I have been playing and I now I am getting into the details of some of the tricks that the dealership techs use when working on cars that may not be obvious to the owners. I want to use this area to help others find these tips to help them make the car more to their liking or help them make repairs. Here are some that I have run across that have made my life easier/more interesting:

1) Engineering test mode:
-Enter the car and leave your foot off of the brake
-Depress the TRIP button and hold it for a minimum of 3 seconds before doing anything else
-With the TRIP button still depressed, momentarily depress the START/STOP button
-With the TRIP button still depressed, let the car start up the electronics until you reach the screen in the right most part of the cluster that says "Press the OK button" at the top
-Release the TRIP button, you should now see the right most part of the cluster change to say "Press TRIP button to enter Engineering Test Mode"
-Press the TRIP button one more time to enter Engineering Test Mode

2) E-brake adjustment ("recalibration") following pad replacement:
- for those that have done a pad replacement, you either need to disconnect the battery to force the car to recalibrate the parking brake or you need the tool to get into the computer to tell the computer to recalibrate itself. Instead, as you are putting things back together, use your thumb to actuate the e-brake lever until you find that you cannot move the lever the full range of motion. You have just manually moved the caliper piston into position and should result in a properly calibrated e-brake with no warnings following a pad replacement. Make sure to do both sides when using this method.

3) leak check of air suspension
- Place the car in Park ("P")
- Start the engine and let idle
- Open the driver's door
- Lightly press the brake pedal 3 times, ensuring that the brake pedal returns to the full release point before depressing again
- within 10 seconds of the first brake pedal depress, close the driver's door (you should hear the instrument cluster chime twice a second after the door is closed)

This allows you see if there are any air leaks in the air suspension. If you open and then close the driver's door, the instrument cluster will chime twice again, telling you that it is redoing the test. To exit, simply drive the car over 5 mph (8 km/h) or turn off the engine.

4) Calibrate the touch screen
- Navigate to the Jaguar Leaper screen
- Touch your finger to the Jaguar on the radio screen and hold there for 20 seconds (Engineering test mode screen will appear)
- Scroll down and select "Touch Calibration"
- Select "OK" and then touch the screen
- Using a stylus or similar device, touch the screen in the indicated points until you receive a "Sat Test" result.

5) Turning off the belt minder chime (belt minder indicator will still come on, but for only a short period of time after starting the car)
-Get into car and apply the seat belt
- Start the car
- Within 10 seconds of starting the car, undo the seat belt and allow the seat belt warning light to come on
- Immediately buckle the seat belt to make the seat belt warning light go off
- Unbuckle and buckle the seat belt 7 more times. You should hear the dash chime when the belt minder setting has been changed

Repeating this sequence will enable and disable the belt minder chime. This also works on the passenger seat too. All of the steps need to be completed within 20 seconds for the minder to change state.

If there are other tricks that you have learned, pass them on so others can benefit from them.

 

What is it you can do with the Engineering Test Mode?

 

XJ8JR, while I am still researching this one as I get time, there is a lot of useful information that you can get. The initial thing is a screen check. This allows you to see if you have any burned out pixels in your display. After that, you get access to all the versions of the software for the various computers in your car (so if you have the software, you can program them back to the correct version). After that, you get into an area where you can see the input from various sensors (gas tank level, engine coolant temp, etc) that the computer is seeing at the input to the ECU. Where this can be helpful is if you are questioning the accuracy of the indication, you can see what the sensor is inputting and whether the output is matching. This was especially useful when the clusters had sweeping arm indications. With the fully digital indications, not so much. You can also get digital inputs of various indications relating to the enigne operation (digital speed, digital tach, etc). Still playing some to see what all information that can be looked at and how it can be of benefit.

Where this can be beneficial is on the previous generation XJ )or the X-Type for example) where you can use the information center to see the indications of this mode and you can see what the fuel tank level is at the sensor and then knowing that 0-10 is indicating that the sensor has failed low, 11-254 is empty to full (with 128 being half a tank) and 255 being the sensor failed high, you could figure out if your tank sensor was failed without having to drop the tank and if your instrument cluster was reading an accurate level. This is one of many indications that you could use to diagnose the car using what was installed from the factory. But, you need to know how to convert the number it displays to something that you can understand. This was also good for giving you an accurate oil pressure reading where the gauge on the instrument cluster was simply a good/bad indication.

 

+1 Thermo


Also this can be used on other models, S-Type, XK X150 ( only up to 2010 or 2011 maybe )


For those of you with the Touch Screen NAV on facelift S-Type, XJ X350, and X Type.... if you press and hold the phone button and menu at the same time. It will go also go into a diagnostic mode for A/C and Nav. It will take you to a screen with a dial pad, type in 917 and you can access the diagnostic screen, which you can run a number of tests and gives you Nav info, etc....


Do you guys know the tricks in regards to programming keys and remotes the back way without using SDD?

 

JB, programming the keyfob is in the owners manual as I recall. Pretty much, you just need one good key that can start the car.

As for programming a key, I cannot say for sure. I will need to look up in the service manual to see what it says.

 

X-type, 03 and up S-Type , and XJ X350 if you want to program a 3rd key, don't need to have SDD to program. You just put key 1 in and turn ignition on then remove, stick key 2 in turn ignition on then remove, take new (3rd) key stick in turn ignition on and remove. Then go back and start the vehicle with each key, and new (3rd) key should start vehicle.


As for keyfob on X308 and X100, haven't done one of these in a while, I think its pull high beam, turn key to position 2, and flash high beams 4 times, should hear a programming chime, then press unlock on remote or remotes. Remove key and check operation. Remotes should be working.


I'll try to think of some more, I think you've got some of the good ones already though.

 

Thermo, pretty cool


I'm going to add this into the sticky section, may be of help to others
Jim

 

thermo

I have a 2014 XKR and I just replaced the touchscreen. The display is now working but the calibration is off. It seems like the X-axis to the right is not working. Is there a calibration mode to activate for this model?

 

Jason, most of the Jaguars use the same concepts for how to get into these "special settings". So, I would try following the instructions I have above and see what you get. You may need to offset your finger some if your touch screen is way off just so the radio sees you pressing the correct spot.

 

does this work on a 2014? I know it worked on the 2007-09 but not sure about my year?

 

Jason, follow the instructions. It should work on your car. Worst case, the radio is not going to respond to your input and it will just sit there. But, from what I am seeing online, the secret menu should work on all cars up to 2019.

 

Great info thanks

 

thanks great info