Hello folks.

Just last week I traded my 2003 Mustang V6 200k miles for a 2003 Jaguar XType 2.5 with 125k miles.

Today, while driving home from work, I set the cruise control and right after I turned on CC it went into safe mode. Only had 1st and 2nd gear. Got off the Hwy and looked over the car.

10 mins of driving before this happen I filled my jag with gas. Used premium fuel. The gas cap did not appear to be fully screwed on. Maybe it was Sensing air and went into safe mode???

I shut the car off, walked around, check the engine for vac leaks. Didn't notice anything. But, remember, it's my first week with the car. I don't know a thing about it. I tightened the gas cap, and looked under the engine cover, ten minutes after shutting the car off I got back in to try again. It seemed to work, car drove perfectly home.



Could the gas cap have caused the safe mode to activate? I drove about 15 miles since it occurred, with no trouble. But, could it be something else? I ran an OBD2 meter on the car, no codes came up.


Ideas? Or, was the gas cap being loose enough to trigger it?


Thanks so much,

Woppit.

 

Did it say something on the trip computer display? One fairly common issue is a vacuum intake hose leak (the original type of hose is very fragile and known to develop splits over-time, an improved version is available), which is indicated by a "CRUISE NOT AVAILABLE" message which doesn't actually mean the cruise control.

Here's a photo from this thread, the hose in question is the relatively short one running vertically (in the photo, not vertically in real life) from the cylinder block (I think ) to the intake manifold. Check the underside for splits or such.

 

The trip computer read "GEARBOX FALT - ENGINE SYSTEM FAILURE".

It did occur just as I switched on cruise control.

 

I changed my spark plugs yesterday. Which, meant of course removing the intake manifold. Not a hard task.


I didn't notice anything strange, and the car is running perfectly now. Should I look into anything more? I am going to be driving from Minnesota to Boston, Massachusetts this weekend. I cannot have any failure on the road.


Thoughts?

 

Once, right after I filled my vehicle with gasoline, as I was pulling away from the gas station, my "check engine" light came on. It was the seal for the gas cap. If I may offer two comments: Once the handle to the hose shuts off, do not add any more fuel. 9 times out of 10, it will only pour all over your vehicle. Also, three clicks only to the cap (see label inside of cover). Good luck, hopefully, it was like the time that my sunroof opened and literally flew back into my roof so far that I could not see it. I turned off the engine then it was fine.

 

The gas cap can be weird too, it seems that if you push down on it too much while closing it (at least from my experience) it won't catch, meaning you can pull it toward you and it will just pop off. You want to just gently put it back in place and turn it three clicks without applying much pressure. You can test it again by trying to pull it off; this time it should be secured.

 

One, three, or 10 clicks of the gas cap are all the same. Once you hear a click it will not tighten any more.