proud new 99 xj8 vdp owner
 

I remember being a kid and thinking jags were the baddest cars on the road. and 15 years after this thing was built, it's still bad ass.

only issue I've had since I picked it up is the traction/stability signal and abs light came on. I turned the car off, turned it on, and it was still there. drove it a bit and it went away and hadn't been back on in 200+ miles until today.

turned it off. started it an hour later and no warning lights.

thoughts?

glad I found this place!! ;)

Without knowing what codes are stored, i would be pretty sure you have a defective ABS pump module. There are people who repair/reman them.

congrats on the new to you VDP.

I have the same problem with abs/trac and I noticed it comes with cold weather. Arent the Jags even more baddest without abs/trac anyway? :icon_lol:

GS2 - congratulations on your purchase.

The brake pedal switch often causes intermittent issues with the TC and ABS. I had the same problem and solved it by spraying WD-40 on the plunger part of the switch. Others have had to replace the switch

There are several other problems that cause those lights. Dirty wheel speed sensors, broken connecting cable, bad solder connection to the abs pump in the abs module. Below is a link to a trouble shooting chart from jagrepair.com. You can find a much more info and help there.

http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepa...heet%20XK8.pdf

GS2:
Congratulations on joining the club. Now, some rain for your parade! Make sure you have upgraded secondary chain tensioners, or else, DO THE UPGRADE.
To find out what I am referring to check the archives for "broken chain tensioners".

I asked my friend (a mechanic) about the chain tensioners and he said if they aren't making noise there's no reason to replace them.

I explained (based on the quick search I did on here) that they're apparently of subject material/quality and that eventually, without any kind of audible warning, they'll just fail and **** your shit up.

who's right?

YOU ARE! Is your friend familiar with AJ 26 and AJ 27 engines? That is a rhetorical question, because he has already shown the answer to be NO!

As I said, read the archives. Low mileage engines have failed. High mileage engines have failed. Engines with regular super duper oil changes have failed. Engines with a complete service history have failed (as if that helps anything!) Engines driven by little old ladys on Sunday have too! And not just a few.

All first and second gen tensioners crack. Some jump timing chains after the tensioners crack, some folks catch their's in time. Occaisonally, one will make noise before it ruins the engine. Apparently, most do not. And there is a very short time between the sttart of the noise and the catastrophic engine event.

Please do not take my word for it. Search the archives here. Search the archives on other Jaguar forums. Search the forums about agrieved people wanting the manufacturer to fix their broke car, then decide what to do. Enuff said.

That's a great looking example. They just got it right!

I have heard in depth explanations on chains and tensioners but you pretty much summed it up easily with "without any kind of audible warning, they'll just fail and **** your shit up."

Welcome and thanks for that.

I recently had one of e tensioners fail on my 97 4.0 sovereign however mine failed with making a audible noise to which I thought it was the cam belt idler pulley bearing so with that thought I drove it for a further 2000 miles (not very gently overtaking loads and full throttle pull always) thought better get it looked at as it was getting worse withing a few seconds of starting the mechanic said tensioners haven't driven it since and gunna get it trailers to the shop to get them changed I think a bit of luck has been on my side lol :D

I also have a 99vdp with 80K, but need to replace the engine due to the failure of the tensioners. No warning.