I also had to replace my start button as it was defective. The error was also stored in my error memory.

 

If the ignition comes on but it doesn’t start, I’d check the brake pedal sensor. Though it may flash the message ‘press brake pedal to start engine.’

 

Going to see if I can get it to start normally after sitting on a CTEK all night, I'll test after the Grand Prix this morning and provide updates. @DJS I'm seeing the message to press brake pedal and when I press it the screen in the center dash acknowledges me pressing it. I am thinking culprit is either the brake pedal sensor or engine start button.

 

How old is your battery? Is it an AGM? (absorbent glass mat).. typically they are done after 5-6 years... there may be an outlier that lasts longer, but 5 years is the norm.

 

Interesting, wish I had remote start on my 2015. Your situation might point to a brake switch as that would be bypassed by the remote start. Mine does the same, shows the press brake message which goes away after I actually press the brake so I de-prioritized checking the brake switch after that, but maybe there is still something to it? My current status:

- car has been in hibernation. Too cold to work on it, salt and snow, don't have enough space to work on the car inside. But weather nice this weekend so *finally* pushed it out and got it up on stands.

- ground from starter body to chassis and main power supply cable from battery both look good/clean

- voltage measured from battery supply at solenoid post to ground (via ground wire) shows 12.6v

- here is the kicker, had my daughter try to start the car while I monitor voltage from solenoid out post to motor and same ground, I see maybe a volt or two for a short duration, and I *think* I hear the motor whirring (but bendix not engaging), so estimate it is the solenoid

- pulled the starter, tested it (battery hooked directly to solenoid in and neg to starter body, bridge a screwdriver to solenoid trigger), motor turns and bendix engages. Wtf.

Next step is to check the flywheel, maybe turn it a bit to make sure it's not some weird alignment issue, bolt the starter back in, make sure the trigger wire harness is nice and snug, connect up the power and ground, and see if it fires or does the same thing.

If same thing, then it must be upstream from the trigger harness. The mystery continues - but it doesn't seem to be the starter. Maybe when I bolt it back in it will just work? not holding my breath!

Lmk what happens after you trickle charge it.

 

Sorry for the delay, life happens sometimes. After letting it sit on the trickle charger. Unlocked the car, (battery in fob ruled out IMO) pressed brake pedal and hit the start button and fired up first try. Let it sit and idle for a few minutes. Shut the car down. Waited 5 minutes or so and repeated the same process with the same results. Something something British electronics. I plan on driving the car later this week and letting it sit off the charge for a full work day then driving home so we will see if this was some INSANE bug or if the problem still lingers. I plan on calling my local dealer and getting their opinion on the issue too. Gotta use that CPO warranty while I can for the next 4 months

 

I doubt many of the electronics are actually made in Britain - more likely some other European country (Germany?).

 

In another life I was the network ADM for a small enterprise. What I commonly found while troubleshooting PCs was that unplugging and plugging things back in on the motherboard often made the problem go away. Even in the house, if the electronic ignition water heater was flashing an error code, just pulling the plug, counting to 30 and plugging back in cured its ails. Pulling and refitting the memory boards in PCs was another. It's totally possible that removing and reattaching all the parts that you did made a better connection than what was there. Hope the gremlins stay away!

 

Sounds like you're getting to the bottom of it. You may want to add one more step before bolting the starter back in. Connect the wiring but leave the starter off the housing. Ground the starter body and repeat the daughter start test while observing the business end of the starter. This will remove the rest of the car from the equation. I'm still thinking bendix. Usually if it's a flywheel alignment problem the starter will make the devil's own noise as the bendix gear grinds against the flywheel trying to engage. Maybe not extending far enough?? Good Luck!

 

Just be careful if you try this....HOLD the starter securely when applying voltage, because it will try to roll away from you!

 

Planning to do exactly what you suggested! Hook up the spare battery the starter, plug in the harness to the back and watch what happens when my daughter hops in and starts the car. If that works, I'll repeat while wiring up the chassis ground and main power supply cable running under the chassis. If that works, bolt it back up. If the trigger fails, I'll know to start working in that direction. I like working on cars, and I like puzzles - but been tough finding a weekend that's warm enough, without rain, without family duties, etc. Not happy it has been sitting so long either- hopefully the weather will be more agreeable tomorrow!

 

Hah! Yes it tried to make a run for the border but I was prepared

Also regarding the bendix not meshing with the flywheel and making noise, that makes sense. There was another forum post I dug up from a while ago where the guy had exactly the same problem. Unbolted the starter, tested, all worked fine, so he moved the flywheel slightly with a screwdriver, bolted it back up and it started. But thinking about your comments, if that were the actual cause it would definitely make all sorts of racket. My theory for him is solenoid was stuck a bit and was shaken loose, or maybe the harness on the back of the solenoid was loose. Not sure but hoping I have the same luck as that guy when I volt everything up again - so far I haven't been feeling the luck though!

 

My dad had a 70 Thunderbird that would do that. If the engine stopped in a certain place, the bendix wouldn't engage, but it would make quite a racket (similar to an air impact wrench with a little more metal to metal tone). He would make me get out and turn the engine by hand by pulling on the fan belt. 10 to 20 degrees and it would engage. It was a 429 so not fun to turn by hand. We solved it by slightly enlarging the mounting bolt holes and moving the starter a little farther away from the flywheel. Sounded like a Plymouth with the starter engaged, but always worked after that. That doesn't sound like your problem as the sound of the bendix banging into the flywheel is something that you didn't describe and is hard to miss. If everything works with the starter connected electrically but not installed, I would make sure to bias the starter away from the flywheel within the slop of the mounting holes just to eliminate that as a possibility.

 

The flywheel interference problem is often accompanied by a "klunk" when the bendix hits the flywheel.
A bit of grit in the wrong place may allow the starter & Bendix to spin but "seize" the extension toward the flywheel.
A similar problem on a non-Jaguar application was resolved with WD-40 followed by a lightweight lubricant once the part moved freely.
Alternatively, you may replace the Bendix or the entire starter.

Please post your solution.

Bill

 

Hey Bill, will do as soon as I have one :/

Latest news, I pulled the starter off, tested it, worked fine. Then while pushing my car back into the garage I shut the rear hatch, with the battery diaconnected. Tried a bunch of stuff, including jumping from the front terminals, to no avail. Had a hunch me having the starter out of the car disconnected the front jumper terminal, but at that point I had "had it". Just no time and weather not cooperating - so had it brought to a local shop to look at it. They specialize in Jaguars but I guess not these so much - they are stumped after running some diagnostics, resetting the computers, etc. Last ditch effort - there was a fault from the battery management sensor in the trunk that tracks battery temperature - diagnostics said it was reading -40C. The thinking is that fault is causing the no-start - I feel that we are reaching though, a battery warning light maybe, but I'm doubting it would stop the car from starting. The message from my mechanic - if this doesn't work he's done with it and I'll need to have it moved to my local Jaguar dealer. Oh goody. Must say I've never had a car give me fits like this after driving it ohh.... maybe 200 miles?

 

Here's a theory that fits: there may be some shorted turns in the Bendix solenoid. It would still work but would be very weak, barely able to push the spur gear into the flywheel. This might explain it working only sometimes. A properly working solenoid will make a very audible "clack" when driving the gear out. Not much to do about it other than just replace it. I don't have an F-Type so don't know if the solenoid is separate or part of your starter. Either way, try replacing it.

 

I agree with KB58. I had an 81 Corvette that had a similar starter issue.. sometimes worked, sometimes not. If I reached in and whacked it with a lightweight hammer it would go. Replacing the starter (with solenoid) ended the problem. Did you say you replaced the starter? It may just be after 7 years (yours is a 2015?) that it's done.

Please keep posting your updates... this could happen to any one of us.

 

you don’t give up…hopefully they’ll figure out the problem and you can enjoy the car.

 

Will absolutely keep you all informed on how it goes, so many times documented experiences on forums have saved me. Also appreciate the moral support I've never owned a car that I couldn't fix, or at least diagnose. BTW pretty sure the current mechanic said he ordered and bolted up a new starter with same results. Hopefully will have news on the sensor replacement early next week - after that if it's still dead it is off to the dealer! Pray for me

 

It could happen to any one of us. The other thing I learned from car ownership is "new" doesn't necessarily the part works. DOA has happened too many times. It took me 3 alternators on my E before I got one that worked. You have more than sufficient knowledge so nobody can BS you. Hang in there!