So I had a major issue last night when trying to leave work in my 04 XJ8. When I first tried to start it the car kinda gave a puff but did not want to start. At first since I live in Cleveland Oh and its cold now I thought maybe I had to much going on so I turned off the lights, radio and heater and try to restart but still nothing. So I figured I had a low battery so I had my dad come over and try to jump start it. Only after many tries to start it did it finally start. But now the car had the DSC not working mode on, In restricted mode, flashing check engine and the amber yellow light on! Also the car would move only like 3 feet and then just stop. And when we had it sitting it would barely stay alive, the engine kept wanting to shut off and all this exhaust was coming out from one of the tail pipes! I don't know what to do and Im trying to avoid the dealership. Any help would be greatly help! Thanks

 

Start off simple and optimistic: If you have a multimeter check the battery, or pull it out and get it to an auto parts store for testing. Lots of ignition and computer control depending on a healthy charge to kick it off.

 

Had the battery tested and came out good. Then took it home and let it charge until full. Put it back in the car and still it will not start! If I put the key in second position before trying to start the message system says Restricted mode, Apply park brake or something like that and the amber light is on. I just can not figure this one out.

 

It wants you to do the park-brake reset procedure because you had the battery disconnected. S-Type is "pull up on the switch, IIRC" suspect yours is similar, should be in the manual.


I realize you've had the battery tested....and charged it...but you have all the classic symptoms of a weak battery.

 

Should I just jump the gun and buy a new battery?

 

Would the same symptoms show if the alternator was bad?

 

So how old is the battery?

 

Its the same one I have had since I bought the car in July. I tested it myself after charging and got 13 volts.

 

If the battery is good then the next thing I would look at is the grounding points. Open the bonnet and take off the fairing over the radiator. The grounding wires are attached to the cross frame on booth sides. because of there location they tend to get corroded and will give you a weak battery condition. They are just held on by a bolt, remove it and clean all the contact surfaces.


Just my two cents.

 

so we don't know how old the battery is. It might even be the original.


sometimes a date code is stamped on the casing.

 

So I had it taken to the mechanic last week. So after recharging the battery he said he was able to get it going but very rough. After resetting everything with his Jaguar computer and letting it run for awhile all seemed good. No more messages were popoing up and it was starting just fine. The only reason he could give me was maybe I was starting it and then shutting it off and the sparks and such were getting clogged. Well low and behold again today my car will not start! The messages are not pooping up this time not lights on the dash and only the DSC not aviable shows when cranking but not starting! Im so lost for ideas now on what could be wrong with the car and really do not want to tow it back over again just to have the same thing happen and it just become a cycle. So if anyone has any ideas im all ears.

 

Have you tried a new battery (and charge it 12 hours before fitting it)?

 

The mechanic said the battery was perfect. And I just had it tested again at another store and it reads perfect and he guessed it was less than a year old.

 

I had the car for a week and everything was fine with it starting and then just one morning it did this. Now the morning before I did have one miss fire but I tried again with a little push on the gas and it started fine and started fine for the rest of the day.

 

This has symptoms of fuel starvation. You might have frozen water in the tank. Have the mechanic test the fuel pressure. Do you leave the car with less than 1/2 a tank out in the cold much? Condensation happens and migrates to the bottom of the tank, then freezes, blocking the fuel pickup.

 

I live in Cleveland which is very cold now and I did have only about 100 miles left on my meter because I was stupid and said I would fill it in the morning. I'm starting to think its that too I think I might take a heat gun to the car and try to warm it up a bit.

 

Where are the fuel lines located on the car so I can try and thaw them out?

 

Or any advice on how to thaw it out since it won't go above 30 degrees over here till next Thursday.

 

we don't have cold here. but I have been in places where people have electrical sump heaters, or coolant heaters. I did toy with getting one as it is supposed to improve fuel economy and cold running on short journeys.


Do you have scope to fit one?

 

I have a heat gun going now with towels surrounding the opening of the good it's just I don't know where the gas lines are so I can direct the heat towards theme.