Persistent error messages

[Steveking]

Hi,
I hope someone out there can help as I am in danger of getting rid of my 2000 XK8 Convertible, beautiful though it is! I have had the car for a year and throughout I have had an intermittent fault whereby error messages flash up on the dash. In one case it says "ASC not available" and "TRAC not available" and the abs warning light is on but otherwise the car runs fine. The next one is where a variety of messages flash up and the rev counter and speedo don't work but otherwise the car runs OK, apart from the safety lock kicks in and I have to depress the over-ride switch to get it out of Park. The last one includes the error message "Engine fail safe mode" and although the rev counter and speedo work you have to floor the accelerator through the kick down mode to get the engine to rev, which it does reluctantly but you can get home with it. Often the problems disappear when you stop the car for a while.
Minster Jaguar at York and Doncaster have each had the car on two occasions and can't trace a fault. The last time Minster at Doncaster were sure it was the instrument pack and a new one was fitted (luckily under the warranty) but that clearly hasn't fixed it. Has anyone any suggestions apart from a can of petrol, a box of matches and the phone number of my insurance company??
Cheers
Steve King

[GrandTourer]

Hi Steve, you certainly do have an armful of woes there. The first mentioned fault display: ASC not available + TRAC not available + the ABS light on is quite a common characteristics. This seems to be intermittent and it seems, that if these fault messages are not showing at the time you take the car to the dealer, they don't appear on the diagnostic device. I think the cause is ususally a poor cable connection or damaged cable.
When I have that problem it usually just disappears within a day or so and may not return for over a month. I tend to just ignore it.
I am sorry I cant suggest anything regarding the other fault displays as I have not experienced any of them myself, but I help one of our other members can help.
I would also communicate your problems to our forum technical expert, Davif Marks, Nottingham. He has a vast amount of experience. You can bind contact details on page 3 (Club Information) of the JEC mag.

Hope you get your car sorted soon.

[Sharfrs2]

The ABS fault could just be asimple job of replacing the front ABS leads as they have tendancy to fail due to the constant movement. I replaced mine a couple of months ago after fearing the worst and came to about £65 for the pair.

As for the engine problem, have they checked the coils as failure of one or more of these can bring up the messages you mention.

[Steveking]

Thanks Karl and Sharfrs for your interest, I have e-mailed David Marks and will let you know how I get on.
Cheers
Steve

[alanXK8]

I've just posted a new topic on Failsafe Mode, but I think we have a similar problem.
From the discussions I have had so far it seems that a faulty electric circuit somewhere on the car can lead to Failsafe being started up automatically. But a re-start often seems to clear it.
The problem then is to locate the cause of the fault, which more often that not seems to be an electrical connection.
I can't add anymore at this stage, but hope somebody can!
Alan

[D_Doran]

Looks like I've joined the gang with "ASC Not Available" and "TRAC Not Available" with associated ABS warning light on. (2002 4.0 XK8, 48k on the clock, and still within its independent dealer warranty period..just).

I had taken the car out to get it washed, and while sitting stationary waiting for the car ahead of me to finish, the warning lights appeared. I had the gear selected to 'Park' and the handbrake on. When I took my foot off the brake, the car rolled back an inch or so (almost felt as though the handbrake hadn't been selected on), and it was just after that when I spotted the warnings.

I have no idea where to look for loose cables, so I'll probably have to go up to the main dealers this week for diagnostics.

Any other suggestions or advice on spotting potential cable/connector problems (with VERY obvious directions for a dummy! )

Thanks, Damian

[D_Doran]

Looks like it may be some sort of intermittent problem. Tried the car again after an hour and the fault has cleared.

[alanXK8]

Well it looks like we could form quite a club here! Please see my other topic under "failsafe mode".

My update is that I had my car's electronic memory checked by the local Jaguar dealer. Several things came up including ABS and a number of fault codes. They said that this didn't help much because it could be anything, but to bring the car in again next time it did it. This I did and the code was P1632, but they didn't know what this meant - great eh?

On putting this on the bulletin board Mike told me it is to do with the generator circuit.

I've since taken the car to my local jaguar specialist chap who has experienced this fault before and says that it is usuallu due to a duff connection somewhere. the problem is always finding it!

He gave my car the once over and tightened various terminal connections. So far so good but we'll see.

I really feel that Jaguar themselves ought to do more about this as the fault is clearly not an isolated one.

[XK8UK]

Hi All,

Like a lot I have had all of these problems and it is interesting that one of you was at a car wash! I kept getting them intermittantly until one day I parked outside my home and washed her down on getting in and turning on got the ASC, Trac Control and ABS messages with the ABS light on.
Removed the wheels one at a time to clean the rims and I found wet had got into the plug connectors for the ABS sensors, the rears are actually angled forward and downwards so that any moisture runs into the socket(thanks Jaguar!!). After drying and cleaning them then reassembling them with Copperslip librally coated around the plug amd socket I have had no further repeat of the problem.
With regards to the 'Failsafe Mode' this turned out to be due to the Throttle Body needing cleaning or replacement, there was a recall in the USA where all early TBodies were replaced, we were not so well treated here!! In my case cleaning solved the problem in the short term but I ended up with a new TBody, fortunately under the sellers warranty.

Bas

[D_Doran]

Thanks for that Bas. My being at the carwash was just coincidental as I hadn't got cleaning the car yet, therefore it wasn't caused by getting a drenching.

I do think it must be down to a loose connection as I spotted a very quick flash of the ASC light later this afternoon, which disappeared immediately.

As long as it isn't something to lose too much sleep over (the car still drives and hopefully isn't unsafe to do so).

PS what exactly does ASC do? Some sort of stability control?

[mike020150]

The official Jaguar definition: Automatic Stability Control (ASC) is a form of vehicle control in which the ECM reduces engine torque to control wheel-spin.

Personally, I've never been impressed by its success at doing that task compared with a limited slip differential but it's a cheaper solution and is one which doesn't cause as much understeer as a LSD, thereby improving handling feel. Mike.

[alanXK8]

Having not run my car over the winter my first few trips were a joy with everything working great. Then my pleasure was spoiled by a recurrence of the old fault message on ABS, ASC and Traction control, but the car running well otherwise. As before, the messages sometimes go out straight away after a re-start, and sometimes not.

It seems as thought this is quite a common fault but nobody seems to have got it licked yet.

Does anybody have any updates or new suggestions? Its really bugging me!

Alan, Farnham, Surrey

[xk82002jaguar]

Hi Steve I get the TRAC NOT AVAILABLE message too. I have mentioned it to my local main dealer and they couldn't find anything wrong. I have just had some work done at an independent Jag specialist and he said he has had the problem before, it turned out to be the BCM (Brake Control Modulator). The new ones having gold connectors preventing intermittant conductivity failure. I am hoping to get it sorted under warranty but need to be able to prove it to Jaguar.

[JohnFrewer]

Just a couple of thoughts.
I remember Dave Marks saying at an XK8 seminar that the multi connector on the firewall develops poor contacts due to damp (I think) and can throw up all manner of electrical problems. Not sure if it contains the circuits affecting you though.

I had similar random electrical problems in my X300 from the movement of the steering column causing a break in the wires going to it. Maybe something similar is happening on you XK8. I can't remember if the XK8 has an automatically moving steering wheel but if yours has then have a look at the wires with a very good light and look very closely.

[alanXK8]

Well, I now have a list of about 4 electrical connection points to look at. But I am wondering what the connection is between getting both the ABS light on, and Trac control + ASC, simultaneouly. Could this be a clue to it being a multi connector rather than the ABS sensors on each wheel?

Incidentally I'd be interested to hear from Steve King, Damian Doran and Bas on whether they have actually solved their problems? And Steve, what was Geoff Mark's reply to your question?

Best to all. I'm booked for the German XK8 outing in July so hope to meet a few of you on that.

Alan, Farnham, Surrey