So things have been really good with my 2000 xkr until one morning i went out and it wouldn't start. I have checked quite a few things and narrowing it down to the starter relay and maybe the starter. I would love to whack the starter but can't get to it so going to begin with the relay. The problem is I can't find it. I downloaded a diagram showing three relays where it should be and there is only one. I have attached a picture. Could someone please shed some light on where I can find the starter relay for this car? Thanks!

 

Unless you have a heated windscreen, the lonely one is the starter relay:





from JTIS:




You can swop it with any of the other brown relays in your pic. to check if crank is then restored.

Do you have any codes thrown?

 

I'm only getting a small leak code from the emissions system occasionally. I swapped out the relay and that didn't change anything. I'm thinking that its the starter but having a hard time getting to it.

 

Check the battery connections in the boot, in particular the bolts where the main fuse is attached In front of the spare tire.

I had a similar problem where the car would power up in key position 2 but then nothing in start position. Turned out the connections to the high power relay were loose.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...module-186171/

 

Why not just JUMP the relay????????????????

 

Or test the connections at the relay have 12v in the right places and at the right times before trying to get to the starter.

The car has to be in Neutral or Park for the starter to energise, so if the relay coil isn't getting 12v when the ign is in the start position, I would check the park/neutral switches.

 

Taking a closer look at the relay makes sense. I am by myself so its a little hard to test the voltage at the relay while the starter is engaged so would it be easier to jump the relay? Im not exactly sure how to do this, could someone explain this to me?

 

This video explained it and definitely seems to me the best next step.

My question is when i look at the relay it appears to want to be jumped from #3 to #5. I tested them with a voltmeter and #5 is showing 12.5 volts. Without the ignition turned on i jumped them and nothing happened. Does this mean that the relay is likely good and the problem is probably with my starter? Did I do this right??

 

Yes its right. You can't blame the relay yet. Terminals 1 & 2 must pass a 12volt trigger signal to energize the coil that moves 3 to touch 5.

Stick a voltmeter prope in 1 and 2. Watch the meter as you try to start car. 12volts? Yes = bad relay. No = why isn't it receiving a trigger. Try to start in neutral?
John

 

I finally found the starter with the help of the pdf that i attached. It was something i found by searching the forum and is very detailed. I attached it here to hopefully help the next person find this all in one place.

I managed to remove the passenger wheel and jack up the car with a stand and then get under the car. i tapped the starter and then the car started right up for me so now i know. If the starter was easier to reach I wouldn't be so quick to replace the starter but since its almost impossible to do the hammer trick on the road I'm going to replace it right away. Thanks again for the replies and I am glad i learned about relays today. There is always more to learn!

 

To update this post I want to say that for me it was impossible to replace the starter myself. I had the car on a lift and was comfortably under it and could not get the starter bolts out. I couldn't even get them close! I was thinking "its just two bolts, how hard can that be". The answer for me was impossible. It was still a fun afternoon of trying to get the starter out and I had a decent time but after a couple hours of trying different ways to make it happen it became 100% clear that for me it wasn't going to happen and I was comfortably under it on a lift!! The guys who have done this job should know that this is a tricky thing to do and you should feel happy! I called my mechanic and had him do it, it was the happiest I have been paying for two hours of work on that car yet!

On a side note while the car was in the shop I also had a coolant leak looked at. Turned out it was the water pump that needed to be replaced. Replacing the pump made a sound go away on that car that has been bothering me since I got it. I thought the sound was the supercharger, it sounded like rocks or a jangling sound coming from it. Turns out it was the water pump which sits right under the supercharger. I have had people tell me not to worry about the noise and that superchargers make noise but I knew this one sounded kind of bad. So if your supercharger sounds like it has small pebbles inside of it it could be your water pump instead...

 

I had something similar, It turned out it was the security system faulted. Took it in and had all key fobs and system reset. $75 tow $350 for the rest of everything. Have not had issue since. Good luck.