2004 XJ8 Fuel Gauge problem
 

When I fill up the car, the next day, have been getting a reading of empty, and the light comes on. Drive for a bit, and the gauge goes all the way up. Sometimes, when driving, the same thing happens. My dealer says it is the fuel pump which has a sending unit, and a seperate sending unit (which is called the jet pump assembly), and that either or both can be bad. He wants to do both for a cost of $1,000 (2.25 hours labor), which sounds and will be really expensive.

I read in the original motor trend and consumer reports test of this car that this was an issue on their test cars. I just came out of warranty in December, only 22,000 miles on the car.

Any suggestions, does this sound right?

Thanks Mike

RE: 2004 xj8 fuel guage problem
 

Sounds about right. Can't really tell which or if both units have gone. The pricing seems about right, too.

Sorry for the bad news.

RE: 2004 xj8 fuel guage problem
 

they can diagnose which ones is faulty at the dealer.. but most people like to put in both.. due to them being so fragile. there made of plastic and dont relly last too long.. the terminals on the resistor part can get all rusty.. i usually charge 2 hrs including diag.. but 2.25 isnt that far off

RE: 2004 xj8 fuel guage problem
 

Thanks for the help. I called a second dealer in my area who said the time would be 2 hours for each unit, 4 hours labor, which would take me to $1,300.

RE: 2004 xj8 fuel guage problem
 

4 hours is robbery.
You can tell if problem is sender or instrument pack.
Put keyin ignition, hold in trip button and start car, keep holding trip for 5 seconds and should say test mode on instrument pack.
Release trip button and with each press it will show different things on pack. Keep pressing until you see raw fuel 1. Once you see this keep driving until gauge drops. When dropped look at reading then press trip again. This will show raw fuel 2. A reading of 15 or 255 is the bad one. Raw 1 is right side raw 2 is left. If both readings stay normal, and gauge shows empty then your instrument pack is likely bad.

RE: 2004 xj8 fuel guage problem
 

4 hours is crazy..warranty only pays like 1.3 or so for both

Rem
 

Had a similar problem. Gauge would drop to nothing, light would come on and display would warn of low fuel. After several attempts at repair it turned out to be the REM (rear electrical module). Problem hasn't come back.

fuel gauge problem
 

see trackback

fuel gauge problem
 

i did all the above, however i couldn't get 'test mode' to come up. inst. problem?..gauge shows 3/4 full and works fine below that level. just won't show full. can't seem to figure out if it's the inst. cluster or fuel pump sender. and ideas? also, is it possible to put in new fuel pump and sender myself? are they inside or outside the fuel tank? are there other pumps that would last longer/ and fuel senders as well?

I tested the sending units and both tested good per the proceedure outlined by FactoryJaguarTech.

Where is the instrument pack and can it be checked out or just replaced? thanks

RyeJag

i hold in the trip button, put key in ignition, start my car, continue holding in trip button for 5 sec. plus...and nothing happens. am i doing this procedure wrong? my gas gauge ,when tank is full shows between 2/3 and 3/4 full until it goes below that level, then it works fine. it's embarrasing and such a nice car should have a gas gauge that is ..well, cheaply made, that it won't work right.

where is the rear elec. module? can i replace it myself? trying to save money.

fuel gauge problem
 

Try searching for fuel gauge faults on this forum.

A Jag Tech here has said that these fuel gauge faults are due to corroded contacts on the sender unit(s) in which case I would think that is repairable.

The sender is located with the fuel pump in the fuel tank-there may be two senders I am not sure.

I would love some additional detail on the Rear Instrument Pack that reads the fuel sensors. Is there any way to check it out if the sensors test ok?

well..is that the one under the spare tire in the boot?..if you could tell me how to check out the sensors i would do that. thanks, dave

well, i'm must be a bit dense..but, i finally got the test mode to work..just had to hold my mouth right..the RAW1 showed 147, and the RAW2 showed 104. so..could it be the rear wiring harness?..or something else. gauge works up to 3/4 full, when i fill up, and when fuel gets below 3/4 it works fine on down toward empty.

I had a similar issue with my '04 S-type that I sold. I had the fuel pump die on the interstate and the Ford dealer replaced one of the fuel pumps. About 4 months later the car died again and the other pump went out. My warranty covered both, but between the time that the first pump was replaced and the second is when the fuel gauge would not show full, only 3/4 full. And at times when a little less that a quarter left in tank, the gauge would drop to empty. I mention this only because it wasn't the instrument cluster that was my issue, it was the sending unit and fuel pump. my guess is that the gauge would not work at all if it were the instrument cluster that was your issue, but I'm no expert.

drivers door latch '04 VDP
 

I have a new problem today with my drivers door latch. when i pulled it to get out this morning, there was a "spring" at the end of the latch pull, and now it just flops loosely, until the doors are locked. the mechanisms all seem to work fine, it just "flops" loosely when door is closed and unlocked. Jag dealer said from $500. to $1100. to fix it. Can somebody tell me how to get the door panel off and maybe i can find the culpret and fix it myself. any help would be greatly appreciated. I live in the DFW area, Tx. thanks, Dave

Where is the REM? located I am having the same problem

What did you do or the dealer in reference to the REM (rear electrical module)?
Did you have to replace it or it is something that can be done to remedy the annoying gauge drop