Hi from a newbie,

I am looking for some help if you please, with my brother in laws '98 XK8. During a drive around yesterday it decided to stick in third gear, and refused to change. He was only a short distance from home so drove back and parked up to prevent any damage occuring.

I'm not afraid of a bit of DIY, but I have no experience with automatic boxes and am looking for a few ides on where to start. Is it electronically controlled at all, based on various input sensors, or is this problem likely to be an internals thing? Hopefully not the latter, since Jaguar want an eye watering amount for a new box! If it is indeed electronically controlled, is there a way to reset it at all?

Any help/suggestions appreciated.

Si

 

Thanks for the response.

I gathered that the 3rd gear must be some sort of protection. Since this morning he has visited his local friendly Jaguar dealer who reeled off an obscene list of diagnostic codes apparently, when plugged into the car.

Diagnosis - new box. 1 week and an wallet lightening/eye watering sum of money. I haven't spoken to him yet, but after this diagnostic the mechanic concluded there must be something internally wrong and requires a new gearbox - quite how he made this link I am unsure! I told him to get a second opinion from another Jag dealer, but alas he had already given them the nod to commence when I got hold of my partner.

As for the Nikasil problem, nothing in the history dictates an engine replacement, he's had it for about half it's life now. My memory evades me but it *could* be a 97 (stupid private plate!), not that i'd imagine there is a world of difference between 97/98 models? It's not a case of liners shifting is it?

 

This is London though, they pay a premium for everything unfortunately.

He's going to sell the car in the near future anyway now, this just confirmed the decision he'd come to about a week ago before it stuck in 3rd. lol.

Muchos gracias for the input people.

 

Nah it's in the Jag dealer now getting a new gearbox.