Hello all,

I recently purchased a 2005 S-Type 3.0L V6 with 120,000 KM at a discount from a Honda Dealer as it has a charging problem that he described as a possible short in a fuseable link under the carpet that may have to be replaced.

From reading the other posts in this form I am thinking that it is the common problem in S-Types that I have been reading about, either the GECM or the RECM.

My question is that although the Honda Dealer says I should take it to the Jaguar Dealer because they have all the parts and expertise, I am wondering if it might be cheaper to take it to my local mechanic whom I trust....?

Just want it fixed properly as I am not mechanical myself but don't want to have to sacrifice my first born to do it.

Thanks,

Crazy Lee

 

I don't see how a charging problem would be along the lines you say. You look to be reading the wrong posts or misinterpreting them.

 

Dear Crazy,

Welcome to the club of Jag owners. What are the symptoms of the charging fault? Is the red battery light illuminated on the dash? If so, some aftermarket replacement alternators don't have the proper internal circuitry to control the light, even though the battery is getting charged, etc. If the red light is the only symptom, the fix could be as simple as a Jag-specific alternator.

Even if the problem is more involved, you should be fine taking it to your local garage. If they aren't comfortable with it, they may be able to recommend an electrical specialty shop.

I'm not aware of the fusible link problem you've mentioned, but then again there is plenty I don't know... One thing I've learned from this forum is a marginal battery can cause all sorts of strange, seemingly unrelated symptoms, even if the battery tests okay. If there's any doubt about the battery, it wouldn't hurt to gamble on a new one as a precaution.

I think there's also a battery cable junction block prone to corrosion due to its location behind the fender liner for the right front tire. A fault there could cause all sorts of electrical problems such as failure to charge and slow cranking speed when starting.

 

Crazy Lee, where abouts in Canada are you located?

We need more information on what exactly the symptoms you experience.

Does the vehicle start? Does the battery charge? Any warning lights or errors?

 

He's located in Owen Sound and the car is in Thunder bay according to another post.

 

Thanks for all of the replies guys, unfortunately I can't give you any other symptoms at the moment as I have yet to pick it up from the dealer I bought it used from, hopefully it will be ready this Saturday, just wanting to get a jump start on resolving this problem they made me aware of and gave me a discount on the car because of.

The only other information that the dealer gave me was that the previous owner drove it for 2 years with this problem and that if I was not going to drive it everyday I would have to unhook the battery or it would be dead.

Even on the test drive he told me not to shut it off. I have prepared myself for the pick up by purchasing a portable car booster as I may need to fuel it up and would like to get it started again after fuelling.

I will take the advice of the previous poster though and get a new battery first off to see how that improves the situation.

Thanks again,

Crazy Lee

 

When you get it and have changed the battery check what the (alternator) charging light does. (If it's on all the time then almost for sure someone's fitted a wrong replacement alternator. I expect someone can help with identifying it.)

 

Sounds like the alternator is gone...

 

Mixed signals?

OK....but....
The above passage describes a battery drain issue. This is certainly not a new and novel thing to Jags in general, least of all S-Types in particular!
In the mid-1980's the battery in my 1979 Jeep CJ failed (nothing, no amount of charging would resuscitate it; No crank/no start immediately on shutdown - but it was still under significant warranty coverage from a local shop in Lexington, KY where I was planning to be about a month and a half later during Christmas holidays. So I spent the better part of 2 months during Flight School in Pensacola, FL parking on hills (such as they were, in FL), hot-refueling, and occasionally recruiting a few of my fit, young colleagues for a push-start until I got back "Home" for a warranty swap. NO WAY I'd run 2 yrs like that! Let alone with an automatic xmsn.


My suspicion is that John is correct and someone has fit an aftermarket alternator that is charging just fine but all the while lighting the "Batt" light on the instrument panel and as an added bonus, you also have a static battery drain issue, likely the ignition switch, though there are any number of other viable suspects. Post back when you get your hands on it so we can quit speculating and move to diagnosis....ok, jk - we NEVER quit speculating...but at least maybe a more-informed speculation...

 

I think you're just speculating with that statement.

 

Update, picked it up from the used car dealer today, no warning lights when I hopped in. Before I left they said that if I was not going to drive it for two or three days to unhook the battery or it would be dead.

Drove it for about an hour-100km when I turned off the highway on to a secondary road doing 80km/h I got a warning light and the following messages:

ABS Fault
DSC Not Available

Then on the other side it said cruise not available.

I took it to my house replaced the leaper and started it up again no warning lights, drove it 20km to a store came out started it again, no warning lights, drove it 20km back home.

I am having a new battery put in it next week to see if that improves things but if anyone has any other ideas I am all ears.

Thanks,

Crazy Lee

 

Crazy Lee..if you can check each cell on your battery, get a hygrometer from any auto parts store so you can check each cell to see if they're good or not.

 

I have not checked the battery and am still waiting for my new one to come in and I hadn't had any faults since my last post until today.

Today's fault was: Fuel Pump System Fault and the gas gauge was showing a false empty once the fault occurred. After I stopped for gas the fault was gone and everything was fine but I realized since my purchase of the vehicle what all these faults ABS, DSC and Fuel Pump had in common, they all occurred when I was using the cruise control.

On my one hour trip back I tested my theory and did not use the cruise control and did not have any faults.....

Is it possible that there is a short or something in the cruise control that causes these faults when I use it? I am still have a new battery put in tomorrow but once I get to Toronto I was wondering if i should have the cruise control checked for issues......

Thoughts?

Crazy Lee

 

Still sounds like a fresh battery will be the cure.

 

Dear Crazy Lee,

Anything is possible, but is it probable? Be careful reading too much into the symptoms. For example, I heard about some chucklehead spouting wacky electronic theories on another thread. What a nutjob! Not sure who that is, but maybe I'll look at it for a good laugh after I wrap up with my definitive answer to The Great AC Ripple Debate of 2014.

All seriousness aside, I am recruiting Guinea pigs to spend two minutes on an AC ripple test, preferably before and after a battery change:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118943

As others have suggested, a new battery is your likely fix. I would also strongly recommend only changing one part at a time when troubleshooting. I've had many instances of changing several parts at once, only to have new faults. Then the fun part is going back to determine what caused the new problem.

There are some parts you should change as a set, but for the most part it's best to do them one at a time. I remember learning about rocketry pioneer Robert Goddard. He was infamous for making multiple changes at once with his rocketry experiments. For example, he might have altered the fuel composition and nozzle shape at the same time. Then if the performance changed, he wasn't sure which factor was responsible. Supposedly he made a lot of extra work for himself that way. The troubleshooting process is kinda in the same category.

 

Let's wait until the battery has been changed.

One step at a time!
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Had the brand new battery put in today and drove it an hour home with the cruise control on and no faults until I went to shut it off and I got a parking brake fault saying that it can't apply the parking brake.

Left it for a couple of hours drove it again no problems except the parking brake fault when I shut it off. Of all the faults i have had this would be the one that I am least worried about as I have never used a parking brake in my life but makes me wonder if there isn't still some problem now that the battery has been changed.

When I get home to my place down south I will also try leaving it for a few days and see if the battery ends up dead.

Crazy Lee

 

Sounds like you're making progress. Is the parking brake fault new? Could be two separate issues going on here, and you fixed one. Keep us posted.

 

Might be worthwhile recalibrating the EPB to see if it clears. This error happens frequently if the battery is disconnected

 

Another vote to recalibrate the EPB. I have to do it every time the battery is unhooked.

I think you found your problem and again it's the battery!
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