Can anyone say what might be wrong?

I was able to lower the convertible roof this evening and it worked as normal - roof went down, rear quarter windows lowered as normal.

Then, came time to put the roof back and ...nothing - just some low level whirring

So, followed the process for raising the roof manually - and then tried to push the roof button forward hoping the rear windows would go up but again....nothing.

Then, I thought I would see if the roof would go down automatically... so unlocked the two handles and pushed the button, and the roof went down - no problem

Any one experienced similar conditions before? Anyone venture an opinion on what may be wrong?

 

redgear,

Read through the section on the workshop manual and you'll understand the process and components for hood raising and lowering.

The hood ecu requires input signals from the handbrake, ignition and transmission switches. So, if the roof will go down but not up, then it's not a problem with any of those 3 "status" signals.

It uses Up & Down relays for the hood movement so it could be the Hood Up relay that has failed. As the hood will go down, swap over the Hood Up and Down relays and you might confirm the problem.

The hood switch can get sticky. One way to isolate whether it's the hood Up relay or the switch is to see if the windows go up. If they do, it's not the switch. You said the windows didn't go up, but did you wait at least 8 seconds holding the switch? There's an 8-second delay after you press the switch for the hood to go up before the windows will start going up, so bear that in mind.

As I said, read through the the manual, identify the components, use a logical approach and you'll get to the problem!

Good luck

Paul

 

Thanks Paul!!

Your comments make a lot of sense and resonate with what I have tried and observed.

Just so you know, I did wait for many seconds whilst pressing the roof switch (forward) and the rear windows did not raise.
I don't have a workshop manual - Is there a link to one online?

******* UPDATE -
I just found this link

http://www.jagrepair.com/images/Elec...o%20%20S61.pdf

 

Hi I had a Similar problem, as this year I decided to keep the Soft Top down for the 'Whole Summer'

As the Car is Garaged and only taken out when the Weather is fine.

Instead of putting the Soft Top up and down every day (which can be a pain) I just put the Car Cover on and then left it at that.

But recently when I laid her up for the Winter, the Soft Top wouldn't go up!

Which sort of had me panicking, just a little bit.

Though eventually after many attempts the Soft Top decided to raise.

Although I'm not sure what caused it, I think it could have been down to Fluid draining out of the pump, purely through lack of use.

As it has now be alright ever since.

 

redgear,


IMO, a hood that won't go up, and the windows won't go up, but will go down, has either got:

- a faulty ecu (very unlikely)
- a number of simultaneous failed relays (quite unlikely)
- a sticky hood switch (more likely)

You can't the proper Jaguar Parts & Service manual free. However, you really should buy one as the cost is minimal considering you're driving a car that is the equivalent of circa £70,000 today! Don't even think about running an XJS without buying the workshop manual! You will spend far more labour, money and time on forums like this than you would buying the manual!

You can get the old type (limited Mac compatibility) or the new combined DVD from Jaguar Heritage here:

Jaguar Heritage. Technical Publications


Good luck

Paul

 

Thanks Paul

I will get one - thanks for the advice - makes perfect sense
But, what did you mean when you said "considering you're driving a car that is the equivalent of circa £70,000 today! "

ARe you saying the the price of the XJS when new was equivalnet to STG 70,000?

 

redgear,

There's a lot of money equivalence calculators a round, most using compound rates of inflation to create the figures.

My 4.0 convertible was about £49000 new in 1994. That's between £70,000 & £85,000 in todays money depeneing which equivalence calculator you use.

Paul

 

Can you swap the roof switch for a window switch to test

 

relay. thats my guess.

 

YES - You LEGEND!!!

The roof goes up perfectly - but now there is something wrong with one of the windows ..(just joking!!)

:icon _clapclap:

 

Well, it was actually the roof switch the contacts inside switch not working as they should - All Fixed - but probably will get a new switch if I can!

 

redgear,

Well done! Good to hear it's sorted and at no cost! Logical diagnosis is always the right way, rather than just start replacing items as some people do!

Paul

 

The switches need servicing every 20 years or so. When I bought my car it was The second thing I did after cleaning all the ground points and plugs.
Happy I could help.

 

I would make that 15 years.
I had both my window switches start going out at 15 years. I replaced them and a year later they went out again. so I replaced them again recently with some dielectric grease. ...the contacts were black after only a year...

faulty top switch makes sense. I wasn't really thinking. heard the windows were not working and usually that is a relay issue... glad the issue is resolved.

 

I had a similar thing and it was the relays. They need to be 40 amp units, rather then the usual auto relays which are 30 amp. Part of the problem is that the motor grounds through the 87A contact of the relays which isn't rated as highly as power contacts (30 and 85)