I'm the OP. I changed my battery last spring after it got to the point where I couldn't start the car after letting it sit for a week. Turns out it was the original battery - 5 years old. It's been almost a year now with the new battery and I haven't had the touchscreen lock up once since.

 

I totally agree about it being a low voltage/battery issue.
I often go 2 or 3 weeks without driving the car and had gotten used to encountering this issue quite often. Since I started leaving the car on a CTEK all the time I'm not driving it, I don't think I've had this issue once.

 

Purchased a CTEK charger for when it sits for long periods in the garage, all is fine now

 

I've only had my 2010 XKR for a week, but yesterday I had an interesting thing happen on the NAV screen. I was waiting for a friend with the car idling in park so that the air conditioning would stay on and I could listen to the radio. On my nav screen I got a warning message that informed me of LOW BATTERY, and that I should start the car or my accessories such as radio would shut off in 3 minutes. The car was already running?! I cleared the nav screen and the warning didn't come back. Is this a signal of a weak battery? I haven't had any trouble starting it.

 

That warning usually pops up when you're sitting with the ignition on but without starting the car - it doesn't necessarily mean the battery is low, just that the power drain is high and you ought to start up so that the alternator can take over. However, as yours was running, it would suggest that either the battery charge level is pretty low, or that your alternator's output is low. Might pay to get a dealer or specialist to read the codes to see if anything is showing up.

 

Ted - My battery died about a week ago after the car sat for about 36 hours with no use. I have now installed the Cteck so as to preclude any further issues. You can buy the Cteck for about $60 on Amazon. Its worth it for peace of mind. By the way, when I saw you on Friday I was buying nuts for the battery posts so I wouldn't have to use the clamps. Better connection that way. Regards, Ralph

 

Took my 2011 XF to the dealer 3 weeks ago with this problem and they reloaded the HLDF Module with updated software.
To date the problem is clear.

 

Now if we had a battery gauge I guess we could see what the voltage was , sorry I just had to say it. Just my personal hang up. I can see mine but I have to use the torque pro set up. OK I'm done , LOL

 

VERY IMPORTANT: these cars (like many electronic-marvel modern cars) have high power requirements from the batteries. When the battery voltage drops, random and apparently severe symptoms appear: these can include but are not limited to: problems with the touch screen, windows, door locks and convertible roof issues, random warning lights... there is nothing wrong with your XK other than a battery not at its peak. If the car is used infrequently or used for short trips or if it has a battery more than 3 years old and especially if a combination of these factors exist, then the liklihood of these symptoms appearing is VERY high.
Solution: EASY - and this has been said over and over again in many threads on apparent XK electrical issues: if your XK is used in a pattern described above, then get a battery minder permanently installed and USE it when the car is not being used! The CTEK charger is the favoured one - and Jaguar, Mercedes, Audi, BMW and other manufacturers have the CTEK charger branded and sold at a higher price than you need to pay. Why do they do this: re-read the above!
When the late-model XK gives the "battery voltage low- start engine" message, it is telling you to DO SOMETHING. There are no problems with the systems in the XK - it is all down to low battery voltage! If a battery minder is used then the battery itself will last for years and years and there will be ZERO electrical issues.

 

Totally agree........it was Gregory that first advised me to get a CTEK battery minder. Best thing I have done. I took his advice and have had NO reported system problems. When the car is not in use the CTEK is always plugged in. I recently bought a Solar BA5 Battery tester for CCA verification and can attest my batery is at full power and all cells have tested excellent. I have been on a CTEK testimonial since.

Gregory knows his stuff, knows the Jaguar brand. Take his advice. I did, and I am so glad I did. He is a great source of info as a Jaguar owner.

 

All of the above is quite true but please note the following: Even if you have a 100% fully charged battery and operate the sound system or other accessories for even a relatively short period of time, you still might get the "battery voltage low-start engine" message. Apparently it is inherent to our car's design even though your battery is not really low.

 

Agreed - it should probably read "High battery drain - start engine to remove load on battery", or something like that. However, tberg reported getting it while his engine was running, which seemed a bit odd.

 

Hey guys,

hate to jump tread or if this has already been answered i just kinda skimmed through first.

I bought my car last march and havent had a problem with this yet, but today after work i started my car and the screen just stayed on the black jaguar screen the whole ride home, went out just now to start again and see if that changed anything but it did the same thing.

I live up in Wisconsin and today was the first real real cold day of the year for us (single digits with -20+ wind chills). Not sure if maybe something could have froze with it being so cold? I have a 30 min ride home and had the heat on at 76+ so i would thing it would get warm enough to do something if it was just cuz it was cold

Its an 09 XF but i figure it runs the same touch screen in both.

Any help you guys have would be greatly appreciated

 

Have your battery tested and get a battery maintainer.

 

Definitely battery as the first suspect. If charging it (either with a maintainer or by taking it on a longer run) doesn't help, the battery itself may be faulty.

Alternatively, it could be that the touchscreen module needs a hard reset - take a look at your owner's manual and find the fuse for the screen (it may be listed as "VICS"), pull it out, wait 5 mins & put it back. On the XK, it's fuse 15 in the fusebox between the rear seats, but it's probably different in your XF.

 

Agreed: the battery is the problem: it is not maintaining full voltage and one result of this is problems with the touch screen (other symptoms can also arise: problems with the seats, windows, door locks, random warning lights, etc.). In the days of the Series III XJ cars (1979 to 1992) the mantra for electrical problems was:"fuses, fuses, fuses" because there was very, very rarely any issue with the electrical components themselves - it was almost always the very minor issue of fuse connections. Today, when there are issues with the electronic marvels that we call Jaguars (you can substitute the name of any high-end brand here) the mantra is "battery, battery, battery" because lower-than optimal voltage is almost always the cause of these problems. The fact that the car starts well is not an indicator that all is well with the battery. Replace the battery and fit a permanent battery minder (the CTEK charger is the one which Jaguar sells under its own name). You will have no further problems.

There is just one thing to know about the touch screen. It can freeze if the veneer surround is improperly fitted so that it presses permanently on the screen.
Back to the mantra: "battery, battery, battery..."

 

I've actually thought of installing a solar panel on the flat section above the battery. Wonder how much that would help? My car is garaged but I drive it quite a bit. Every once in a while, mostly cold weather, this happens to mine. I just laugh. It's British! A reboot after a short drive and it's fine.

 

I use a solar panel on my XKR when I'm going to be away for a while. It's a Ring Automotive RSP600 6W panel:

Solar Power Battery Maintainer

While its maximum output of 0.343A at 17.5V is only going to be achieved under full sunlight, it only needs to give an average of 0.03A to keep up with the quiescent drain of an XK (possibly a bit more on mine, as it has a Tracker). I've found that I can go away for a month, leave the car with the panel attached and sitting on the luggage cover, and it will start with no error messages when I get back. And it doesn't get any direct sun where it's parked.

 

I'm having issues with my passenger seat not working as well as not of the center console buttons work a/c, radio controls, door locks, etc....the touch screen works and radio controls on steering wheel. 2011 XJL. Is the first step the battery?
Thanks, John

 

YES!, yes, yes........always start with the battery as the culprit for any electronic malfunction, particularly if there are multiple and random malfunctions...and use a battery maintainer!! How can we get this message across?