Recently purchased a 2003 XKR with 33000 miles on it. Recently replaced fuel pump (thanks to forum assistance!) and runs smoothly. A couple of annoying issues are preventing me from really enjoying the car. I could use some advice.
1) car seems to surge (very slightly) when first started and driving in town at a steady 30 or 40mph. I don't notice any surging once it's "warmed" up (10-15 mins).
2) Seems to stammer or cough at times under high revs when you put your foot into it on an entrance ramp (arguably I'm flooring it to have some fun up to about 80!). If I hadn't just replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter I would say it seemed like a fuel delivery issue.
3) the auto steering wheel retract for exit and the memory button seat/steering wheel position memory are becoming problematic; work sometime, don't work sometime. I'm thinking this may be an ignition switch connection problem? Had a similar issue in my BMW.
4) Slight shimmy in the steering wheel between 70 and 80mph. I plan to get the wheels balanced (tires have less than 1000 miles on them) but asking in case there might be something else to check as well.
5) lastly, a belt squeak when first started and idling. Belts look fine and are less than 5 years old. Stuck idler pully? All accessories working fine.
Random thoughts and first world problems!
Appreciate any insight.
Kip

 

For the belt squeal, squirt some water on it and see if the start-up squeal disappears. If it indeed does, simply replace the belt....

Have you cleaned the throttle body and the mass air flow sensor? If not, probably worth doing....

Having the tires road force balanced often provides a huge improvement in handling....

 

The 2 throttle position sensors can be checked with a meter to ensure smooth voltage change as you slowly rotate the throttle butterfly with the key in the run position but the engine not running

You have 2 TPS sensors in one assembly , one dedicated to the engine ECU and the other to the transmission ECU , both ECUs cross talk and regulate each other which in turn regulates and coordinates the engine and transmission changes to each other

If the ECU is missing the TPS signal at any point in the butterfly sweep the ECU will ignore that sensor and revert to a less then optimal set of data maps and if the signal returns the ECU will go back to the optimal set of data maps . This after a set amount of time to revert

The 1 wire to check is the middle Brown one and starts out at 0.60 volts DC at the idle stop This is different then the 0.50 for the earlier 98 AJ26 engine therefore different TPS part #

The other 1 wire is the middle Green one and starts out at 1.48 volts DC at the idle stop , so you will notice they are very different from each other between the engine and transmission half of the TPS

very very slowly open the butterfly and the voltage will smoothly increase and should never drop to zero in a spot indicating a open spot on the variable resistor ( TPS )

This can be seen on page 49 lower right side of your 2003 wiring guide

http://jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepa.../jagxk2003.pdf

The earlier engine versions are different wire colors as there was a wiring change from the 98 model year AJ26 engine

 

Friend i think you'd be better off launching a separate focused thread about steering wheel telescope/ tilt issues. I've never heard of same issues showing with both the switch and the memory. Its usually 1 or the other.

I too had switch issues when I first got the car. Learned a lot about it through trouble shooting. Couldn't figure out the cause of the switch swinging: works / doesn't work . . . It was mostly doesn't work BTW. Finally I said screw this, bought 2 relays, 4 tiny momentary switches, a piece of ebony. Made my own command center (ok 4 switches in a piece of wood that fits in the blank plastic square in the knee bolster panel :-). One switch for In; Out; Up; Down. Works perfectly (and it bypasses the "mommy" safety lock out while moving ;-)).

A few years later my turn signal stalk went bad. Bought a replacement. Turns out that the steering wheel tilt telescope switch is wired through the turn signal stalk's wire harness. After replacing the stalk - guess what, the tilt telescope switch worked perfectly again :-).

Anyway, like I said its a complicated trouble shooting subject, suggest starting a focused thread.

John

 

The steering column up or out direction has a position sensor that has a small square gear box just for the sensor

The grease in the small gearbox dries up dragging the whole direction mechanism down

this position sensor is used once you pull the key out or press the memory button

The small gearbox unclips from the column assembly and is on the very bottom

The reinstallation of this sensor requires that it be clocked so you can drive the electric motor with a battery charger to get it in the correct position before installing the sensor gearbox

This motor male blade connection is a arcing hazard so a small wire extension to bring the work out to you is advised

There are other post on this matter in the X300 and X308 forums like this one below

Editing

See the 2nd small red arrow on the right in the first pic

 

The 'surging' you are feeling is probably the transmission.
Change the fluid and it will probably help the surging and it definitely
should be done no matter.
My xk8 with 130K did it and I drove in 3 for the first 10 miles after which everything has expanded (due to operating) and the surging would go away. My winter projects include replacing the transmission with a lower mileage one.

wj

 

The steering wheel in/out and up/down was erratic on my 06 XKR and made me crazy trying to figure it out. Eventually it quit altogether which allowed me to find several broken wires from the guage pack. I soldered the broken wire (actually there were about 8 broken wires) back together and it has been working perfectly since.

 

It is a good system, just get OLD like most else. A little WD-40 in the right place???

 

WJ,
The tranny fluid was changed in 2016 by the previous owner and has less than 2000 miles on it since then. So lots of sitting, maybe that affects the fluid. I'll change it and see if the surging improves.

Thanks,
Kip

 

Hard driving and miles effects the fluid more then time sitting

Personally I would not change the fluid and cost involved but ensue that it is serviced fully but not over serviced

Under serviced transmissions cause issues

I don't have the specifics on your model of transmission but someone else does