My XJ8 2005 was running so beautifully, then the engine light came on, choked and hardly make it to the repair shop. Diagnosis: needed a tune up. Done. Three months later, here we are again. Yikes, its like going down a rabbit hole. I'm so ready to sell. Just venting. Any thoughts?

Rosemary
XJ8/35
2005

 

What codes came up? Were they the same both times? What did exactly they do for that tune-up?

I don't know your history with the vehicle so I don't understand why you'd be frustrated enough to sell. These things do happen, sometimes they will surprise you, but many things can be prevented or at least caught early. The keys being to pay attention to how the car behaves, notice any changes, replace maintenance items BEFORE they fail, and change ALL fluids at or before the recommended intervals. That of course means ignoring so-called "lifetime" fluids.

 

I concur, without the codes there is not much chance for help.

Also,what was done in the "tune up", as you call it?

Best regards,

Thomas

 

"Tune-up" doesn't mean anything these days. It used to mean checking the carb mixture and idle screws, changing plugs, setting the timing, and replacing the ignition points. None of that even exists any more except spark plugs, so a shop telling you that it needs a tune-up is a sign to find another shop. There's NOTHING to "tune" in these cars.

Reading the DTCs will tell you what was going on. The check engine light illuminates when any sensor the ECU monitors goes out of range. The codes tell you which sensor and what it did, and it's up to a qualified service tech to determine why the code occurred.

 

Thank you all for your feedback. I will be taking in to another shop!

Rosemary
2005 XJ8