So I went to check the oil level on the XK, but, as I had parked the XK beneath my lift, (which I didn't have all the way up) I would have only been able to open the hood abt 80% of the way up. As such, I decided to roll the car out of the garage without starting it. Just pressed the start button without stepping on the brake pedal, put it in neutral and rolled it back. Put the car back in park and proceeded to check fluids. After about 10mins went to start the car and all was dead, no response at all. Not a hint of any electronics working-stepping on the brake pedal or not. I then inserted fob into console slot, still nothing. The car is maintained via ctek and have never had an electrical gremlin for a few years since the install. Battery is abt 2years old. Tried different fob etc….. deader that a door nail. After numerous attempts, gave it one last shot, (fob in hand not in console slot) and it started up as if nothing happened. Took it out for half a day and made 4 stops along the way with no issues. As Im driving, I plugged voltage reader in cig lighter socket and it read between 14 and 14.4. Questions for you folks… anyone experience this before and if so were you able to determine a cause? And just as important, while the car was in 'lockdown' is there any way to place it in neutral (was thinking of rolling it back into garage) as I certainly was not able to. Thanks….

 

That exact same thing happened to me a few years back. I closed everything up that I could, windows were still down. I locked it from the inside with both door handles and punched the LOCK on the Smart Key a few times then walked away. About five minutes later I hit the UNLOCK on the SK, and Bob's your Uncle.

 

Definitely a WTF moment

 

When I got my first XF and I was showing it off to my mum (and I wasnt used to the smart key) I did something similar. Called the roadside assist guy out, he locked the car and gave it a few minutes then unlocked it and it was sorted. Pretty embarrassing, I'm sure the guy (and my mum) thought that the car is wasted on me.

 

I think its just one of those "switch it off and on again" moments that all computer driven things need to do - just before the artificial intelligence uprising begins ;-)

 

I've had this happen maybe 3 times in the last 4 years. The first time I was stumped - so I researched our Jag Forum and read the following post ...

"I was in my Jag chatting to my Service Advisor with my foot on the brake pedal for 5 minutes with the engine off. When I tried to start it, nothing happened. My Service Advisor said that by keeping my foot on the brake pedal, I’d inadvertently pumped up the brakes, which meant that I had to step on the brake pedal really hard to close the switch to get the car to start. I did what he said - and it started right up! He also suggested that I press the START button first - and then step on the brake pedal, even though the Owner's Manual says the opposite."

When it happens now, I just push on the brake pedal AS HARD AS I CAN and then it starts every time. Just don't ask me why it works ... it just does!

 

It has happened to my 2010 XKR on several occasions and as Snide72 stated, it appears that if you really stomp on the brake pedal, the beast comes alive. I have also found that if my driver's side door is open all the way, it will not start often as well.

 

Thanks for everyones feedback. So lets say that this happens again….. when the car decided to go into 'dead' mode, was there any way to engage the shifter from park to neutral? I could not find a way to do it.

 

The service manual says:

"If electrical power is not available, use the manual interlock release tab on the selector lever to move the lever to the neutral (N) position."

Although the document seems to contradict itself later with:

"The selector lever will remained locked until electrical power to the selector is restored. There is no emergency interlock solenoid release mechanism on the selector lever."

When I took my console out to get access to the ash tray, I removed the selector lever assembly to clean what appeared to be spilt cola by a previous owner, and I don't recall seeing any release mechanism, and certainly no 'pull cable' that I would have thought to be there. I do remember moving the selector lever while the assembly was out, but I had to use a small screwdriver to push something out of the way, which in hind sight must have been the interlock solenoid. I don't think it would have been accessible with the assembly in the console, and the console installed in the car.

 

Happened to me a few years ago too. No power, thought it was the fob/battery , got a lift back to my house which was about a 5 mile round trip with spare battery. Tried it again before i did anything and away it went, Something we owners have to get used to, the charms of owning am xk.

 

Snide72,

I'm glad you found my old post and it was helpful. After that happened, I decided to always press the START button before tapping the brake pedal. Starts right up every time - both my XKR and XJ. No need to stand on the brake pedal ever again, if you press the START button first. A little tap on the brake pedal is all that's needed.

Stuart

 

i picked up something from this thread.....Push then tap.