To make a long story short, I need to find a Jaguar Transmission specialist to possibly replace a transmission control module at a reasonable price. The local dealer in the Denver area is a little pricey for me... I could replace the mechatronic and valve body myself if I know where to get the parts, but I want to check the specialists first... Any reasonable transmission repairmen out there? The Transmission is a ZF 6HP26 in a 2003 Jaguar S-Type 4.2L Base model...

 

Hi Phil,

What are the symptoms leading you to conclude you may need to replace the Mechatronic (the combined valve body and Transmission Control Module)?

According to the Jaguar Electronic Parts Catalog (EPC), which you can download and install for free from this forum, for the normally-aspirated 4.2L, the "Control Valve Assembly," "Transmission Control Module & Valve Assembly," or "Mechatronic" part numbers are:

Up to VIN M45254: XR851826
M45255 to M96312: C2C6718
M96313 to N22939: C2C24598
N22940 to N52047: C2C27751

Potential sources would include jaguarmerriamparts.com and gaudinjaguarparts.com, Jaguar dealers who sell OE parts online at discount prices (discounts and shipping costs vary).

Other possible sources would include the good independent Jaguar parts specialists like our forum sponsors Coventry West, SNG Barratt and Jagbits, who all offer discounts to forum members.

California Transmission Supply shows Jaguar Mechatronics available, though the prices may be even higher than from the online Jag dealers mentioned above: The CTSC - ZF Parts

Also, I would think that any good transmission shop that services premium European cars could source the correct Mechatronik for you, possibly at a more affordable price.

I have found several ZF 6HP26 repair manuals online and some of them show the procedure for replacing the Mechatronic, and it definitely looks to be within the abilities of most do-it-yourselfers as long as you observe all the cautions, including the avoidance of electro-static discharge (ESD), which can apparently destroy the electronics in the Mechatronic. I would assume you would also need to recalibrate the TCM with SDD after the swap.

Please let us know the symptoms that have prompted you to conclude your Mechatronic must be replaced so we can all learn from your journey.

Cheers,

Don

 

It all started when I drove my 2003 Jaguar S Type 4.2L normally-aspirated car to work about 6 months ago. It was fine until I came out to go to lunch and the car was piled high with wet, melting snow, and then I started getting some major "lurching" and then the car wouldn't crank and the battery died. The towing service replaced the battery and I was able to drive the car home with some "lurches", a gearbox fault, and restricted engine performance. After some research, I determined that water could have intruded into the ECM and the trunk area...and sure enough, water was in the trunk and the trunk seal was to blame. While checking relays and fuses in the trunk, I found major water damage to the back-up sensor control module...which I cleaned up and then replaced the trunk seal.


After running my elm 327 engine code reader I saw CAN communication errors, the gear box fault was back on the front panel after clearing engine codes. The car would still run but the "lurches" would still show up...I had the towing company take the car to a jaguar specialist up north of Denver and he said there was metal in the transmission fluid and that some gear inside the transmission would need to be replaced for about $4,500. I did a search on the internet and found the transmission that had been in a wreck, but supposedly the transmission was still good. I bought the used transmission one with the same mileage as my car and replaced it myself in the garage (see my previous posts about that process).


Anyway, the lurch never went away, I cleaned the MAF sensor, checked the plugs, was still getting the gearbox fault and restricted driving and now the car wouldn't crank, the battery would drain slowly( probably a short in the back-up module or power port in the console). At some point I would leave the charger on for weeks with the negative post disconnected. I would hook it up again and I would get a loud clicking from one of the relays in the front engine compartment and right front headlight would flicker... Anyway still couldn't start, gearbox fault (J-gate maybe?), restricted driving. So, towed to the big expensive Jaguar Dealer here in Denver for diagnostics w/ SDD... CAN network faults were evident...Engine codes P0560, P1000, P1582, P1643 under. the SDD E9 Number 4, it had resistance of 60 ohms between connector FC001, pins 006 (Y) and 014 (G).


I thinking I must have hosed the new used transmission by not properly discharging static electricity...Anyway, the car won't start because there is no communication between TCM inside the tranny and the ECM and the car won't start because it doesn't know which gear it is in from the tranny...the brake release is pretty dicey also...I can fill in more details, but that is the gist of it...