Hi all,
Model is a year 2000 XJ V8 3.2, it is now in a no start condition. I have only had the car for 12 months and most of the time it has run ok but occasionally it will have a funny turn. Example (1).... It stalled, I pulled over and tried to start it and it looked like the dash message system was running through all it's warning messages. I waited about 15 minutes or so and then it started. Example (2) After getting some shopping it would not start, display said PECUS , by now I had heard of disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes or so, this I did, on reconnecting it started 1st time. Latest example it absolutely will not start even after disconnecting the battery, again the display cycles through lots of messages amongst which is fail safe mode. On turning the key I get a series of beeps from the passanger footwell, key will not operate starter. I have checked and cleaned all the earth connections I can find, one possible clue might be that on flashing the headlights it sometimes came up with "Trac not available", on trying the lights now I have no front lights at all, the rear lights work ok.

I'm hoping some clever person might be able to point me in the direction to start looking.

Thanks in advance

 

Pull the fault codes and let us know what you have.

As has been said many times before, you are really chasing ghosts without the codes. Could be many things, even as simple as a bad battery but you won't know without the code data.
Vector

 

Info from North America. I guess this will apply to the ROW cars.

bob gauff

 

Very interesting pair of TSB's!

I would make the assumption from the first one that the list of programmable modules are those that communicate across the CAN, which might mean that all others are plug-n-play.

I wonder about the passenger seat module. Is it really a programmable module since I think I remember a TSB that required the passenger side to be installed in the driver side in order to program it.

The reason I ask is that my passenger seat module is dead and upon examination not repairable. The use of many part numbers and extensions would expand the market for parts substantially.

Comments? Please excuse the highjack. If there is any interest I will start another thread.

 

The Seat modules are on the SCP network. The CAN bus is for the INSTPK, ECM, TCM, Gear selector illumination module and the ABS.

Any module with a VCATS label suffix is said to be programmable even if it comes from Jaguar programmed and cannot be REPROGRAMMED with WDS/IDS.

Some modules are programmed but still need to be configured the vehicle.

You can buy a Windows computer but it still needs to be configured to a network to communicate with other computers.

bob gauff

 

Thank you all for your reply's,
Just to add that a new 5yr Varta battery has just been fitted, so I know the battery is good.

I have just discovered a through panel multiplug on the N/S front footwell, on checking it, it feels very loose and I would be amazed if it was making good connections, if I knew what it supplied it would be a big step forward.

At the moment front side and head lights do not work, rear lights do. Trying the hazards only the rear and the drivers wing repeater work, front do not. It's as though a front to rear connection has been severed. I have cleaned and checked all the earth posts I can find, no difference.
Puzzled of Wales

 

This through panel connector is connected to your light relays and lights, if it's loose then you've probably found your culprit, have you put a test meter on the light loom?

You can access the connector on the outside by removing the inner wheel arch. One side is a click fit to the chassis, the other pushes into this. Make sure it's all snug.

 

Thanks Sean for your reply, as you say if it's to do with the head lights etc. then it could be the culprit. It does not appear possible to me to tighten up the connections so I am thinking of doing away with the multiplug and hand soldering each pair of wires. There might be other things besides the lights going through this multiplug which might be causing all my warning messages and no start condition. If I re-wire it at least I can eliminate it from the list of suspects. I would not know how to multimeter the loom by the way :-)

 

If you are speaking of the positive line running up to the front right bulkhead box -- this can be a problem. Make sure everything it is clean on both sides and tighten it up ... not the best design/

Also some have reported problems with the ground in the trunk.

Any low voltage at start-up is a problem with these

 

Just to keep everyone up to date. I have found the problem, in the passenger footwell (RHD) behind the plastic kick panel, amongst other things, is a 40 way or so, through body, multiplug. On checking it the push fit was very loose and I would have been amazed if it made proper contact. I decided to chop the plug out and directly wire all the connections, this took about 5 hours. When it was all done it started 1st time and no warning messages, I'm pretty sure it was the culprit and that it has caused a lot of hard to find problems over the years.

Thanks to all for all the help

 

Thank you for the update, it helps us all to know how the path to resolution worked out