I purchased a Jaguar X 2.5 Auto 2004 last year & everything was fine. Then in January this year the gearbox was making banging noises. After a few weeks the noise got worse. Took it to a garage & was told that it was coming from the flywheel/torque converter area.

I went on this forum & found that the torque converter bolts can come loose sometimes. Put it on the ramp & checked all torque converter bolts which were tight. As there was no option took the gearbox out which is a hell of a job. Found that the flywheel was only holding with 2 bolts & it had virtually ripped out the other bolts. Not sure how this could even happen. Anyway, spent a fortune & car was back to normal for about 2 days. Then gearbox fault light came on. Also the jgate would not go into park. When the car is rocked about it would go into park.

In the meantime I purchased another x type which was sold as spares as the satnav was showing error code 50:51. I purchased this as it was cheap & also to salvage the autogas conversion unit which it had. I learnt that it needed a software upgrade & managed to download the LOADING KWI file & got the nav unit back to life. So now I could get the satnav unit upgraded as well using the retrofit wire harness.

I took the car back to the garage & got the auto gearbox cable adjusted from underneath & now it would engage all gears. By now the car was going into violent gear changes as if it was going to rip the gearbox out. Did so much research on this site & when asked from mechanic about gear oil level, to my surprise he had only checked it once the box was on the bench. Not on the vehicle. Found out that there is a oil top-up point under the battery box. Topped up oil & took battery terminal out to see if any messages would reset by itself.

This is when I pulled the final straw. I always connect the positive first & then negative. By some stroke of misfortune last night I connected the negative first & then the positive. While tightening the positive terminal my rachet rubbed against the car body for a second. Some sparks flew & it was only for a second. Now the car has lost all power. No interior lights, boot does not open, door locks keep clicking, rev & rpm needles keep clicking & no lights on dash when key is turned on. Doors do not lock or open. However, engine oil light is on even when the key is out. I took terminals out & the battery is on charge for the last 3 hours. What a ride this few months have been in worries & spending countless amount of money.

The advise which come up on Google given by members of this site is invaluable. This is also one of the reasons I purchased 2 X types as you guys are far better than main dealer who overcharge & do not know their job sometimes.

Should I scrap the car & cut my losses. I am so confused & fed-up as this is affecting my business & my life.

 

Jerry,

I've moved your question from New Member Area - Intro a MUST to X-Type forum. You posted an Into some time ago and members here with the same model will be able to help.

Graham

 

Have you tried a ne battery? There is a good chance that you shorted out the battery and it will never recharge. Check your fuses too. I'd hate for you to scrap a car over a battery. As for the gearbox problems, have you looked into getting a used transmission? It also sounds as if the shop you took it to might not really be all that great at their job if they didn't bother to check the levels in a transmission they just took out and replaced..

 

Sounds like you fried a wire. I'd check for conductivity.

 

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I hate dealers but sometimes I go there if I cannot diagnose problem myself. I always tell them that I will only pay for 1 hour. I also try to find foreman and ask him to diagnose my car. They can definitely cheat you or not find a problem but you don't have a choice.
Unless you get a service manual and begin reading.
Get a multi tester, electrical diagram, code scanner and good luck!
I would buy your car but it is too far and it has steering wheel on wrong side.

 

Scrap the car?

I should think not.

You are in LONDON, likely home of the best Jaguar mechanics in the entire world !!! Just figure out where the best 'o the best go for a pint at week's end, and be ready to buy the drinks. Endear yourself. Buy some brews. Play some darts. Feed them something boiled, broiled or basted.

Then cry about your unreliable mistress, "Miss 'X'".

If you spend 1/2 as much on the drinks - for the Master Jaguar Mechanics - as you'd spend on one visit to the dealership for a simple diagnosis, you'll probably walk (or stumble) out of the pub with more ideas and solutions than you'll ever get here! (The fellow that knows exactly what is wrong with your car will offer to buy it)

(In some ways, I see this forum like an English pub - except I wouldn't drink warm stout beer fer nuthin' !!)

Best of luck. I hope my suggestion is the best one.

 

Do a quick voltage test on your battery; should be 12.6 or better.

It is very likely that the battery survived the ordeal, and the reason that you saw only a brief spark is a safety device called a "fusible link". Folloe the hot (red) wire from your battery down a 30cm or so, and you will find a spot where it splits into several wires. One goes to the fuse box, one goes to the starter via a starter solenoid or relay).

Check the one going to the fuses and relays carefully. You will likely find some bubbling or discoloration. If you pull on the insulation at that point, the wire will likely fall apart.

In the main power lead, there is a piece of precision wire that is several gauges smaller than the rest of the wire. In the event of a short-circuit, that wire will burn up (fuse) and completely disconnect the car's entire electrical system from the positive terminal.

Here in the states, we can buy and replace just the fusible link section of the wire, although I'd replace the entire cable assembly; your MOT may require that, anyway.

I haven't gotten my wiring diagrams yet, but there is a fair bet that the negative lead also has a link (most American cars don't, but my Disco 2 did).

There are placed there to protect the car from exactly the momentary lapse that you experienced!