLR."

Woodward says that before it will consider his claim, JLR insists his car is first investigated by one of its dealers and the fault diagnosed at a cost to him of £216.

However, he says his local dealership has told him the earliest it can inspect his F-Pace is five weeks. If the motor is found to be at fault, the dealer cannot tell him when the new steering rack will be delivered. 

"It's frustrating enough that the dealership requires me to wait five weeks to diagnose the fault when JLR staff must have data on hundreds of recently failed steering racks but now they tell me they don't know when a replacement rack will be available," he says.

"I suspect that the demand for replacement racks has exacerbated the firm's parts supply problems. Fortunately, I've been told that if the dealer does diagnose the electric motor as being at fault, I will be provided with a courtesy car while I await the replacement parts." 

JLR declined to comment on Woodward's case until his vehicle has been inspected but a spokesperson told Autocar that the firm 'thoroughly reviews every claim regarding an alleged vehicle fault'.

They added that regarding the steering issue, the company is working with the DVSA. This suggests that should the organisation consider it necessary, the steering issue might be escalated to the status of a vehicle safety recall.

Meanwhile, in a statement regarding parts delays, JLR said, "We are working with our distribution partner, Unipart, to quickly resolve temporary parts delays.

We are making positive progress, which is evidenced by the availability of parts being closer to target levels, while backorders are showing significant declines.

Continuing this trend at pace, and resuming normal service as soon as possible for clients, is our priority. In the meantime, we have increased mobility options to keep clients mobile.”

As Autocar received JLR's statements, Woodward contacted the magazine to report that the company had suddenly told him his car's problem was currently being diagnosed and that if a new steering rack was required, it would be supplied and fitted free of charge.

The firm said it still couldn't say when, if required, the new part would be delivered but that a courtesy car would be made available to him immediately.

"I'm amazed and delighted," said Woodward. "All I hope is that if I get it, the new part doesn't suffer the same problem."