My 2002 XK8 (48000 miles) has been running great all summer. Have even been thinking about taking it on a road trip. Yesterday about 2 miles from home felt a bump and that little yellow light came on with 3 messages-ABS, Traction Control and Transmission Faults. Does anyone have experience with this combination? Since light was yellow drove on home even though car felt sluggish at low speeds. When I got it in the garage I restarted and warnings were gone. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Old_Doc

 

Hi Doc, stay away from those bumps. All hell breaks loose with the electronics.
As many have pointed out on this forum, sounds like it could be a bad battery or connection. If you hit a bump, could be a bad battery cable connection.
I have notice in the past if I left my XK8 in the garage too long without exercise, I would get the traction control, ABS flashes as well. I since installed a solar battery trickle charger. Battery always feels strong, no longer the strange fault codes. Rich

 

Thanks Reb but I'm half sure that the bump was an effect rather then a cause.
I'm thinking that my best course is to stay close to home and see if it happens again. At 48k it's not really time to have the tranny serviced which is my second thing to do.

 

Although I have more experience with the 6HP26, this set of errors (both ABS and Transmission) suggests that the speed input (from the ABS module) into the transmission module is somehow not working. On the later 4.2/6sp cars, there has been many instances of the ABS ring on the driver side rear wheel somehow coming loose, and giving "false" readings. When that happens, the car goes into limp home mode, but also resets back to normal after shutting the car off.

To check, remove the wheel, then remove the sensor (1 bolt). Through the hole, gently check that the ring is solid with the hub with a screwdriver. If not, this is most likely the problem.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

 

Took it into town (ca. 15 miles) and everything is fine. It probably was the bump that rattled the senor. I'll check the sensor the next time I take it into my local(indy) shop.

 

To fmertz:

Just read your reply of 9/27 to Old_Doc re his Transmission Fault problem.
I have an 06 XK8 (4.2 / 6sp auto) with (I think) a 6HP26 trans that is not shifting properly - details in my Gearbox Fault post of 9/24 in this Forum. My sign-in name is jtflanaga.

Would be very glad of any advice you're willing to give.

John Flanagan

 

Fmertz - John Flanagon's problem is almost certainly the same one. When it happened to me I was at 80+ mph on the motorway. There was a bump (as if the car behind had bumped my rear bumper, followed by a dramatic drop in speed with ASC not avail, Trac not avail, gearbox fault. That was followed by Limp Mode.

Get a Jag dealer to check the outputs of the TPS.

 

To jimforrest,

My problem may not be quite the same as yours.

Bumps I've gotten are at lower speeds and seem to be associated with shifts from 2nd to 3rd gear. Haven't had any problems once I get into top gear, as you apparently were.

Please remind me - how did your problem come out?

 

Read the OBDII codes.