My dad's 2000 XJ8 is having a strange problem. For the past few months it has thrown up the failsafe in the dash read out. It doesn't have any driving problems or does not puts it into restrictive performance. It just happens to come on. Then today, while taking off from a red light, it throws it up again but this time along with stability control and abs failure. Of course it would only creep through the light. Turned ignition off and restarted and no lights and everything is fine. No codes stored. Have cleaned the throttle body, wiring connections and installed a new MAF but that was in the past few months trying to get the light out.

 

Check your wheel speed sensors. Issues can run from them just being dirty to having a short in one of the harnesses. I've got some info I can dig up that makes checking the circuits about a 5 minute job with a multi-tester if you're interested. The sensors provide input to ABS, Throttle, and Transmission independently and in combination. Based on some research I came across digging into a TRAC/ABS unavailable warning, the combination input can create both valid and invalid info to be produced by the independent systems, some of which are more likely to throw the car into failsafe than others. Also check the TPS connector. Some older cars have two different metals on opposing sides of the connector that cause them to corrode (do a search for more info) but it can apparently cause issues with ABS, Traction control system and Transmission. You might want to try searching for info on the Traction system waring your getting.