Today I tried to use the j-gate to manually shift to lower gears and it didn't respond. The lever moves easily to all the positions but the gears didn't change and the indicator light remained lit against D. Also, the sport button made no difference and the light didn't come on in it when it was in the on position.

Any ideas what could have caused this?

 

Should just add, the light against D is on constantly, not flashing. It was flashing once a few weeks ago but hasn't done that again.

 

Do you have the 4.2 + 6 speed?

You can try reading this thread and see if it helps?
As the light was flashing before it could still be related, the lights are controlled via the Linear switch.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...rt-mode-84688/

 

Time to check under the Centre Console. The gear selector has a number of connections:



If there's nothing obviously loose, then further checks on the gear selector and switch on the side of the transmission will be needed.

Here's the summary:

ZF 5HP Transmission Selector.pdf

Are you referring to the security system light or the gear position indicator light in you second post?

Graham

 

Opening up the center console to check that stuff isn't very difficult. Click the link to my Youtube channel down below the picture of my car and you'll see a video on how to do it. The hardest part is removing the J-gate surround. I have a video on that, too.

 

Obviously Graham (GGG) has more knowledge of your car than I and has provided you with the correct information for your 4.0 +5 speed version.

It will be useful, for future assistance, if you could put your vehicle info in your signature.

 

Thanks for the replies, I have a 4.2 with 6 speed box. Not sure why my signature isn't showing, I'm looking into that!

I had read the thread about the flashing light but I only had that once and it wasn't the problem yesterday so thought mine might be something else. The light I am referring to is the red indicator which shows the current gear selected as opposed to the white light which shows what else is there.

Will probably be the weekend before I get chance to take anything apart, at least the car works at the moment!

 

Signature now working! Strange, it was there when I went to it, but obviously hadn't picked up on the thread for some reason.

 

That is correct, the fault most people have is the red LED indicators only light on P-R-N-D and stays on D if J-gate moved to 5-4-3-2 though on other threads with problem, when sport mode has not been available, it has been flashing in P-R-N-D.

 

Trust mine to be different!

However, having not used the car yesterday, driving to work this morning the j-gate is working normally! Very strange so will have to have a look at all the connections and spray them with contact cleaner I think.

 

The devil is always in the detail - you have the 6 Speed transmission!

The diagram I posted in #4 is the ZFHP5 selector. The 6 Speed is a completely different design and not just an additional gear position. Here is the 6 Speed selector:



Your intermittent fault suggests a possible issue with the Transmission Control Switch (item 3) on the RH side of the selector.

There's two multi track sliders in this switch. The upper one controls P R N D positions on the RH of the J Gate and the lower one controls positions 5 4 3 2 on the LH of the gate. I sounds like your lower sliders may be the cause of the problem.

Let's hope a cleaning of adjustment is all that's needed.

Graham

 

Thanks Graham,

The picture doesn't seem to be showing, would you be able to repost it please.

 

Andy,

Here's the Transmission Selector summary description as a PDF:

ZF 6 Speed Selector.pdf

If this doesn't download, send me a PM and I'll eMail it to you.

Graham

 

That works, many thanks.

 

I have posted 2 photos of the Linear Switch internals to the other thread (link at post #3 above).

As you can see there is more to it than just sliders!

 

Derek,

Did you find an issue with the board in yours or with the upper / lower triple sliding contacts?

Graham

 

Graham

Checking the PCB with a magnifying inspection lamp etc. did not reveal any soldering or obvious component problems. It is difficult to check the individual components as they are covered/sealed with a layer of epoxy/varnish material. Very well made in fact.

Cleaning/checking the contacts and sliders with a meter showed good low/zero resistance.

As my problem started off as intermittant, eventually becoming permanent and when faulty was often there in P before moving the gear lever I put it down to some form of component failure and eventually fitted a new switch assembly, which cured the problem and has since not reappeared.

 

I've had the same problem a few times. The solution that has always worked for me (so far) is to simply turn off and restart the car.

 

Whenever I read the phrase "turn off and restart" it immediately makes me think of a module or CAN issue being the cause.

This 6 Speed selector is a fascinating design. It appears so simple from the top yet hides a complex arrangement of cable, sensors and harness connections.

The Transmission Control Switch on the RH side of the selector connects directly to the transmission as a mechanical link. However, this only works on the RH (P, R, N, D) side the J gate.

I couldn't understand why the Transmission Control Switch shown in Derek's pics needed any complex circuitry to determine a simple lever position. The reason is it gets much more complicated on the LH (5, 4, 3, 2) side of the J Gate.

The Transmission Control Switch generates a 3 Bit code from the RH lever position which is transformed into a CAN message and transmitted to the Transmission Control Module for electronic selection of the intermediate gears.

This will be a challenging exercise to fix if it ever goes wrong.

Graham

 

Ahhhh, Graham! Seems like this can be said about everything in my XKR. Fuel Pump replacement, getting the water pump and manifold to actually SEAL, accessing the fuel rail on a S/C car, seemingly insurmountable electrical gremlins that just "suddenly "go away", blinking shifter lights and no sport mode...... Why must EVERYTHING in our cars be so complicated?

I LOVE my beauty-full XKR but I long for the days of carburetors, lever controlled heaters, air-conditioning, and transmissions - or better yet, MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS.

Whine over... sorry