VERY weird problem today and I need any help I can get...

Went to run an errand today and got out of the car and locked it. Walked inside the store, got what I needed and when I came back out the car wouldn't start. No lights, no "Jaguar" on the LCD screen, not dash lights, no noises. Here is the weird thing: it was as if the car thought it was still locked. I looked over and the passenger door handle was still in the locked position. The drivers side door also wouldn't close because the window wouldn't slide down like when it senses the door has been opened. I tried putting the key in the center console and it just said "Check Smart Key". The fob wouldn't lock/unlock the car and when you open the drivers side door it felt very "clunky" when you pulled the handle. Overall it felt like the car was still locked. I called Jag and they said to have it towed in or try a second key. I walked away, made some phone calls and when I came back it worked perfectly. Started right up with no problems! Has anyone seen this issue before?

1) I don't think it was the key fob or the fob battery because it never alerted it was low.

2) I don't know exactly how old the battery is, but I don't think it's all that old. I bought the car a year or so ago and I remember looking at the date on the battery and thinking "Well, the battery should be good for a while"

I welcome any input.

 

i do not know a lot but i know in 2010 when i baught a 2008 xk, first thing they did was changing the battery, and it is also the first thing I did when i got the xkr 2010. I could read there was too many issues related to the battery .

 

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First things first! Always check the battery first, secondly check the battery again!
thirdly walk away showing no interest in it , turn around and try again. Those Cats are really alive and like to play games.
When I had my E Types would always show them a spare SU fuel pump; had 3 E Types and never a fuel pump failure.......................so...........

Cheers, Adrian

 

Funny, this just happen to me the other day and it's not the first time. How much will the dealer charge for this update?

 

Well, I inspected the battery and it seems like the battery is ok (not perfect, but not 100% faulty)... After sitting the entire afternoon the voltage was at 12.14 and when the engine cranks over it drops down to the mid/upper 10s. And it runs in the 13/14s. I know those numbers aren't perfect, but is that low enough to be considered faulty? Also, although that service bulletin sounds very close to my issue, my car would still unlock unlike the service bulletin without having to use the emergency key.

What kind of voltage should I be expecting out of the battery? I may have it tested this weekend just for curiosity sake.

 

The battery sounds just fine to me. IF you put the meter on the battery and then close the hatch and all doors and Lock the car.........then wait five to fifteen minutes, you'll see the "no load on the battery" will show a bit above the 12.2 you described. Been there, done that.

Voltage drop down to 10vdc during Start is nothing to worry about. Seems right to me. Been there done that also on a 2007 with a batt date of 05/08 and 70K on the odometer.

There was a similar post to yours on this forum just within the last two months. Search a bit for it and also take into consideration the document I left on my first post on this thread.

 

Well, I'd consider those numbers bad !
One of the signs of a failing battery is rapidly-collapsing voltage under load. (Battery shops use a thing called a load-tester to verify this).
At 10-11V, some of the modules on the CAN network will probably crash.
The 13/14V when running is good - it means the alternator/regulator is working well.

These cars really need a battery in excellent condition, kept-up by a charger if not regularly driven *long* distance s. Otherwise, you'll get strange intermittent errors - just like you experienced !

You could spend a lot of time and money chasing problems and software 'gliches', but a much easier course is:
1. Replace the Battery. With an AGM if possible. (see the 'Battery replacement' thread. Charge the new battery *completely*.
2. Rig a easy-to-connect Battery Charger connection
3. Replace battery in both SmartKeys. One CR2032 in each.

That'll be a coupla hundred dollars.
Then see how it goes for a few weeks

Good Luck
Jeremy

 

Starting a cold engine and the battery does not see a drop to the 10vdc range? Really now. Maybe someone out there needs a meter that captures the highs and lows seen during the start sequence.