Hello all.

Long story short, just bought my Jag a few days ago. Me and my wife needed a 3rd car, because my 2-seater wasn't really a family car. saw this jag, they are very roomy. Bought it for $3600. Instantly fell in love, the car is a Vanden Plas, and looks beautiful, and is perfectly functional in every way. 140,000 miles, and mechanically perfect.

I am going to see my Father-in-law (I actually love my in-laws) and he is very, very excited about my purchase being a former racer and current car enthusiast.

The only problem is, I don't think my Sports Mode works! I have just found out today, the button does not light up when pressed, and doesn't feel any different (I would think that shifting would be closer to red-line)
Is it a fuse? electrical problem? or is the LED just not working, and there isn't much difference between Sports Mode and Normal Mode?

I am watching this thread, and will react to any feedback very quickly.

Thank you all for looking!

 

easiest way I would think to confirm operation of sport mode would be to fire the car up, turn the stereo and air conditioning off so there is absolutely no noise, roll your windows down, and then put the car in drive. When you hit sport mode while stopped the car should downshift into 1st gear whereas in normal mode you accelerate from stops in 2nd gear. If you can hear this downshift then your sport mode is probably working, if you do not hear the downshift you might have a problem.

good luck

 

I dont ever hear this car doing anything. The inside is very quiet, and the drivetrain is very quiet. The only way I know that the car shifts at all is that i can feel it slightly.

Ill give it a try.

 

Could there be a fuse to the activation of the sport mode? Being that the LED doesnt work, it could be that.

 

I do not see an edit button, so I hate to have to triple post lol.

In sports mode, if I were in "2" in manual shift, would it go from 1 to 2? (instead of just 2 like in normal mode)

if so, then yes sports mode works, my LED doesnt work though.

 

FYI, the sport mode is engaged when the button is OUT (and the LED turns on when out)... same as the Cruise control button next to it - OUT is on (and the LED should be on on the cruise button too).

WHen in Drive and standing still - in normal you start out in 2nd, in Sport, you will start out in first - so the implication is, when standing still, switching from normal to S you might be able to hear the tranny shift from 2 to 1.

 

Ill be back tomorrow to give a final answer.

The "S" button is definitely changing shifting patterns.

To clarify so that I can resolve this issue, about what RPM should Sports mode be shifting at if in D from 0? Should it be damned near redline, or 6k? This will help me resolve the issue.

 

I dispute the info that the car does not begin in first gear for either mode. A very lively (nasty!) discussion was on this forum concerning it. I checked with my Enginuity software and indeed the valve engagement indicated either mode used the 1st gear solenoid sequence, with sport holding it there longer. If the car does not hold gear until near redline for WOT, you either are not in sport OR your throttle cable is misadjusted and slightly slack. Check the archives here and on the XK forum for slack throttle cable.

 

The LED is out on my sport mode button also, but I know it works. My Jag shifts right at 6800 RPM in sport mode with foot to the floor just like clockwork. The only trouble is, I don't get the chance to get higher than 3rd gear before the legal speed limit runs out.

 

I am not familiar with the term, "legal speed limit".

Would there be a fuse that this would route to? Also, about fuses, where would I find a fuse diagram? I only have the owners manual physically.

 

Look to the FAQs for the JTIS download or buy the disk on ebay. If you are going to work on the car yourself, it is really handy to have. Its not so user friendly, but much better than nothing. I also use ALLdata subscription, and again, not everything is there but the diagrams sure are.

 

I have just confirmed that the vehicle acts the same in either mode, both in D and in 2/3/4.

using the J shifter, I can get redline past first gear obviously, but first gear shifts at just under 5,000 RPM.

 

I notice mine most when in part throttle driving. It seems to hold in each gear longer when in sport mode and the throttle is more responsive.

 

Did you check your throttle cablwe for slack?

 

This paragraph is from the

AJ-V8 Engine
and
5HP24 Transmission

Introduction

Sport Mode

When sport mode is selected by the driver using
the mode switch, the sport pattern is only
activated when a set cornering force is achieved,
or the kickdown switch is pressed. The vehicle
speed and the difference in speeds between the
two front wheels is used to calculate the amount

of cornering force.



bob gauff

 

most definitely. Probably 85% or so. Ill fix that tomorrow, but it is definitely not the primary issue. From what I hear there is quite a difference in getting rid of that slack, but to be careful because you might do it too much so that the throttle affects idle.

When I do find the solution, I will add it in the topic for documentation purposes.

 

Sorry, I was just repeating what I had read here recently without verifying through additional sources - yet I yell at the news media when they do the same... mea culpa.

 

Does the sport mode act differently in S/C models? This is what mine does: if I am pressing lightly on the brake, just enough to keep the car from rolling, I press the S button and can sense the car downshifting and the added torque makes the car roll forward. Also when cruising through the neighborhood with lots of stopsigns, I know that the car consistently starts off from complete stops in second gear with Sport off. When activating Sport in the same environment, it starts in first. Is this being disputed?

 

in my 2002 XJR the same thing happens, it downshifts to 1st no question in my mind