The "low battery" problem bit me good after I hadn't driven my F-Type for a few days. Went to get in, and everything is dead.

It looks like the F-Type does NOT have a mechanical way to open the trunk? I looked for a keyhole everywhere on the rear and didn't find one. I even removed the license plate, but there's no keyhole there like on the door handles.

So, I guess the procedure is:

1. Use key on the key fob to open driver's door.
2. Pop hood release.
3. Connect a new battery with jumper cables to the jumper terminals under the hood.
4. That should supply enough power to open the trunk?
5. Replace battery.
6. ??? Anything I need to do after replacing? Reset anything? Sirius XM, etc?

I haven't looked in the manual yet, but are the jumper terminals clearly marked under the hood? I'm assuming just by connecting a new battery to the terminals, that will supply enough power to the car to then open the trunk?

I'm definitely going to get a battery tender after this.

 

Terminals are found RH front under the hood, just behind the headlight. There is a covered red + connection and a separate grey ground post about 6" away. A jump pack, donor battery or nearby vehicle should all provide enough power to activate the trunk release even with the onboard dead battery still connected.

You'll need to reset the auto up/down windows after you replace the battery.

 

Unlucky!

How long is a few days exactly?

 

My F type R is a 2015 and I can leave it for a number of weeks with no sign of a low battery.

Over the winter it sits for months and I usually have a tender on it .. I simply hook the tender to the battery boost ports under the hood, it works fine.

My dealer mentioned that they had a number of cars come back with battery problems that they traced to the cars sitting on the lot without a charge, which damaged the battery. My car was ordered new so it did not sit.

Also, possibly you have a drain on the battery, others here have mentioned that the car needs to be locked so the system 'sleeps' .. although I sometimes leave mine unlocked for days without a problem.

Consider taking the car back to the dealer as this should not happen over a few days.
Lawrence.

 

I also have a 2015 R and my experience is very much the same as yours. For different reasons (winter being one) my F-type sits sometimes in the garage for weeks and months, and I have never had a problem with low voltage.

I only use a battery tender during long time winter storage, and that is just for 4-5 hours every 3 to 4 weeks.

 

Mine managed to immobilise itself despite the battery being okay. Nothing worked. The earth strap in the boot was loose - apparently.

The only way to get into the boot was to disconnect the main ECU found under the floor on the passenger side on RHD models, wait a couple of minutes, then plug it all back in.

 

Nevertheless, there have been plenty of reports of people having battery problems on this forum. I suppose it could be that the battery was abused, left to discharge on the dealer lot, at some point before the car was sold. I think it is aggravated by the fact that what we have observed for alternator charging would not favor a battery that is nearly dead to begin with. It is possible that trying to fully charge the battery with a charger may give it enough life back or it may be that a new battery is required to be clear of the problem. IMHO, this will always be a problem for some owners until Jaguar decides that their method of alternator charging is inadequate. Ha!


Larry

 

LoneAspen
There is a high probability your battery is still good. The energy management module on this car has a known flaw and has to be reset occassionally especially after the OBD II port has been accessed.
The hatch can be opened simply by hooking a charger or battery to the terminals under the hood. Pull your battery and recharge it. While the battery is disconnected the energy module will right itself. You can tell if that module is working correctly if the hazard warning button light goes off within a few minutes after you lock the car. If it stays on for a prolonged period you need to reset the module by disconnecting the negative side of the battery for several seconds.

 

Thanks everybody for the replies! Here are some answers to some of the info posted:

Only about a week (construction was going on where I work, which forced everybody to park in the same part of the lot, and I prefer not to park next to people when I drive the Jag), but I'd had the low battery condition come on before, but it always cleared up after I'd driven it. But not this time.

When the low battery first started happening, I read some posts saying to double-lock the car (press lock on fob twice) so it sleeps faster, or something like that. Since I read that, I do double-lock it always. Press lock twice and hear the horn beep before walking away and leaving it.

That's almost exactly the behavior I observed in the past! I think I even made a post about it here after I first got the car. I noticed that sometimes when locking it (I think it was before I started double-locking it), the hazard light would stay on, and so would the little lights near the door lock indicators on the doors. They'd stay on for hours after I'd locked the car, and then when I got in it the next morning, I'd see the low battery warning.

I didn't see that behavior with the lights that often when double-locking it, but I'd still get the low battery warning sometimes.

I'd always wondered if the hazard and door lock lights staying on for long periods of time meant something was up. Glad to know it's symptomatic of something to look at. Hopefully, that module will definitely be reset now assuming the battery is indeed dead.

------

I'm not near the car right now to check, but does anybody know what kind of battery the F-Type takes? In case it matters, mine's a 2015. Not sure if it has the second battery for stop/start or not, I think I read somewhere they made a cutover at some point and just use the main battery in later models.

I tried Interstate's website, but they don't list the F-Type as a model, and I can't find anywhere on Jaguar's site what model of battery it takes. I know in a 911 I used to own, it was a specific battery model/shape you had to get for it to fit. Wanted to verify what kind the F-Type takes in case I have to buy a new one before taking the old one out.

Thanks for all the info!

 

My 2015 has the two battery's ...

Not sure if your old battery is totally dead or not, however I guess a new one would eliminate that aspect.

Note what Unhingd mentioned about watching for the hazard light etc.. once you get going with the new battery; a reset seems to clear it up, but perhaps a 'warranty' visit to the dealer is in order if it reoccurs.
Lawrence

 

The F-Type main batteries are all the same regardless of model year. The battery does not specify a group size and is unique to Jaguar. You need to order an aftermarket battery based on size. Anything with smaller dimensions than stock and more than 800 cca should work.
Stock size: 7"W x 13.5"L x 8"H.

When mine dies I'm switching to a 9 pound lithium.

 

don't buy a new battery - just charge it. It's likely fine and the fix to the constant drain is the module reset that Unhingd mentioned.

 

Unhingd,


Lithium batteries require a completely different charging voltage and profile than the stock AGM. I doubt you can alter the software to make it work.
Larry

 

+1. Before I figured out the resolution, my battery was fully drained twice. And I mean totally drained...instruments all black. No battery issues in the last 7 months since, but the module has required resetting every time somebody plugs into the OBD II port.

 

The automotive lithiums have the required charging hardware and software built right into the battery case. That's one of the reasons they cost $1200. I've been running a lithium in my Triumph for years now and never a problem (that one weighs less than 3 lbs.)

 

Did not know that, thanks. But I would never pay that for a car battery...
Larry

 

I just did some Li battery browsing, several brands that advertise plug and play for AGM or std lead acid. But, while they have a battery protection system built in, they do require a higher voltage for charging than what we are seeing in our Jaguars, or at least my car. You could spend a whole lot of money on Li batteries and not have them charged properly in an F-Type. Makes a lot of sense where weight is the issue, but you better have the smarts to be able to tinker with the voltage regulator.


Larry

 

Wait til you see what a replacement Jag battery costs. (I have no idea what that really is, but I bet they're steep).

 

Getting ready to hook up a donor battery to the F-Type so I can get its trunk open, and I see one positive jump point under the hood, but I thought there was another one?

I opened up the black side of the cover, and just see a fuse block in there. No separate blade like the red positive side has.

Or do you just hook the negative somewhere on the frame in the engine bay? I don't see much unpainted metal in there, though.

EDIT: Nevermind - I just found the relevant section in the owner's manual. Shows a picture where the negative jump point is a separate stud.

 

Looks like the battery is really dead

Got the trunk open, took the old battery out, and hooked it up to a Battery Tender Plus I bought. The amber and green lights kept alternating, and according to the manual, that's either incorrect polarity (and I know I hooked them up right), or a dead/defective battery.

Just to be sure, I hooked the tender up to another old car battery I had which died a couple years ago, and same thing happened.

I'm going to call the service department next week when they open after the holiday and tell them the situation, and hope maybe a new battery will be covered under the CPO warranty I have. I just hope they don't insist it be towed to the service department instead of me just bringing the battery in, because I really don't want to fool with them having to undo the shift lever, parking brake, push it out of the garage, etc. I'd rather just pay for a new battery myself.

Wish I'd known about the module reset sooner. I should have done more research when the Low Battery warnings first happened. Oh well. Live and learn.