Hey guys!

Hoping someone might have an idea on whats going on with my 2000 4.0 S-Type. BTW battery was replaced 3 months ago

I changed the plastic part of the J-gate two weeks ago, drove it multiple times no problem. Two days ago was driving it around town with multiple starts and stops. Go to dinner, and park on a downward forward slope, apply the handbrake before shifting into park, and go to dinner. Get out and the car won't crank, no sounds of the starter even trying to crank, just the click from the passenger side fuse box when I turn the ignition.

During that time I tried putting it in and out of park multiple times - no luck
Tried to put it into neutral -no luck
Tried to let it sit there - no luck

Finally I released the handbrake and I let the car roll forward a bit while in park, tried to start - started right up, no sputtering - started like there was nothing wrong. Along with that there is no issues with the car running at all.

The next day - thinking it was a fluke, rode around it again that day - started up in the morning and another time after leaving mother in laws house. Get to a park for the kids and play a bit (< 1 hr) get back and no start again, thinking it was the handbrake again - released and moved the car a bit, but problem persisted. Tried everything as before and combos of each, it started after 15 minutes of fiddling. Again started no problem once he starter actually was activated, and no issue running. Came back home and got our other vehicle and it has not started since then (yesterday, tried multiple times since then to start it)

What I have tried since then:

- I have checked the fuses in the engine box and passenger side box - no issues that I can see (swapped for other fuses)
- I have checked the PATS and it seems to hold the light and then go out, no blinks
- I disconnected the battery and held it to the positive wire to try and discharge anything.
- Tried to start eh car in neutral - doesn't seem to make a difference
- Tried to lock and unlock the car through the key and fob about 6 times each as what another thread suggested
- There are no error messages on the dash when trying to crank, just no sound at all.

Any ideas what this might be? I feel almost like something is locking the starter out from being activated, because it has no issue cranking once it decides to, and has no problems running once started.

Any help is appreciated

Thanks

 

Hi there,


My 2003 had the same problem. I swapped out the two relevant relays in the engine bay fuse box (the big square yellow ones) R3 (ignition coil) and R20 (starter relay). I also cleaned the terminals inside the fuse box and this appears to have fixed the problem. Strangely swapping either individually didn't work, both needed replacing. I used two second hand ones from a Jaguar breaker (testing them first) as my local Jag dealer was unable to source here in Australia.


I still get the very occasional need to hold the key in the start position for an extra second but I've not had the 'no start' for six months now.


Hope this helps.

 

That's awesome, where did you find what those yellow fuses control, nothing in my manual ( I assume jtis?). Also how did you know to change them, is there a yes procedure by chance?

Thanks!

 

Lots of trial and error... I looked at all sorts of possible caused from the Park sensor, cam position sensors, starter solenoid... you name it I pulled it out and checked it.


I think the cause is a bad or dry electrical connection causing just enough current leak as to not trip the relay unless it's in perfect condition (hence the intermittency of this fault), I'm looking into this...


Your handbook should give you an indication of what the fuses and relays do and where they are located. Download the fantastic resources this site offers, you wont be disappointed. (Failing that, Google is your friend when trying to find schematics.)


Please let me know if this fixes your problem... :-)

 

Update:

Switched out the windshield heater with the starter solenoid, both had same fuse rating and part number. Tried starting - nothing

Put the ignition into acc and ran the shift all along the J gate. The interesting part is the gears lit up R, N, D, 4, 2 - completely missing 3rd, put it into Neutral again and tried to start - started no problem.

Put it back into P, P did not light up, shut off the car - tried to restart and nothing. Put back into N, N lit up - started. R,N and Drive had no issue (except hard transitions from the trans - probably because of the battery reset). Slammed the gear lever into P and P lit up. Shut off the car, tried to start and bingo - no issues.

Definitely it seems like it's the gear selector - perhaps something came loose after changing out that plastic part a couple of weeks ago? not sure, but gives me a new area to look at

 

More than likely the shifter cable is stretched or out of alignment.

 

I'm thinking so, also another tidbit that might be good to know, when P doesn't light up when I put the level there, it wont start. But when I first try to crank, P lights up for a split second and then goes out and the car doesn't start. Is there a "switch" for the J-gate to recognize P?

 

found the adjustment procedure and will be doing it tomorrow, will update when done

 

Just remember if the cable adjustment doesn't work it means the cable is stretched beyond its limits and will need to be replaced.

I would consider replacing with new, not a used part.

My cable is slightly stretched but I was able to adjust it to about 98% (sometimes it doesn't fully engage into park) but I open the drivers door and push the car slightly ahead until the parking pawl catches and the P is illuminated in the shifter.

All other gear selections are right on the money...

 

I'm sure it would be the park/neutral safety switch cutting power to the starting circuit. If the P or N is not steadily illuminated with the shifter in that position when turning the ignition key on it's a sure fire bet the neural safety switch is active.

When it happened to me initially I noticed the P not illuminated but switched to N, it was lit and the car started right up, which prompted me to perform the cable adjustment procedure.

 

Hey guys did the alignment, and it seemed the bolts for the cable needed just a little movement back towards the rear of the car for it to get aligned enough to shift.

Seems to be shifting ok now, will need to do more testing to ensure I don't need to move it back half a thread more

Thanks for your help guys! This can be marked as Fixed now