I have had a problem off and on for about 6 months now, the car is a 1998 4.0l. On starting the car, the message "stability control failure" appears and the abs light comes on, I originaly had this problem after a period of not using the car, but it seemed to go away after more use, and was then ok for a couple of months, it has now come back and will not go away, I did have a slightly poor battery which has now been changed. should I be suspecting abs wheel sensors? and if so is it more likely front or back? I do have a error code reading device, but no codes appear on that. Any advice gratefully received.
Many thanks in advance. Dave.
stability control abs failure warnings
Messages
Dave its the old "getting on a bit " syndrome..........12 years on and things get worn,or deteriorate through age (dont we all suffer this) but with this electrical explosion within vehicles up to 1998 then out comes the 308 with even more gagetry...........that seems old hat now with the advancement of the new model Jaguars.........the only way still is to have your vehicle checked out with the latest diagnostic equipment at a Jaguar specialist / dealer who know what to look for..........garaging a car as opposed to having it stood out all its life adds to the equation too, damp and weather issues over the 12 or so years certainly doesn't help either.
It finally comes down to cost in the end and all this makes you decide whether to keep the car or spend some cash and have it checked out.
We all become attached to our cars and giving them up is a hard decision,but as we get older ourselves can we justify a new replacement.
So do we go and have the system fully checked at a specialist or do we bodge on hoping for a miracle.........its down to the personal choice for us all.......your problem is one that could be several issues but the one thing that would go a long way to pointing out the exact problem would be the diagnostic route.......i do hope you solve the issue,and keep the 308 i still think its a cracking vehicle..........Joe
It finally comes down to cost in the end and all this makes you decide whether to keep the car or spend some cash and have it checked out.
We all become attached to our cars and giving them up is a hard decision,but as we get older ourselves can we justify a new replacement.
So do we go and have the system fully checked at a specialist or do we bodge on hoping for a miracle.........its down to the personal choice for us all.......your problem is one that could be several issues but the one thing that would go a long way to pointing out the exact problem would be the diagnostic route.......i do hope you solve the issue,and keep the 308 i still think its a cracking vehicle..........Joe
This problem is a common one and is usually the result of a weak battery.
I had exactly the same symptoms as yours.
A scan will reveal the problem which can only be the usual weak battery or a faulty ABS module.
If the latter there will be a B*** fault code.....if it is not present it is the battery..........which is usually the case.
In your case the battery is probably low on charge so try taking it off the car and giving it a good charge on the bench.The recent cold weather has not been kind to batteries.
Do not forget to discon/recon the battery as per the handbook instructions to protect the car electronics.
I had exactly the same symptoms as yours.
A scan will reveal the problem which can only be the usual weak battery or a faulty ABS module.
If the latter there will be a B*** fault code.....if it is not present it is the battery..........which is usually the case.
In your case the battery is probably low on charge so try taking it off the car and giving it a good charge on the bench.The recent cold weather has not been kind to batteries.
Do not forget to discon/recon the battery as per the handbook instructions to protect the car electronics.
Help!!!! my diagnostic port is not working
I took my 4.0 l to an independant dealer in Bristol yesterday, and on collection today they tell me my OBD (diagnostic port) is not working and neither of their fault code readers will work on it at all...... This is the follow up to the Stability control/abs warning I had. They said it was probably a wheel sensor, and duly found the n/s front speed sensor to be faulty, they fitted one, but of course they cannot reset the fault, and the fault display is still present, does any one know of a way to reset the diagnostic computer, and anyone have any idea why the diag port is not active, One thing I will say is that my car has LPG, and the garage is suggesting that they may have cut the power cable to it for one of their feeds, further, I will say that the car was fine after the lpg conversion, although, the diag port may not have been working then, or even before then. any help gratefully received, or any suggestions anyone. The car has a longish test at the moment, but of course will not pass the next one. 
Dave.
Dave.
Dave,
It may not be the same reason but my OBDII plug also can't be read at the moment. There is a slight design flaw in that the wiring loom is routed such that the wires to the OBDII plug can get chafed back to bare wire. Two of my wires seem to have a problem. I've been waiting until my bad back improves to crawl under there and sort it. The big problem is that there is very little slack on the loom, so remaking the connections is just about impossible without stripping out much of the trim. I've tried getting to it by taking out the radio unit but you still can't do it, so I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and move the whole centre console.
As regards resetting the fault codes, you should be able to do that just be disconnecting the battery for 15 mins (remember to have your radio code). This should clear down all the fault codes. When you reconnect the battery (assuming it's a good battery) the error message will only appear if it's still picking up a failure signal from one of the systems. (I'm surprised your dealer wouldn't know to clear codes by disconnecting the battery?)
On my car, the same symptom was caused by dodgy wiring coming from a rear wheel ABS sensor. It's the easiest thing to check first. Unplug and clean the wiring connection on each ABS sensor. Also check the integrity of that short wiring from each sensor back to the loom. (If your speedo also falls to zero when the error is on, then check the rear wiring first.)
I hope that's of some help. Good luck with sorting it.
Paul
It may not be the same reason but my OBDII plug also can't be read at the moment. There is a slight design flaw in that the wiring loom is routed such that the wires to the OBDII plug can get chafed back to bare wire. Two of my wires seem to have a problem. I've been waiting until my bad back improves to crawl under there and sort it. The big problem is that there is very little slack on the loom, so remaking the connections is just about impossible without stripping out much of the trim. I've tried getting to it by taking out the radio unit but you still can't do it, so I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and move the whole centre console.
As regards resetting the fault codes, you should be able to do that just be disconnecting the battery for 15 mins (remember to have your radio code). This should clear down all the fault codes. When you reconnect the battery (assuming it's a good battery) the error message will only appear if it's still picking up a failure signal from one of the systems. (I'm surprised your dealer wouldn't know to clear codes by disconnecting the battery?)
On my car, the same symptom was caused by dodgy wiring coming from a rear wheel ABS sensor. It's the easiest thing to check first. Unplug and clean the wiring connection on each ABS sensor. Also check the integrity of that short wiring from each sensor back to the loom. (If your speedo also falls to zero when the error is on, then check the rear wiring first.)
I hope that's of some help. Good luck with sorting it.
Paul
1995 XJS 4.0 Convertible
1980 XJ-S Pre-HE
Jaguar 4.2 Supercharged engine (but not with a Jaguar body..)
1980 XJ-S Pre-HE
Jaguar 4.2 Supercharged engine (but not with a Jaguar body..)
I agree with Paul,
When I`ve had fault codes shown on my S-type, I simply disconnected the battery for 20 minutes, reconnected, reset the radio and the clock and all has been well.
Indeed when David Marks interogated the car at the Diagnostics seminar, no outstanding codes were found. This after I had a run of throttle body breakdown codes before replacing the throttle body. You will be able to read all about that problem in this months forthcoming Club magazine. I think people will find it an enlightening article.
As Paul says, providing the original fault has been cleared, the central processor unit will not find fault with the car and the dash warnings become a thing of the past.
Poor battery terminal voltage can cause many and varied fault codes to suddenly appear - some of them appearing to be unconnected with each other. Therefore always check the basics first. That might save a lot of unnecessary work.
Be aware that several varied components may be wired in series or be spured off a power of control circuit. When a circuit fails, perhaps due to a poor connection, then several components knock out together and the processor throws up several fault codes when interogated. It is then down to pure electrical circuit detective work with wiring diagrams and a multimeter to find out where the fault stems from. An interogation unit often only points in the general direction of the fault found in a circuit, and not as is commonly thought straight to the faulty component. There are however exceptions to this statement where there may be just one component in the circuit and that may well end up as an easy fix.
One of the basic code readers used at the Diagnostic Seminar, although OBD11, refused to interogate cars lined up for interogation. Quite why this was, is a mystery. Perhaps the software was deficient. Diagnostics are not an easy subject or is the correct selection of equipment available on the open market to us. The more expensive gear running on a dedicated lap top appears to be the way to go. I think all of us who attended the Seminar would be in agreement on this view.
Mike
When I`ve had fault codes shown on my S-type, I simply disconnected the battery for 20 minutes, reconnected, reset the radio and the clock and all has been well.
Indeed when David Marks interogated the car at the Diagnostics seminar, no outstanding codes were found. This after I had a run of throttle body breakdown codes before replacing the throttle body. You will be able to read all about that problem in this months forthcoming Club magazine. I think people will find it an enlightening article.
As Paul says, providing the original fault has been cleared, the central processor unit will not find fault with the car and the dash warnings become a thing of the past.
Poor battery terminal voltage can cause many and varied fault codes to suddenly appear - some of them appearing to be unconnected with each other. Therefore always check the basics first. That might save a lot of unnecessary work.
Be aware that several varied components may be wired in series or be spured off a power of control circuit. When a circuit fails, perhaps due to a poor connection, then several components knock out together and the processor throws up several fault codes when interogated. It is then down to pure electrical circuit detective work with wiring diagrams and a multimeter to find out where the fault stems from. An interogation unit often only points in the general direction of the fault found in a circuit, and not as is commonly thought straight to the faulty component. There are however exceptions to this statement where there may be just one component in the circuit and that may well end up as an easy fix.
One of the basic code readers used at the Diagnostic Seminar, although OBD11, refused to interogate cars lined up for interogation. Quite why this was, is a mystery. Perhaps the software was deficient. Diagnostics are not an easy subject or is the correct selection of equipment available on the open market to us. The more expensive gear running on a dedicated lap top appears to be the way to go. I think all of us who attended the Seminar would be in agreement on this view.
Mike
aging marque
It just seems as the 308s get older the faults get more complicated.....
for those of us who dont have an inckling of anything IT / PC its a good reccomended specialist with the right equipment that is whats needed.
Its not a reccomended thing to do ....messing about with these electrical parts of our cars without any knowledge of how they work or what their function is..........be careful if you dont know, or only think you know about this side of the 308..........
for those of us who dont have an inckling of anything IT / PC its a good reccomended specialist with the right equipment that is whats needed.
Its not a reccomended thing to do ....messing about with these electrical parts of our cars without any knowledge of how they work or what their function is..........be careful if you dont know, or only think you know about this side of the 308..........
One or two further pointers may be useful.
Basic electrical principles still apply to our Jaguars but a few additional skills are required when it comes to ensuring the cars complex and somewhat delicate electronics are protected.
Point 1. Firstly good battery terminal voltage is essential to good operation of systems and services. Electronicaly controlled cars are voltage hungry and require sufficient voltage to "fire" the various control units in the car. Poor voltage means erratic operation and even a no go situation if a battery is tired. That is the starting bench mark for all things after that. A duff battery accounts for many glitches and gremlins. In short, struggle with a poor battery and become frustrated. Or, fit a decent battery and watch the problems reduce or improve.
Point 2. Maintain the battery by keeping electrolite levels correctly and accept that a battery is a consumable unit with a life expectancy which does not go on indefinately. Accept also that it will begin to become unreliable after approximately 4 - 5 years, afterwhich reliability will begin to fall off and replacement is a necessary requirement. It is pointles to stuggle with an old battery as there is little that can be done to restore it to its former glory however much you try to recharge it. If in doubt, give up!!
Point 3. If the battery has been left for a period of time and requires recharging, use a switch mode battery charger, NOT an old style level voltage recharge unit that so many of us will have had for years on our garage shelves. My advice is to bin them!!
It is important to understand that a battery requires to be sensitively charged along the principle that as a battery is recharged, the charger MUST be able to reduce its output charge to avoid overcharging the battery. Old style chargers just belt the charge in, wrecking battery plates and doing more harm than good. The battery boils up and its life cycle is further reduced. Modern chargers are light years ahead of the old tin cased jobs and do a much better job of charging and conditioning a battery.
The golden rule is to follow the disconnect/reconnect instructions in the Jaguar handbook.
A good degree of logic, application and clear mindedness is required to fault find, analyse and correct faults when they occur together with an ability to read and interpret circuit diagrams.
Mike
Basic electrical principles still apply to our Jaguars but a few additional skills are required when it comes to ensuring the cars complex and somewhat delicate electronics are protected.
Point 1. Firstly good battery terminal voltage is essential to good operation of systems and services. Electronicaly controlled cars are voltage hungry and require sufficient voltage to "fire" the various control units in the car. Poor voltage means erratic operation and even a no go situation if a battery is tired. That is the starting bench mark for all things after that. A duff battery accounts for many glitches and gremlins. In short, struggle with a poor battery and become frustrated. Or, fit a decent battery and watch the problems reduce or improve.
Point 2. Maintain the battery by keeping electrolite levels correctly and accept that a battery is a consumable unit with a life expectancy which does not go on indefinately. Accept also that it will begin to become unreliable after approximately 4 - 5 years, afterwhich reliability will begin to fall off and replacement is a necessary requirement. It is pointles to stuggle with an old battery as there is little that can be done to restore it to its former glory however much you try to recharge it. If in doubt, give up!!
Point 3. If the battery has been left for a period of time and requires recharging, use a switch mode battery charger, NOT an old style level voltage recharge unit that so many of us will have had for years on our garage shelves. My advice is to bin them!!
It is important to understand that a battery requires to be sensitively charged along the principle that as a battery is recharged, the charger MUST be able to reduce its output charge to avoid overcharging the battery. Old style chargers just belt the charge in, wrecking battery plates and doing more harm than good. The battery boils up and its life cycle is further reduced. Modern chargers are light years ahead of the old tin cased jobs and do a much better job of charging and conditioning a battery.
The golden rule is to follow the disconnect/reconnect instructions in the Jaguar handbook.
A good degree of logic, application and clear mindedness is required to fault find, analyse and correct faults when they occur together with an ability to read and interpret circuit diagrams.
Mike
battery chargers
I advocate that the CTEK XS800 12v battery charger and conditioner is a regular piece of equipment to use at all times without taking the battery off .......when the battery is charged it turns itself off then when it needs topping up it does that too as well as conditioning the battery..........so it doesnt matter how long you leave the charger in line you always have your battery topped up.....at £50 its a good piece of kit........Joe
I could not agree more Joe.
The charger you site is indeed of switch mode manufacture.
I use a large 30amp, three channel unit of this type from which I recharge 3 x 110ah domestic supply batteries and two x165ah batteries for cranking long stoke none decompressable diesel engines on my boat.
As the boat spends most of its time in port, it is connected permanently to a shore side 240volt supply. The charger has been in almost constant use for fourteen years and I`ve only changed the domestic batteries once at year eight when it was evident they were not of their best. Quite incredibly, the crankers are still going strong at fourteen years old. Must be something of a record.
However, I recommend monthly electrolite level checks every month to ensure that batteries are kept at their best. Regular topping up is rarely required but if that is the case, then I have found that the battery is on its way to failure. Thats how it goes.
Mike
The charger you site is indeed of switch mode manufacture.
I use a large 30amp, three channel unit of this type from which I recharge 3 x 110ah domestic supply batteries and two x165ah batteries for cranking long stoke none decompressable diesel engines on my boat.
As the boat spends most of its time in port, it is connected permanently to a shore side 240volt supply. The charger has been in almost constant use for fourteen years and I`ve only changed the domestic batteries once at year eight when it was evident they were not of their best. Quite incredibly, the crankers are still going strong at fourteen years old. Must be something of a record.
However, I recommend monthly electrolite level checks every month to ensure that batteries are kept at their best. Regular topping up is rarely required but if that is the case, then I have found that the battery is on its way to failure. Thats how it goes.
Mike
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