2004 4.2 XK8

Thought I’d sorted my DSC fault after changing the brake pedal switch as the occasional “check rear lights” fault no longer appeared and cruise control was working.

After “progressing vigorously with kickdown on a couple of occasions I’ve had DSC fault warning illuminate on dash accompanied by ABS warning light.

On ignition off and a re-start there’s no warning lights - until next time “vigorous process” using kickdown is made…

ABS rings cleaned, next stop will be to replace ABS sensors - but I’d be grateful for any other suggestions.

Also picked up a “clunk” on gradual deacceleration…. Maybe related… maybe not

 

If the rear tires break loose under acceleration the DSC light will come on. This is unusual with a NA engine, but maybe your tires are old.

 

That’s really interesting… I’d just read in a similar thread that if a stepping out occurs at the rear that it’s indicative that the rear control arm(s?) may need attention/replacing - and this is on the list !

Tyres are Pirelli P0’s and seem in good condition, have really good tread and are not that old.

I was going to have a four wheel alignment done, but may wait until replaced the rear control arm.

I’ve just replaced the front top mounts with new yellow ones and am not impressed. Feels really loose at the front end now. Seem to have to make a lot of small steering corrections and feels like it’s constantly tram-lining.

 

The top mounts has nothing to do with steering. It is a double wishbone setup and the top mounts only hold spring and damper in place. My 2000 XKR has the same problem with tramlining. New upper and lower bushings, new ball joints, new springs, new tires and 4 wheel adjustment but nothing helped.

 

Clean your wheel speed sensors using dish soap and an old toothbrush, and check their wiring harnesses for split or cracked rubber boots before you spend any money on parts. Split or cracked boots can be repaired with neutral-cure RTV sealant. Worked for me nearly ten years ago on my wife's 2006 XK8. Ever since then I clean the wheel speed sensors at every tire rotation and inspect the boots at the same time....

 

Initial advice is always the same: procure a Jaguar/Land Rover-capable code reader and let the car tell you what is behind the error right after it occurs (don't turn the engine off before reading the codes). Although some guesses are better then others and you can get lucky, throwing parts at the problem is bound to be a frustrating experience. Codes can be searched and shared to better pinpoint the root cause.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

 

Coming at this from having no information… what’s the best code reader for 2004 XK8 ?

Have seen people mention Mongoose cables and JSS software but there seems to be a big difference in prices ?

 

Check the L R wheel bearing...if worn out it will clunk and cause a DSC fault.
wj

 

I bought a used Foxwell NT510 from a local Jaguar forum member several years ago. It generally works very well. The reader has an SD card and can be supplemented with support for other cars as the need arises. Not claiming this is the best model, just something that has provided value over time.

If you want the ability to do "everything" on your car going forward, you are probably going to want to have the ability to run SDD/IDS. It is more involved than a simple reader. It runs on Windows XP, normally on a laptop you can take with you in the car. It also needs an interface cable to the car's diagnostics port. There are vendors out there that provide software images and clone cables for this.

 

have you tried replacing the VEE mounts ?