engine management light

[vickerp]

Well PMV 002 is now RF02GNK, we are now back in UK, yesterday switched on and christmas tree of warning lights, gearbox failure, ABS problem, limp home mode, switched engine off ,then back on and engine management light still on, car drives normally, any ideas, or name of good , cheap mechanic in North East who can hook it up and check on computer

[J44EAG]

Try disconnecting the +Ve battery lead for half an hour then reconnect. Before doing so, have your radio code to hand as the code will need to be entered via the console menu button after you re-conect. Get it right first time. You can only re-enter three times!

You may have had a minor electronic glitch caused by low battery voltage due to plummeting autumn temperatures and perhaps old age. You need a battery in prime condition during the winter to keep these cars functioning correctly. Replace the battery after a drop test if it is in anyway suspect.

Disconnection of the battery will hard dump the ecu memory and clear fault codes. If the MIL light comes back on again you may need to investigate further.

If you have an Android phone you can download a diagnostic app for use with a blue tooth unit to plug into the OBD port. Then you can diagnose yourself. Otherwise consider buying a iCarsoft930i diagnostic tool for about £90 from UK Diagnostics. Very useful.

Our old friend Neville Anderson at North East Jaguar Spares may be able to help you with professional services. Say the JEC recommended him. Hope you speak fluent Jordie!

Mike

[Montana5]

Just as Mike has said above, plus you could recharge your Battery overnight to see if that makes any difference, or if you know how old it is perhaps its time for a new one.

Doug.

[vickerp]

started GNK this morning, engine management light went off on its own, guess the electrical fairies are at work

[oldtimer]

Hi,
Also possibly water down the back of the engine - have you had plenty of rain just prior to this event? This subject has been explored previously, rain poor's down the screen, around the left hand wiper spindle and finds it's way into the electrics. Then the engine heat dries it out.

Mike will tell you all about the fix

[J44EAG]

Indeed, Phil.

Years ago the guy who used to look after my S-type, installed a rather curious and Heath Robinson engine bay water proofing mod. Namely a sheet of B&Q tarpaulin fitted along the lateral brace bar where the windscreen plastic scuttle panel is fixed with those round plastic clips and push in pins. Quite how effective it is is debatable. But I`ve left it in place never the less. The idea is that any rain water running down the scuttle panel will run down the back of the tarp rather than onto the V of the engine and avoid the electrics getting wet.....Mnnnn.

Electrics on these cars can be very fickle. the biggest boggy is battery condition which greatly affects the cars ability to complete start up diagnostics. A low battery tends to show itself as a DSC light illuminating on the dash. Running the car especially in cold conditions lifts battery voltage after a couple of minutes due to charge from the alternator. Switching off and then restarting then often improves the battery voltage situation and the diagnostic facility successfully completes and the DSC and or the MIL lamp are extinguished.

These cars are voltage greedy and even the security system takes its toll on a battery and can cause all sorts of electrical gremlins. Phil uses a C-tek trickle charger plugged onto his battery when the car is not in use. This is a great idea as it keeps the battery in peak condition and will also greatly extend battery life. It also helps keep the gremlins at bay.

It is worth occasionally pulling all the wiring plugs and sockets apart from time to time and cleaning pins up if corrosion is present and lightly smearing with electrolytic grease. As a car ages corrosion can take a significant hold so a bit of maintenance is seldom a waste of time.

Mike