here we go engine failsafe mode my car just turns over and wont start, i have put a new battery on the car still no good and i took a plg out to find no spark jaguar said the couldnt help me because the car is not running i dont no where to go please can someone help

 

Can you fill in a few more details starting with Model Year.

Has this just happened, has it been parked up for a long time, did you buy it like this................

Graham

 

Yes, more details please!!
Did it go into failsafe then wouldn't start. Any codes?

 

Do you have another key? Try starting it with the other key if you have one. Even the green valet key. The chip in your key might be bad, which would allow it to crank but the security module won't allow it to start.

 

hi the car is a 1997, it happend a year ago i drove a 100 miles parked up went in to a cafe to come out to find the car wouldnt start, it showed engine failsafe mode 15 minutes later off we went and so did the failsafe mode it cleared, so we got to where we was staying got up in the morning to find it would not start engine failsafe mode, i called the rac he spent an hour makeing phone calls and playing on the computer but found nothing he said you will have togo to your main dealer and off he went, well i got back in me car and it started well that ment home to me and when got there turned off went to start it and back to square one, it finally did start a few days later and i put it in a garage to get it looked at and a year later i picked it up still the same they couldnt fix the problem, jaguar said they need the car running to beable to tell me the problem how daft is that i did have the key tested but there wasnt a problem with that, i do get the gearbox fault show up on the car is that a possibility

 

sorry i dont have any codes

 

The obvious question is what was the car doing in the garage for a year?
The Jaguar dealer you contacted doesn't sound very helpful.
Where were they?
And try another one.
Failing that, have you tried to find a mobile jaguar specialist that can come to the car? If not, i would.
Someone on this forum may be able to recommend one who can get to you fairly soon, though it may be a couple of weeks since they tend to be busy.
When the car was working, did you notice anything wrong with the gearbox, ie: delays in engaging gear.
Any oil leaks under the car to suggest the gearbox might be losing oil?

Edit: try disconnecting the battery negative terminal, leave it off at least 10 minutes, then reconnect it.
Sometimes it cures things by resetting the electronics, it's called a hard reset.

 

This sounds like an electrical fault with the connections on the transmission harness. Engine failsafe is triggered if the ECM cannot confirm the transmission is in a safe configuration for starting. Check to see, with the ignition on, if the gear indicator light is illuminated corresponding to each selected position. If it does not illuminate in Park, but does in neutral,try starting in Neutral.
I had the same problem intermitantly untill, like you it failed to start at all.
Engine Failsafe displayed and eventually Gearbox fault.

 

hi yes i have tryed that jaguar also said disconect the earth on the battery and put it to the live so it drains the modules which i did but still no good i left it in the garage because chap said he new someone who would beable to fix it but never arrived, the gearbox wright if you go in to reverse and then into drive the gearbox fult comes on and you lose power if i restart the car and put it into drive no problem,

 

Sounds like it's almost definitely an electrical gearbox fault then, so i'd go with X100's suggestion above.
Failing that, perhaps the gearbox solenoid, or a faulty position switch connector, both of which are underneath the gear shift lever.
X100, what was the cure for the fault you had?
Do you mean the gearbox internal harness?

 

is this a costly job do you think

 

The transmission rotary switch connection to the main harness is located on top of the bell housing. These connector blocks have been known to become water logged causing corrosion on the pins. I traced the wiring from the transmission to the rear of the engine/firewall area, and cleaned the contacts, which fixed the frequent non start problem.

 

thank you for all your help i try this and keep my fingers crossed once again thank you i keep you posted regards gary

 

Gary,

As it was left with the garage for a year we can relax a bit knowing you're not stuck on the hard shoulder of the M1 tonight desparate to get home.

Reading through the posts I'm still not sure whether your main concern is it won't start at all or it's difficult to start and then throws the gearbox fault as soon as you try to move.

Graham

 

All I can think of when I read your posts is PUNCTUATION! Any kind would be helpful: "." "," "?" or "!".

Best of luck with your car.

 

Rofl

And thanks from me too X100

 

You're welcome Roadhog. I seldom offer solutions unless i'm confident what I offer is accurate. In this case I'm 99% optimistic that this is the fault on Gary's XK8!

 

Personally i dread the kind of problem that jaguargary seems to be having, ie: electrical, long standing, and debilitating for the car.
I chirped up to try to give him some options, and at the same time get more info so that hopefully someone could nail it down.
But also, since my gearbox is leaking, if it's not the oil cooler pipes/O rings it could be the output shaft seal or something, and if i have to drop my gearbox then everything you've said will be worth checking on my own car.

 

Transmission leaks don't seem to be a regualr issue, although I did have a leak after a fluid and filter change. The pan bolts had not all been done up properly, once they were re-torqued all was well.

 

I think my car has been driven in to the ground through lack of proper maintenance for years, so it's got things wrong with it that should have been fixed a long time ago. The gearbox leak might just be the O rings, but i can't tell at the moment due to other leaks.
It's looking like, while doing the thermostat housing and soft heater hoses, i should also clean the throttle body and MAFS sensor, then do the cam cover gaskets, which will in turn lead to the secondary tensioners.
So i was reading up on the latter this morning while i accumulate the necessary parts, the money to pay for them, and the knowledge to fix them.
Then i should be able to isolate the gearbox leak.

But i had no idea of this:

So i learn something new everyday.

I also gather that changing my gearbox oil and filter may give me gearbox problems if the old internal seals can't cope with the new thinner oil, so i'll keep as much of the old oil as i can, just in case.