The Jag has been sitting in the garage all winter because the convertible hydraulics line burst for a 2nd time (it's been too cold to repair it). 2 weeks ago I had a warm day so I jump started it, let it run for about 30 minutes, and moved it a few feet backwards out of the garage. My wife finished cooking dinner so I had to go eat. Turned off the Jag, ate, and tried to start the Jag. All the dash lights come on like normal but it won’t crank!

Things I've done:
1. Battery is good. Took it to Autozone it checked out fine, they said they fully charged it but the XKR still wouldn't start. I swapped the batteries with a running XKR a few years newer, my battery starts their XKR fine, their battery doesn't start mine.

2. Put in neutral.

3. Pressed the inertia switch.

4. I wiggled all of the relays, made sure they felt nice and secure.

5. Tried an extra key.

5. I went through every fuse... On the driver's side fascia fusebox fuse no 6 (5 amp) is blown, description is: "Centre console switches, key transponder module, convertible top header console, rain sensing.".

This fixed it:

The sunvisor lights, dash lights, windshield wipers, everything worked fine, except for fuse no 6 kept blowing and it wouldn't crank/start. After Gus mentioned the pinched/shorted wire in the header, I started taking it all apart. It was the only thing that made sense because of recently replacing the busted hoses with hoses from colliflower. After I removed the star bolts that go in the black frame that holds the hydraulics latch and I replaced the fuse it started right up!!!

 

Check to see if you have fuel pressure. Many reports of pump failure after storage.

 

This link should provide things to check

Link JagRepair.com - Jaguar Repair Information Resource

 

Looks like it's contageous.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-weeks-113693/
Do you get any click or noise at all? Also for the heck of it, if you have a different key, try that. Maybe security is unhappy. Also wiggle around all your relays to make sure they're not loose. Good luck! Gus' logical approach should get you there.

 

RJ237: I purchased a U.S. General fuel injection pump tester from Harbor Freight but it looks like the super charger is covering the schrader valve unless they placed it somewhere else on the super charged version. Does anybody know where it could be located?

Gus: Thanks for the link! I'm wondering if it's a Nikasil problem... Do you think running it for 30 minutes without moving it could cause it?

mike66: Lucky, he only had a bad battery! The normal clicks, no loud noises or anything unusual. It does the system check tells me the hoods not latched and the boot is open which is both correct. The engine just doesn't try to crank or anything. I could take a video if it might help. I think I have a backup key somewhere but I have no idea where, will try to find it. Which relays should I wiggle?

 

I wiggled all of the relays, made sure they felt nice and secure. Then I went through every fuse...

On the driver's side fascia fusebox fuse no 6 (5 amp) is blown, description is: "Centre console switches, key transponder module, convertible top header console, rain sensing.". I'm guessing this could cause the vehicle not to start? I have tried replacing the fuse 3 times now and it blows instantly.

On the passenger's side fascia fusebox fuse no 13 is not used according to the vehicle care handbook but in my vehicle there was a 5 amp fuse in there. I did remove it, not sure if I should have...

All of the other fuses were in the correct location and seemed to be good.

 

Do you have the owner’s manual to tell me what the fuses are for? I am unable to look in my book. If one of the fuses is for the lights in the sunvisor then that could be your problem.

 

The Shrader Valve (on the XKR) is on the front of the Engine near where the Left Fuel Rail connects to the Cross Over Hose to the Right Rail.

 

Gus: Yes I have the owner's manual. It says fuse no 6 is for "Centre console switches, key transponder module, convertible top header console, rain sensing." and fuse no 13 is "Not used.". They don't say anything about the lights or sunvisor.

Paul: Thank you! It's late here but I will try the fuel pressure test tomorrow.

 

The jump start suggests you had a battery issue to begin with? The incorrect procedure for this can damage sensitive electronic modules.

Running for 30 minutes had the engine thoroughly warmed up so you can discount bore wash.

If it won't crank, you have an issue even before you get to considering fuel delivery.

Check the connection in the main juntion box in the luggage compartment:



This is a 2005 XK8 but the earlier 4.0 vehicles are similar. A poor connection or terminal is one of the causes of the issue you describe.

Graham

 

That key transponder module fuse may be leading to the problem. And yeah, if your battery is good, why did you have to jump start the car?

 

When you replace that fuse does it blow?

 

GGG and Mike: I had to jump start the Jag because it's been sitting in the garage all winter without a float charger/battery tender. I don't know any battery that can sit that long without having to be jump started... I will check out the junction box soon and post back.

Gus: Yes when I replace fuse no 6 it blows instantly.

 

Check your PM

 

My guess is that you have a pinched/shorted wire in your header that is causing that fuse to blow. If I am correct that fuse feeds the lights in the mirrors located in the sunvisors. You need to check if the lights are working by opening the flap to the mirror and see if they come on. It is possible that when the hose was replaced the last time that one of the wires got pinched then and it is now causing you problems.

As for the Nikasil I would take care of the blowing fuse first. You may have a cylinder wash issue because of the several attempts to start the car. One step at a time!

As for jump starting the car is never a good thin so I would suggest charging the battery or replace it the next time.

 

Right now it looks like this is an electrical issue and there is no reason to do a fuel pressure test until I can at least get it to crank. Correct?

Something I just noticed.. You know that click sound that the XK8/R makes when you're trying to start it but the battery doesn't have enough power. It doesn't make that sound!

I also tried another key, same problem.


GGG: Just to confirm that the battery is in fact good I swapped in a working battery from a 2003 XKR into my 2000 XKR, replaced the 5 amp fuse that keeps blowing, it blew again, and I'm still having the same problem. I also swapped the battery from my 2000 XKR and put it in their 2003 XKR and it started/ran there car with no problems.

Is there anything I should be looking for on the junction box? All the nuts seem to be on tight. It's a little dirty but besides that I don't see anything wrong (see attached picture).


Gus: I got your PM, sent a response.

Both sunvisors work fine, the lights come right on.

I didn't know jump starting the XKR was a bad thing... I don't drive it very much in the winter so I've been jump starting it for the past 7 years or so and never had a problem until now.

 

Seems like you have an electrical issue to track down. I believe that if the key transponder module isn't working, the key won't start the engine. You'll probably have to do some disassembly to find the short. As Gus said, could be in the areas where the hydraulic hoses go.....header, driver's side A pillar and under dash area. Good luck. The key transponder module is located next to the driver's side fuse box, according to JTIS. Take a close look at wiring in that area.

 

http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepa.../jagxk2000.pdf

Wish I could read these better, but it gives a picture of the starting circuits. Check out Fig.3.2. Also 1.2 shows the fuse box.
Do your wipers work?

 

those are fuses, external appearance means nothing. you have to test the circuit. although, the dash lights indicate that the fuses are good because everything runs through those fuses.

the other culprit is the bulkhead connection at the right rear false bulkhead.

when you ran the car, the battery was very flat. the power circuits would have been carrying heavy current while trying to charge the battery. if any of the main power connections are loose, they could have overheated and failed. the bulkhead connection
is famous for this.

i wrote a description of the power distribution circuits a while back, the you could look for as a source for troubleshooting. probably in the x308 section.

 

You guys are great! A thanks to everyone.

The sunvisor lights, dash lights, windshield wipers, everything worked fine, except for fuse no 6 (5 amp) kept blowing and it wouldn't crank/start. After Gus mentioned the pinched/shorted wire in the header, I started taking it all apart. It was the only thing that made sense because of recently replacing the busted hoses with hoses from colliflower. After I removed the star bolts that go in the black frame that holds the hydraulics latch and I replaced the fuse it started right up!!!

Now the top won't latch but that sounds like a problem for another thread... feel free to help
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-latch-113890/