I have a 1997 XK8 that sits in a garage mostly with the battery disconnected. The battery is 10 months old and is charged from time to time. As of now, when I connect the battery, after about 8 seconds the emergency flashers come on and turning the ignition key does nothing. Any help will be appreciated.
Paul Brown,
Woodstock, GA

 

First and foremost take the battery to Autozone or some such place and get it properly tested. Yes i know its 10mts old, means nothing, and no you cannot properly test it with a volt meter.

Sorry no short cuts on that. lf that doesn't fix it chime back and we can walk you through all the earth straps etc.

Oh, and welcome, before you cop a bollocking, best to go and introduce yourself on the introduction thread

 

There have been many reported instances of the hazard lights switch sticking in its pushed-in position. See if it just needs easing back out.

 

Welcome to the forums Paul,

+1 to the advice on having the battery tested.

Unless your garage situation precludes use of a tender (e.g. CTEK), leaving the battery connected, on a tender and the vehicle locked is the best approach for a stored or low use Jaguar.

In addition to the sticking hazard button already suggested, the security system may have been activated before battery removal? If so, it will automatically reactivate when the battery is reconnected. This is a safety feature to prevent by-passing vehicle security simply with a battery disconnect/reconnect. Lock/unlock with the remote after reconnecting the battery will ensure it is deactivated.

Graham

 

Thank you, the flashers are no longer activated when the battery is connected.

 

I had the battery checked, it is good. The vendor suggested the starter motor could be the problem as I do not hear a "click" when the motor is energized.

 

Thanks, but I already checked the switch, it is not sticking.

 

As you have eliminated the battery as a possible cause, this suggests a completely dead starter motor or more likely a faulty relay. The relay is in the engine compartment on the right hand side within the bulkhead extension - a brown relay at the front (or the only one there if you don't have a heated screen fitted).

Graham

 

[QUOTGGG;2349675]As you have eliminated the battery as a possible cause, this suggests a completely dead starter motor or more likely a faulty relay. The relay is in the engine compartment on the right hand side within the bulkhead extension - a brown relay at the front (or the only one there if you don't have a heated screen fitted).

Graham[/QUOTE]

 

There are two fuse boxes on the right hand side of the bulkhead. One box has one relay, the other box has three relays. I measured the coil resistance on all four relays to be 90 Ohms so I presume the relays are good? It must be the Starter Motor that is defective.
Thanks for your help.

 

See this post from Don B to identify the starter relay:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...4/#post2347223

You should be able to hear it click when the key is turned to the start position. Try swopping it with any of the other brown relays.

If that has no effect, check F5 (10A) in the passenger side engine compartment fusebox. It is labelled 'Injector supply' in the vehicle care booklet, but also feeds the starter relay and the generator regulator.

 

So the car won't start? This sounds like the alarm system. Mine sets the horn going after a several second delay - and disables the starter motor - when I reconnect the battery, so flashers are odd.

Have you tried turning the door key to lock and unlock? Or unlock and lock...after several years of doing it regularly, I still don't know which way works. This turns off the alarm system. If you haven't tried it yet, please give it a go. I know it sounds simple, but it might just work.

 

The relay and F5 both appear to be OK when I check the relay coil resistance the fuse continuity.

 

I continue to have electrical problems with my '97 XK8. The cables to the battery seem to be in good condition. When I turn the ignition key I can hear the starter relay activate but the starter motor does not engage so I suspect the motor is bad. I also am experiencing what others have described as the "scroll of death". I don't think I can raise the car high enough to get at the starter motor myself so I am considering having it towed to a Jaguar garage to be repaired. That brings me to another question, how do I get the shifter into Neutral? It seems to be stuck in Park. Thanks in advance for any advice you may have.

 

There is a plastic plug with a star-shaped pattern at the front of the J-gate:


If you unscrew this, you can push a screwdriver or similar into the hole to release the interlock.

Check Fuse #7 (15A) in the driver side fascia fusebox.

 

Thank you for the info re; the interlock release; Fuse #7 is good.
I do not have the ability to get under the car to check the starter motor connections. So at this point I am going to have the car towed to a local garage to have the starter motor and connections checked out.
Thanks to everyone for their input.