Friends, I'm not sure how to position this one. Let me start by explaining what happened. While entering a highway, I reached down to scratch my leg. My 1998 XK8 was rapidly approaching 75 mph. When I put my hand down to my right leg, I brushed the key in the ingition - It turned off the car, way too easily!

Unlike any other car I've owned, you can't just re-energize the connection by turning the key to run, apparently I had to re-energize the starter for ignition. This is complicated by a few things: 1) the key has to be rotated to off before trying another start cycle. 2) the car apparently goes into restricted performance mode if you're rolling at 50 mph and try to start - you would be lucky to get 1200 rpms out of her.

Well I hit the emergency flashers and pulled over. Thanks to all the attentive drivers behind me, I was really lucky. While stopped on the side of the road, I tried to start the car without turning the key off. Got a "Restricted mode - Transmission failure" message. It just wouldn't catch (start stumble die at best). I didn't freak out, I saw this once before when I had just purchased the car (I always wondered what really happened that night, guess this proves it). I turned the ingition to OFF, removed the key and tried again right away = no problem, everthing was back to normal.

Like I said I'm not sure how to explain why I'm posting this one. First off let me offer it has a heads up to you for safety. If my car is working normally - this can happen much too easily! Believe me you don't need this as a surprise at high speeds on a crowded road. Get your head around that possibility and take a second to acknowledge in the back of your mind where that emergency flasher is and what procedure you need to do to restart everything, you may need it way too fast someday.

Is there any trick I'm missing to restart the car while it is rolling?

Finally let me ask your opinion, is my car any different than yours?
Can you too accidently bump the key and turn everything off so easily? In the back of my mind I'm thinking about a recent story in the USA where General Motors knew about something similar, apparently did nothing and people lost their lives. Well I hope it helps you someday.

Thanks - John

 

John, I also have '98 and have managed to do the same, but fortunately only once. In my case I bumped my leg against the key chain, and in the way the key chain was hanging on the key, the car switched off.

I have a little pickup truck that, once in a while I would bump out of gear with my leg. In the Jag I was going downhill from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and becuase of my truck, was sort-of-half prepared, but I know I did not get the car to a complete stop before I restarted. I just put the car in N, turn the key, and put it back into D - No messages. But, I was going about 45mph, and not 75mph. I don't have a lot of stuff on the key either.

Are you perhaps taller than 6', or do you have a lot of stuff hanging on your key?

 

I had exactly the same experience at a similar speed on the M11 last year when I leant forward to put my sunglasses in the cubby. However, having realised what I had done and before I had lost much speed, I simply turned the key back on and the car continued as normal.

 

Hey John--almost the same exact thing happened to me but I was driving down a main boulevard in busy traffic. I did not realize it but I guess my knee brushed the key. It took me a few seconds to figure out the engine was off--the first thing I noticed were all the gauges dropping to zero. I thought something broke and managed to get over to the right somehow which is when it occurred to me to check the key. Sure enough it was off and I was quickly able to restart (I forget if I did so by stopping or just shifting to neutral and trying).

The placement of the ignition key in this car is horrible and similar to where it was in my previous Corvette. However in the Corvette there was more resistance to turning the key compared with the Jaguar, hence an light knee brush would not turn the car off like with the Jaguar.

Doug

 

Thanks guys. Yes I'm a couple of inches over 6 feet and have (soon to be had) a lot of stuff on my key chain. I appreciate the feedback.

John

 

Been there, Done that, with my previous 97 XK8 Coupe.

As I recall, the "Honker" was beeping. I moved to the side of the road, selected Park and re-started.

 

I could not stand the FOB touching my knee all the time... I attached it horizontally to the key with 2 tiewraps; It's now impossible to accidentally turn it as there's no lever, just a straight stick as it where.

 

The "trick" and I use the term lightly sense I have yet to come across a car that this wouldn't work on, is simply to shift to neutral and then turn the key to crank and start the car. I'm not sure I've seen a car that you could just turn the key to on and be back in business, but then I have never tried that, I just use the method above. The restricted performance, etc sounds like much more than just a result of accidentally switching the car off (I am 6'8" and I have done this more than once without any issue)

 

Well this is very disturbing especially with the recent GM issues and people dieing from the issue.

I just went out and checked mine and to be honest I don't see how this could happen. My key has a very firm detent when the car is running and takes a bit of pressure to turn the key.

I think you guys have a faulty switch.

 

I had similar occurrences twice with my 05MY a couple years back. I removed the steering cowling and inspected the switch, I found the rotary electrical switch (see picture) was very loose. There are 2 screws that lock it to the barrel. Once I tighten that up I've not had the problem again. Just the final tip of the key fits in the switch to turn the rotary electrical switch. My conclusion was that it was loose enough if it giggled around it could shutoff the engine. Fairly easy to disassemble and get to the switch.

 

FWIW I tried to shut off the ignition at 35mph, put her in N and restart while rolling - It can not be done on my 1998. The ignition might catch but everything seems to get confused during all the tests in the background (lights on dash light up cycle). The car Displays Transmission failure - restricted performance. . . . But once I stop, take the key out, restart = All is OK. I"m going to add this gentleman's tighten the screws idea to this weekend's work. Thanks this could be the key, John

 

Wow, must have been scary. I suppose at about 16 years old it could be wear or loose screws. Worth a check.

 

GM recalls another 3.4 million vehicles - Jun. 16, 2014

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
General Motors recalled another 3.36 million vehicles worldwide Monday for a problem the company has linked to eight crashes and six injuries. That brings the total number of cars recalled by the company this year to more than 20 million.
The new recall affects cars from model years 2000 through 2014. The ignition switch can move out of the run position, turning off power steering and power braking while the car is being driven. Extra weight on the key chain can jostle the ignition when the vehicle strikes something in the road like a pothole.

 

Doesn't affect Jaguars, though.