I have just recently purchased a 2003 2.5L x-type with 37K miles. So far I love the car. However, yesterday I stopped to visit my brother and when I went to leave I started the car and when I put the car in reverse it stalled and the message center said "Cruise not available". There was no indication that there was anything wrong with the car (idled smooth before the stall). I restarted the car and it again stalled after 10 seconds of smooth idling. This time the "cruise not available" message again appeared and the check engine light stayed on. I live in Pennsylvania and yesterday was fairly cold and the car was halfway between cold and warm-up. I went into my brothers house and let the car completely cool before I attempted to restart it. Intermittently the car would start, idle for a few seconds and then shut off. I waited a little bit longer and mow the car will not start at all. I live in rural Pa. and the nearest Jag dealer is ablout 100 miles away. I had the car towed to our local Ford dealer hoping they can get codes and repair the car. Has anybody else had similar experiences and what was diagnosed as the problem?

 

ginoffer, I don't want to be the bringer of bad news, but normally when we see this, it is the throttlebody that has died and it leads to the symptoms that you are seeing. I would first check to make sure that the wiring associated with the throttlebody is in good condition. A few of our members have found various rodents chewing on their wiring, leading to random problems like this. if the wiring looks good, then I would venture to guess it is your throttlebody (please include the error code(s) that you are getting to help confirm this).

Now, for the bad news. To get a rebuilt throttlebody (only place i know of is via a guy through e-bay) and that runs $400 and the time it takes to ship it to him and for him to ship it back (week or so). If you can get one from a store (only available through Jag), the dealership is going to get you for about $1600. Through http://www.jaguarparts.com, they will get you a new throttlebody for $1300 plus S&H (I'm sure they could have it overnighted to you for a fee). You can also check out Nalley Jaguar (sponsor of the site and offers the members a discount) and see what they tell you.

I wish the news was better, but this is the general trend for a problem like this. Please note that the prices quoted above are only for parts. Labor is going to be above this, but any mechanic should be able to replace the throttle body in under an hour, easy.

 

Im sorry, after picking my jaw off the ground, did you say 400 dollars for just a rebuilt one??!!!! WTF!!! Why? How? God i hope mine doesnt go bad. Anything i can do to make it last longer? Clean it? Kiss it? Hug it and tell it its the best damn throttle body ive ever known? lol.
Sorry for the rant but im just in shock. What about swipin one off a junkyard jag?

 

Just throwin this out there, cuz there has to be a better way to fix that. I found a throttle actuator which may be the bad culprit of the throttle body for under 100 bucks. http://www.drivewire.com/search/inde...&PN=4294957309

Let me know what you think?

 

Thermo, Thanks for the info. I am quickly learning that this"cruise not available' warning light is the catch all message for a whole host of problems. I live in a gated community that is very wooded and is home to many, many chipmonks and squirrels. I had an isuue before with my Chevy Avalanche where the rodents chewed their way into my fuse box and tore it all apart. I was planning on cleaning out the garage in preparation for the winter but now it looks like I will have to bump that up on the priority list very quickly. I will keep you posted on what the Ford garage finds out but I think I will call them first thing to suggest to look at the wiring to the throttle body.

 

I 3, the part you have listed for $86 is not the throttle body actuator, that is the throttle actuator (aka, the gas pedal). The throttle body actuator is an electrical piece on the engine that electrically opens the throttle body to control the amount of air going to the engine. THe piece you list is what is telling the computer how much power you think you want the engine to make (the computer can override your input if it thinks it needs to restrict power for whatever reason).

While the 2 parts (throttle actuator and the throttle body actuator) sound very similar, they do completely different jobs.

Hopefully this clears things up a little bit. I am looking for the pieces to rebuild the throttlebodies myself. Unfortunately, I'm not having too good of luck. It requires 2 pieces (throttle position sensor and the throttle body actuator motor). Neither seems available to the common person.

 

Makes sense. Thanks THERMO

 

I have naughty squirrels that chewed through wires on my map sensor. My baby is now kept in the garage.

What I want to know is, how does the guy on ebay rebuild the throttlebody? Does he put on a new TPS? If so, where is he getting them?

 

really bad news. car has not run for a week and a half and no closer to finding out what is wrong with it. Seeing codes like cylinder six not firing. I don't understand, car never idled rough before it started stalling and even after restart it would not idle rough. Acting like a security issue.

 

Hello Ginoferr, i would just like to say your problem sounds really odd. Guess so as you were just driving it prior to this happening and everything was fine. The cylinder 6 thing is weird too. As far as security i doubt it. The security end of it would just let you turn the key and nothing would happen. Then you would hit lock then unlock to reset it. Have you tried unhooking the battery for a bit? Checking all the hoses from vacuum to suction from the mass air to the intake? Just sounds like something either came loose or just failed. Thermo knows more on the throttle body. But in my experience when something like that happens it usually a major culprit like throttle body or mass air. Now that it wont start its simple terms of what makes an engine run...fuel and spark( air obviously too ). I would check to see if you have one or the other when obviously you need both. Maybe ignition switch or a fuel pump. Not sure if these cars have a loud enough fuel pump that you can hear but have someone lay under the rear of the car and while you turn the key to ignition on not run, see if it kicks on. Only reason im saying this is cuz you said it ran a little and died both times then wont run at all.
Hope it helps

Dave

 

It's being towed to Bobby Rahal Jaguar today down by Pittsburgh. Hopefully they will be able to find the issue. One other thing that happened at the local garage is that it is now failing to turn over at all. The garage ordered a new starter and replaced the existing and again it would not turn over. Really worried now that it's something major. I'll keep you posted.

 

Please do. Im really curious to see what it is. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

Well I finally have my jag back. You're not going to believe what the issue was. A corroded connector at the coil. So $300 for a tow job, $247 bucks part and labor and a 4 hour drive and I finally have her back. Thanks everybody for your suggestions through this. It will give me a head start for the next problems. Hopefully that won't be for another 30 or 40,000 miles.

 

I need to find a local mechanic who can work on the car.

 

WOW! See i told you it will be something stupid. Couldnt imagine it bein anything crazy. I know its hard for you to diagnose youself but i knew it was fuel or soark related. Bottom line you got her back and can smile again