Yesterday the yellow engine light came on and I continued to drive for about ten to twenty kilometers.

After going to a restaurant and returning, the car would not start. Interior lights would go on but starter motor would not engage at all. I decided that the battery might have gone down because I had not been remembering to leave the car connected to the battery tender for a few nights. We had to abandon the car.

Happily we were not far from home. Next morning the car did start and I drove it home and I am currently leaving it in the garage with the battery tender doing its thing. The engine warning light is still on.

I haven't been leaving the car locked up overnight and am wondering if this might have ran the battery down because it could never go into 'sleep' mode.

But I just tried it again and it turned over well and started after four turns like usual. But the yellow engine light is still on.

Is a puzzle.

Bob

 

I would not drive the car until the codes have been read. I would quickly buy an elm 327 or get read for you.
once the codes are read then post them.

how old is the battery as you said that you keep it on tender a low battery can give you false codes.
charge it and then check the voltage after leaving the lights on for 3 minutes. It should be 12.6 volts.

 

The X200 will take 40 minutes for the car to go to 'sleep'.
An initial current draw will be something like 6 amps, then 4 amps, then 800ma, then finally 25ma to 35ma after the 40 minute wait.

The car starting up after hours of sitting makes me think that the issue is NOT battery related?? But loose plates inside a battery can do things like that.

Keep diagnosing.

bob

 

Wow, quite a rash of possible battery-related faults recently. I hate to sound like a broken record (an idiom that leaves a younger generation scratching their heads), but get that battery issue sorted out first. The check engine light may be from a nuisance fault generated by low system voltage.

At minimum, fully replenish the battery on a charger. If the battery is of unknown vintage, seriously consider just replacing it. Make sure the new one is fully charged, as most are not when sold.

As far as the car starting okay the next morning, that's not unusual. Most automotive batteries will self-recover a small amount in such a situation. You probably got just enough back to start the engine.

Next step, after sorting out the battery, is to read the fault codes that triggered the check engine light. If you don't have your own code reader or scanner yet, many parts stores will read them for free. Make sure you get the five digit code (P0301, for example) instead of just the definition they might give you. Some generic definitions don't always match the Jag-specific codes.

 

Not really a puzzle.

If the battery was low before the trip the car would not have started at all or it may have started but triggered all sorts of faults immediately.

The car not being on a tender for a few days would have no effect unless the battery is already toast or there is a fault that's causing it to be drained.

The check engine light coming on when the car is being driven indicates that there is a fault. Have the codes read before doing anything more.

 

+1
you need the codes

They may save you a lot of money.

 

Hello all,

Friend of mine remarked that there might be a problem with battery connections. As soon as he spoke I was reminded that on any other car my mind would have gone first to battery connection issues. The check engine light threw me off.

So I disconnected all the connections, cleaned and greased them with dielectric grease, put them back on and the engine check light disappeared. This car has a battery that is only a few months old and I keep it charged with a battery tender.

I would not think of a battery connector issue when a check engine light goes on I have to admit, especially with this car when the battery is in the trunk.

Thanks for all of your replies. I am expecting to get a code reader soon and am trying to get an old computer working to act as a code reader in the near future.

 

The CEL will soon be back I predict. Disconnecting the battery temporarily cancels the code in some cases.

 

Alas yes . . . and missed codes are a missed opportunity, even if spurious as per Mikey and JagV8. Great to hear you have a Battery Tender . . . but do yourself a favour by getting an ELM327 and app for a smart phone. Price? $10-$20? Add another $10 for a basic DVM. Make them your immediate priorities; backed up with JTIS and TSBs - all in Stickies.

Best wishes,

Ken

 

And if your yellow check engine light begins to flash, pull over and stop driving ASAP, as you will ruin your catalytic converters in very short order...a very expensive repair.

 

Hi Ken,

I did try to find an ongoing issue with the CATS system [light flashing, message on the speedometer] using a friend's ELM327 and his smart phone but he was unable to read anything coherent. Maybe he does not have the app on his phone. I do not own a smart phone [yet]. I am trying to find an old 32 bit computer to set up as a code reader/analyst and I have ordered a reader from mongoose but Ducmon has advised me that it will not work with a Jaguar for anything other than engine codes [could have worked here maybe] and will not help me find the coding for the CATS error message.

It is all a learning curve for me at the moment and I am grateful for any enlightenment offered. But I do hope that the check engine light does not come on again soon. I need the car for another week or so as my basic transportation.

Bob

 

Bob,

The CEL light coming on has nothing to do with ABS or systems other than the engine itself. Crappy Tire or Princess Auto etc. have code readers that will work very well with our Jags. No smartphone or separate computer required, for $100 or so..

 

To read CATS codes you need something able to read its computer - ordinary OBD stuff wont do it for OBD is for emissions and CATS is not that.

Stick to OBD codes. They really matter for your engine's health (& cats etc).

 

You Have misunderstood me.
The ELM327 with work only on the engine and transmission. The mongoose and SDD/IDS will work on everything. As you may have a catylitic convertor problem (Flashing service engine light)

STOP DRIVING THE CAR AS NEW CONVERTORS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.


look to see if you have an air leak some where by using a diy diagnostic smoker.

Even without a code you know where to look.

Use this manual for the moment until you have set up the JTIS

JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource
Electrical, OBD Codes,
Tech Guide & Spec Book
S type and download the Jaguar S-Type 2002.5 - 2008 FSM Workshop Manual

I know its the wrong year but it is a start. or bett wer still set up the JTIS on a cumputer following the instructions for a 64 bit computer.

 

Hello David,

My check engine light was not flashing. It suddenly appeared [not flashing, just steadily lit] and then the car would not start after about a twenty kilometre drive. I suspect the contact points with the battery were the problem because I have experienced similar breakdowns with other cars and this car has had numerous battery problems before I bought it. I am sure it had been in an out of the car several times.

When I did go over the terminals the check engine light disappeared and the car has been working well--keeping my fingers crossed that all will be well for the next little while.

But I take your warning about the light and the potential problem with the converter [probably two on this car given that it is a V8].

I do have a manual that I downloaded when I bought the car. Probably not the JTIS version however. I will try to download the one you advise.

Bob

 

I would get the codes read to see if anything is in memory. Most parts stores will do it for free. Make sure they erase everything before disconnecting the code reader.
.
.
.

 

Ok my mistake I thought it was flashing.
You could use the engineering test mode, but be warned it can give every code that the car has had.

http://www.bluejag.co.uk/S-Type%20Instrument-cluster-diagnostics.php.
So there may be lots of them.
get your self an elm 327 as quickly as possible. I know where you can get a free trial diagnostic program that works on Windows, apple, Android.
So we will be able to get something up and running to read your codes.
they only cost 10 dollars or so from Amazon.

 

ETM seems to show every code the car has ever had (e.g. mine still has all the ones it had 8 years ago when I bought it, yet has no current OBD codes). Frankly I would not use ETM for codes.

 

Mikey,

If I read and understand Ducmon right, these code readers will only work for engine issues and my ongoing problem is the CATS system fault message and flashing light, which is coming from the suspension system. It does not stop me from driving the car but I would like to find a way to put an end to it. Correct me if I am wrong in this understanding.

But if I do get another check engine light appearing I will take your advice and go to Crappy Tire to get one of their code readers.

I take it that you cannot reset the code with one of these readers and I think that is why Ducmon is showing me a path forward to be able to reset the codes as well as to be able to read them.

Bob

Tarnation! Just don't get these twenty-first century cars!

 

David,
I have an elm 327 with the identification KMOON OBDII [MINI], that says it supports all OBDII protocols. It belongs to a friend of mine who also owns an Android phone. He was unable to get it to read anything the one time we tried to use it. Could you supply the information on that free trial diagnostic program? Perhaps if you sent it to my email address I could simply forward it to him.

Bob