After a long absence, I am back unfortunately with what appears to be another whopper of a problem - AGAIN! I apologize for being a 47% forum Taker.

About a month ago, I was driving and got a "DSC Not Available" light. Didn't think much about it because it went away after restarting the car (put it on the I'll get around to it list). About a week later, went out one very cold morning to start the car - car would not start, no lights on the dash, nothing. Got out the battery charger and let it charge for a couple of hours; starts and drives with no problems for several days. About 2 weeks later, same problem.

Even though the battery was 1.5 years old, I have read enough on this forum to know that when the battery acts up anything can happen. The night before I replaced the battery, the car bearly starts and when it does - all the dash idiot lights come on and all of the usual warnings (DSC, Gear Box Fault, Park Brake, ...) and the lights on the instrument panel are very dim. The car starts jerking wildly like it can't figure out what gear it needs to be in and I get a RESTRICTED PERFORMANCE message. I pull back in the driveway, turn the car off and try to restart - no lights, won't turn over, nothing. So I am convinced it is the battery.

I purchase a new battery and the car starts right up. Lights are gone and no problems. I drive around the block and the car seems fine. Park for a couple of hours and try to start the car - again no dash lights and the car won't turn over. I get it towed to the dealership and upon arrival, the car starts up and drives fine. 5 Minutes later, won't start .. another 5 minutes - car starts and jerks again. They run the detailed diagnostics and tell me that the TCM is intermittently losing communication to the ECM. I had them give me the codes:

Instrument Pack [08 DTC]
U2197, U2200, U2522, B1352, U2510, U2518

U1900, U1246 (Good)

Instrument Pack [02 DTC]
B2882, B2879

I also got some climate control module codes
B1676, B1265, B1264, B1262, B1263
B1242 (Good)
(I believe these may be related to a DCCV and Climate Control Module failure as the car only blows heat no matter the setting (winter here so not a major problem yet) - This is a separate problem that I will address in another thread once the car is MOVING!!!!!!!!!)


The dealer quoted a new TCM for $2,325. Labor and parts will total over $3,600! The car is no longer under warranty and I am pondering if I will invest this into the car. So, here is where I am:

1) Is the dealer correct with their diagnosis of the problem? I have had problems before with dealership diagnosis!!!!!!!!!!!
2) If they are correct, is it possible to have a TCM rebuit? How Much?
3) Get a TCM from a salvage yard? How Much?
4) Other options?

The irony is that I was just bragging to my friends that my jag just made it past the one year mark without any major issues. Guess I need to shut the @#$& up!


Anyone, Anyone - Bueller, Bueller?!!! (Ferris Bueller's Day Off joke)

 

Never reported so far? The TCM is inside the tranny and I have never heard anyone changing one.

Any chance of getting a second opinion?

I don't think I would fix it as the car is not worth it. If the TCM is the problem how about just swapping in a used transmission? You can pick them up for the 6 cylinder without to much problem on Ebay.

I would call this guy and see what he says. Maybe a new mechatronic unit would fix it? They are expensive at about $1500.

The CTSC - ZF Parts
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A quick check, could be as simple as the connector to the transmission (and TCM) could be leaking at the gasket...maybe the connector is wet now? The tech isn't allowed to start pulling apart things like that, only using the computer to diagnose and get approval for service based on that.

 

Hey Bert...

Sorry to see you back here with another whopper of a problem....

I would second the connector as the first place to look. As others have said, the TCM is not known to fail and the ZF unit as a whole is pretty darn tough. It may be worth it to crawl under the monster and see if where the connector goes into the transmission is wet or oily. That would be a logical place to start.

What dealer did you take it to? Was it Jaguar Cleveland? If so, they do have a tendency to diagnose complete component replacement. Not so bad when you have a Select Edition Warranty (hint, hint). Bad when it is your wallet. I never did find an independent shop for Jags. To make things worse..Mike Shoda left as service manager...figures.

Given your electrical issue history, and all the various codes (I didn't look them all up yet), I would guess that there is something electrical going on.

Like the last time, I would be OK with helping you out with some DIY repairs to sort it out. Lets see what other ideas everyone else has regarding your codes and such.

I'm good with doing a transmission service with connector with you. We can also look into getting that DCCV and Climate Control module straightened out.

If it's any consolation, my wife decided she wanted a Mercedes R350. So, now I have that beast to worry about. Just as bad for parts prices.. and almost no DIY support. Weee... FUN....

 

The car had a new transmission installed around 56K miles, it now has about 90K miles (I need to update my signature line). It would be amazing if it needed another transmission!

To me when a module fails, it usually completely fails, not just sometimes. Logically, as suggested, a connector to the TCM could produce the random results I have experinced. It also makes sense to me that the tech would automatically say "need a new one".

Does the wiring harness that connects the ECM to the TCM run near the bottom of the car in a splash zone? Here is why I am asking - about 2 months ago after an oil change, I did not put the undercarriage back on for a couple of weeks because I was ordering another one (it was cracked). During that time, it was raining heavily. I can't remember, but I might have gotten a "DSC" light during that time. Is it possible that the harness and connector got exposed? I know it was said that the TCM connector is inside the tranny, but is there another connection point under the car?

Doesn't it figure that once again I run into a problem that nobody else has had. Why doesn't my luck run this way for lottery tickets?

 

The car failed in Youngstown - AGAIN (when will I learn not to go there?!). It is at Jaguar of Warren.

Jeff - I appreciate the offer and may take you up on it when everyone chimes in.

As usual guys, I am very appreciative.

 

Def. not a trans. problem but rather a charging or wiring problem fault staring you in the face. The dealer read a TCM-ECU communication loss due to severe drop in voltage and amps. They saw the problem but won't report it to you unless you drop $3600 with them. Check all connections, fuses, including grounds. These cars (almost) have a fuse for each bulb, etc. Rick, will the trans. internal harness crossover tube leak cause an electrical fault? The OP mentions a trans. swap 90k miles ago.

 

I believe the infamous ZF sleeve leak could very well cause a severe electrical fault such as this one. If the leak is severe enough to soak the electrical connector with ATF, electrical mayhem could easily ensue....

 

Sounds electrical. Battery drain or poor connection / a partial short somewhere. You get Comms faults in situations like these. Doesn't prove it's 100% not the trans but heck it really is unlikely to be the trans (but might be the connector I suppose).

This is not vastly different from known issues caused by the harness behind the front bumper (or up in the wheel arches - sorry wells?). Details in other posts / on the UK forum.

 

Welcome back Bert, sorry its not under better circumstances.

I will admit, I may have jinxed you as well, I brought you up in another thread not so long ago.

Sorry big guy but I am at a loss here. I would check the electrical connection at the transmission for saturation. After that????? IDK

I looked up the codes and it does seem to be pointing to the computers, but we know how that goes around here.

 

-Rick Good to hear from you again too. Looks like I am getting the old gang back together!

It is interesting that comments are pointing toward an ATF leak. A couple of months ago I began getting an "oily" smell inside the car not consistently, just every now and then. When I changed the oil, I looked for oil related leaks (didn't find any), but I never looked around the tranny.

Is it possible that my previously failing battery did something?

 

I took JagV8's advice and looked on the UK site and found a similar complaint. Check out post #7 on this thread: wiring problem

It appears now that there are three major things for me to investigate:

1) ZF transmission sleeve leak around the connector
2) Front wheel well/bumper harness (arch in respect to JagV8)
3) Check fuses and grounds

Sounds like a plan!

One of the symptoms mentioned in the UK post that I forgot to mention was - during the period of time between the initial presumed "battery problem" and installation of the new battery; I would unlock the car with the key fob and as soon as I would open the door the alarm would go off. This happened several times during that period. Very interesting that it was also reported in the UK thread.

Another piece of information to help, The final fix for the previous "massive" problem I had was a replacement of the engine wiring harness that frequently chaffs against the back of the engine. When it was orignally repaired by the Jag technician, he used a sealant around the repaired area (glob of black tar-like substance) that heated up and caused a resistance short. All that to say, It could easily be the front harness since this car has a STRONG history of electrical problems.

Once again, it is interesting that the front harness is a suspect - remember, I have been running the car without the undercarriage on while waiting on the new one to arrive. Could water have splashed up there and corroded something that fast?

I feel good that I have a short list to chase down.

 

Don't worry about the under body pans. Lots of people drive around without them. If the car is so poorly made that splashing water on the underside causes problems. Jaguar should go back to the drawing board!!
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I originally mentioned the transmission internal harness sleeve due to others and my own experience. However, your recent info. regarding FOB and electrical harness, etc. faults seem a more plausable route.

 

BTW unless they have been cleared most of the codes could be as old as the car for all you know.

I'd clear them and see which come back and when. In case it's complex I'd get a JLR Mongoose cable (see General Tech) or AutoEnginuity (costs more).

 

As there are comms faults I would suggest you check carefully the main car battery connections and charge the battery for at least 24hrs.

If problem persists then it's likely to be elsewhere,unless the battery is old/malfunctioning.

 

Here is how I see it as this thread progresses.......

You, Bert, have a wiring issue.... again.
Don't beat yourself up regarding the lower pans.. this issue was brewing a lot longer. It does really sound like you have a harness corrosion issue. The last thing you want is for someone to just start splicing wires in.

So, do you fix it yourself, do you take it to a shop, or do you dump it? That my friend is the big question. I say big because if it was my car, the 300, I would probably dump it...on the other hand, if it was the Benz, I would be putting it up in the garage and start tearing it apart myself. See, the wife has made a long term commitment to that car. She loves it and they are very hard to replace. My 300, despite my love of it, is just another passing car in the chain of daily drivers. On the other hand, even if money wasn't an issue, I would want to make sure that everything was done right, and the only way to ensure that is to do it yourself and take your time.

Tracing and fixing electrical faults can be very pricey due to the sheer hours needed. They can also be tackled as a DIY, but you really need to be able to put the car up in a garage and start the methodical dis-assembly, repair, and reassembly. The other big issue is parts... I don't even know how much a particular harness is nor do I know where to source the connectors and terminals needed to make your own. (that part being the real frustration since I sit in a warehouse full of the stuff all day long).

So, if you do decide to jump into a wiring job, I will most certainly help you out. Given the time required, you may want to get the car to your house. I don't see this as a four hour afternoon fix. Another big question is what harness is the source of your issue. It seems to be affecting the dash, ABS, and ECM plus others.

On another note: If you don't see the area around the cable going into the trans is wet, don't worry about the connector. I'm 99% sure I know where the oil smell is coming from. You need to replace the IMT O-rings. Oil will seep out of the valve on the back of the intake and drip down on the exhaust. That produces the occational burning smell but normally is not enough of a leak to show up as drips on the ground or pan. Again.... ask me how I know....

So: my take is this....

It needs a Harness replace or rebuild, DCCV, IMT O-rings, and just maybe a CCM (the CCM not working correctly could be the harness or just the DCCV, no?).

Keep me in the loop... again, I should be able to lend a hand..

 

Seem to recall people have DIY-fixed the harness, if it is indeed that. Spliced wiring in and heat-shrink over it I expect. Trouble may be finding the area except at least some people have found the corroded wiring by seeing green gunge (technical term that) coming out of hole(s) in the harness sheathing.

If posts still there I think elduderino (sp?) posted on the UK forum.

But not a quick trivial fix, sorry to say.

 

Thanks for reporting back. With this new info I think you are going in the right direction.

Any more history that might help us figure out the problem?
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