I was driving my 04 XJR saturday when I got a warning (red light) "coolant low".. I was hoping it was just a fluke from driving through the terrain I was going through (very winded roads) but I kept my eye on the temp gauge and about 4-5 mins later it worked it's way to H. I immediately pulled over and turned the car off. Luckily I was following a car full of friends so they let me jump in with them while we went to our destination. I returned and put water in the reservoir and drove it home.. just before I got home the coolant low light came on again! So I've got a leak somewhere. Well today I filled the reservoir again so I could drive it in for repairs. I noticed after filling the reservoir that it was leaking from somewhere immediately and this was with the car off so hoping this is a good sign that there is not a problem with the engine but with something else. I had filled up enough water that it lasted until right before the repair shop before the coolant low light came on so I made it just in time. Along the way however I noticed a warning light I had not seen on the other day when it overheated. Anybody know what this light means? And should I be worried that something else has been damaged by driving to the repair shop with just water in the radiator/reservoir?

 

That is the "check engine" light and lights up for a multiple of reasons. Reading codes should sort out what caused it. Probably isn't a problem as you allowed that engine to cool between drives.

 

Interesting you took the picture while driving! Lol.

 

I had very similar issue on my 04 VDP. I was losing coolant out the nipple end of the reservoir, overheating, and lumbering home. The nipple was cracked at it's base. The reservoir is simply plastic and could also have a crack in it's seem. Cost of reservoir is about $100 - yes, it's a ripoff - and then there is the cost of installation. It's an easy DIY replacement if you can get the reservoir. Unfortunatly, you can't buy just 1 piece and replace. You need to replace the whole unit. I'm told this is a common issue on 2000 -2004 models. Check the reservoir. I believe you will find the problem there! Good Luck. Don't drive to DEALER. Use your concierge service to get the unit towed. Won't cost you a thing!. You most likely have this service as it follows the car, not the purchaser.

 

Hahaha, I was wondering why your idle was so high, but then I saw your speedo was also at 30 mph!

 

Guy at the car shop says a hose on my coolant system busted. So nothing majorly wrong PHEW! Said two more are about to go as well so I am replacing three hoses to the tune of $680 ouch. But could have been worse

 

2004/XJR

Mine came on yesterday, Sunday, afternoon while puttering around town. Well, there was a puddle under the car when I came out to the car after lunch before the light actually came on, but I had to drive it from that spot to know if it was my leak.

Anyway, it was and the leak has coolant running down the passenger side of the transmission. Upon closer inspection, there is some pooling of coolant at the top of the transmission/torque converter housing, but I cannot seem to see or feel the exact source of the leak.

I've started to remove the various bits and pieces that permit access, but am stuck.

I guess I should ask: Is there something obvious that I shoudl be expecting to find? And what do I do about it?

Thanks in advance.

Bob
Liberty MO

 

Bob,

Mine was a rubber hose which had blown a hole in it. So look for a rubber hose that is cracked or has a hole. I have also heard about 2004 xjr's coolant reservoir tanks having the nipples coming out of the tank crack easily and eed to be replaced... hopefully your problem is one of those and nothing more serious!

 

My 4 yr old XJ TDVi needs a bottom coolant hose (its an L shaped metal pipe...coolant constantly in this with being below rad).Company who supply Jag with them has gone bust.Jag dont have a tech drawing to send me to get one made up and reckon it could be 7 months or more to find a new supplier.No used ones to be found (even Jag unable to find an approved used part to keep car on road).Havimg to get one made up myself (well done to a company called Pirtek who are going to make me one while I wait if I take the old one to them).Then sending the old one to Jag UK so they can use it to find a new supplier!Desperate to have car back on road as due to go to France in it in 3 weeks and a day at Santa Pod (1/4 mile drag racing) a few weeks later (2nd Jag Santa Pod run see UK forum)

 

Thanks for the replies. The problem was a burst hose, but no where near the back of the engine. Apparently it was peeing in the valley and the coolant was running back and over the rear of the engine.

The culprit hose was the one connecting the tank and the cooler pump.

Thanks again.

 

A recent X350 seminar I attended, run by the UK Jaguar Enthusiasts Club had this hose as one of the issues with the XJR. It's a £2 hose, but needs hours of labour to strip off the supercharger to get to it, so expensive in labour charges. Was this the case with your car ?

 

No, The failed hose was one on the front and actually very easy to replace. My fear was that the failure was one of those at the rear which, yes, would have taken hours of extra labor to replace.

 

Re the coolant pipe leak on my 2.7 TDVi:-
Its likely that everyone with a 2.7d XJ or 2.7d S Type will have a problem at some point with this pipe as its only made from mild steel and always contains coolant.
Went down to Pirtek to get the new pipe made up (quoted £36.80 far more than Jag!)...here they are making it, took less than 10 mins, couldnt flare the end so got for free

The old corroded pipe....

The cause of the problem

The old and new pipe....

The new pipe in place under the radiator with an extra jubilee clamp at each end....

 

So my tank nipple broke today and hose detached... filled tank with orange coolant and on 2 mile drive to dealership engine temp went to red and H for about 2 minutes total... left with dealership they left message tonight that they replaced tank but car "having some trouble cranking" they want to let sit overnight and then do a "block" test???? Anyone know what this means and are they just running up the bill? This is a Jag dealer. Help!

 

No offense. But why would you drive your car AT ALL with the engine temp in the RED and risk damage to your engine. If the tank nipple broke and hose detached basically you were driving with no coolant at all going through your engine block and then even when your car engine was HOT and you saw your gauges telling you this you continued to drive. That is not smart. You probably damaged the engine. The gauges are there for a reason.

 

There seem to be a lot of people who do not understand that engine cooling systems - particularly on European cars - are pressurized, and unlike what has been common on American cars, the coolant tank IS NOT merely a reservior for excess coolant. Unlike when the American car tank develops a breach, the European car effectively lookes all cooling capability and not just coolant.

Driving a car in this state will very quickly cause maojr engine damage, starting with cracked heads and moving downward to the block .It would be the exception and not the rule that 2 minutes of driving without a cooling system would not have completely destroyed the engine.

Unfortunately, most people learn this lesson the hard way. But some of us learned on a car much less expensive to repair than a Jaguar, in my case it was a Renault.

 

So after reading about the coolant leaks on this thread, I decided to check my coolant reservoir and make sure the nipple was intact. Sure enough it looks like someone tried to hot glue a crack on it. I need to get a new one ordered. Can anyone provide some direction as to where they purchased theirs? I can head down to the local dealer, but I know they won't have it anyway, so as long as I'm ordering, I'm sure it can be had for less. They seem to have a pretty steep matrix added to their parts already. Seems like they wanted about $34 for the oil filter last time I was in there.

 

Try www.parts.com

 

Dealership replaced coolant tank ... Also replaced thermator... Did block test said passed... That was 3 days ago since have had to add coolant already... Tank dropped about 20%...what did dealership miss ??? Thanks for any help

 

I think I saw some air bubbles pass through after I did the same. Refill and check again a few days.