My 1997 XJR6 has been laid up for a while due to MOT failure - nothing serious but have not had time or funds to complete the work. I have started the car a few times and moved it on my drive with no problems and then one day when I went to start it it failed with a transmission warning light on. How can I reset this or by pass it so that I can get the engine started again. Also would like some pointers as to what could have caused this problem.
Many thanks

 

Well, I know of no transmission error that shpuld prevent start, so I suspect both are a result of something else- like a dead battery, MAYBE?

 

Ross,

Thank you for your response but please do not treat me like an idiot. I have a level of maturity and I wear trousers so I have checked the obvious. There is fuel, there is power in the battery, it is on constant trickle charge.
the symptoms are: turn on ignition, all dash lights come on as part of pre start bulb check. All lights go out with the exception of the transmission light which stays on. Moving the ignition to start, the starter solenoid does not engage, the engine does not crank and neither do the interior or dash lights dim indicating that the start command is being prevented. I cannot be clearer than this as I do not have a code reader and there are no known methods for the easy retrieval of codes from this section of the cars electronics as there is for the aircon.

Mike

 

Mike:
By the way, before you accuse me of being condescending, please consider your post:
"I went to start it it failed with a transmission warning light on"
Failed to start how? no crank?, crank but no start?, failed to go in gear?

I did not correctly describe what I meant. In fact, on these cars, the circuit to pull the solenoid in is sensitive to initial battery voltage and will not pull in the starter if the voltage is low. You originally did not say you had it on charge. The battery voltage was the easiest to check. And I have read just about every volume on the electronics of these cars, and read most of what is on several forums concerning Jaguar electronics, and I know of no interlock that prevents cranking due to any transmission error. Of course, that does not mean one is not there, but it is not a common problem if there is one..

Since you mentioned you were not driving the car, I considered what root cause might match the reported symptoms, versus the conditions that were present beforehand. With the additional information, I suspect you very well MIGHT have tripped the inertia switch under the right dash, near the kick panel. I cannot be more specific as to its location as I believe you have a RH drive car and the switches location is different from mine, but it will give the exact symptoms you describe. The problem could also be the ecu, a relay, a connector, or the immobiliser if you have one.

 

Pull the battery for about a half hr and that should reset codes...or I have heard of people removing the posititve terminal and grounding it to discharge the caps. I have never tried it. I have a problem with my XJR that it will not crank over because the car thinks its not in park. Make sure the light on the shifter is coming on when the car is in park. I have to wiggle the shifter.

 

Park. Neutral switch aka linear switch, rotary switch. Both can cause no starts and they are trans switches can cause tranny fault lights....
Try starting with shifter in neutral.....all this is a big maybe since im sure youve checked this already not being a shorts type guy and a trouser wearer.......

 

I think capris worn properly are quite snazzy myself,
but I think it is worth the time to have a look at the 'gear box ignition supply' fuse,
location F14, in the left rear kick panel.

might be blown.

it has happened to me before and caused a no-start condition.

 

I hear kilts are in if you live in the correct locale---Iv'e always been partial to lederhosen myself.

 

I was just having this same problem with a '97 VDP U.S. with 156k mi... Key fob, locks, dash lights, etc all worked properly- only nothing happened when turn the key to start. Initially charged & checked battery even though it seemed strong, but no change. Jumpered the starter & ruled it out. Finally after some research & a little troubleshooting & having not yet located the fusebox diagrams, I found this post pointing to this fuse. Replacing it solved the problem for me.