I just bought a 2012 xk. when sitting in the car figuring it out, without the engine running a warning comes on in a short period of time saying the system will shut down in 3 minutes to preserve battery power. does that mean that the battery is most likely going and I should get a new one.

 

Get a battery tender (Ctek is forum favorite). Charge the battery, and keep the battery on the tender when it sits. If the car has been sitting for a while, the battery might just be low on juice.

 

+1 on Sean's advice but if you have the ignition on you will always get that warning. The computers in these cars take a lot of power to keep them going.

It is mentioned in the manual.

 

No, it does not mean that you should get a new battery. The computers and the entertainment system in the car draws so much power that you should either run the engine while you have those powered-up or, place a moderately large battery charger (15 Amps minimum) on the battery for that period.

I personally think it is ridiculous having to run a 5.0L V8 engine just to be able to listen to the radio or music. But, that's what we have.

 

Bottom line for your warning. Our cars are pre programmed to show that message anytime you have your car off and are running anything including your radio etc. It DOES NOT MEAN your battery is failing. It's programmed to pop up when your engine is off and you are running an accessory. Regardless, our electrical systems are quite vulnerable and somewhat weak. Part of ownership is knowing that our batteries need to be charged with a battery tendar or a CTEK when not used for extended periods and in addition.... lock your doors when getting out of your car for any period of time. Welcome to the wide world of Jaguar electronics!