Update** So I took in to consideration the car battery issue mentioned above. I went to the trunk to check out the batter and although the dealership said they provided me with a new battery the one in the trunk looked highly suspect. It didn't have any decals and the terminals didn't look as if it was there first fitting, so I purchased new one yesterday. My DSC alert still comes on but my airbag issue has not come back.

I also did a little trouble shooting and figured out if I turn off my traction control before driving the "DSC not available" alert does not show up.

I've searched the site and found several videos and step by steps regarding servicing and I can handle everything shown to me. I believe I can do about 80% of my 100k service solo.

I have a few more questions now that I'm digging deeper:

1. how many engine/trans mounts do we have?

2. K & N vs AirRaid drop and play filter? The mechanic told me K&N would mess up the car and recommended an AirRaid .. what do you all think?

Again, thanks for ll your help so far. You've turned my fron upside down!

 

KWM, good job, you're on your way. You'll find working on the STR is not too bad. The flat panel K&N air filter is used most by this forum and hasn't caused any problems. Do not remove the stock air filter box in place of an open element filter.

 

Welcome, and you've gotten lots of very good advice so far. Here's my 2 cents- read the tons of back and forth on this forum regarding air filters. There's no clear winner as no one filter type or brand can be demonstrated to produce a clear advantage.

Use what makes you happiest.

Same advice (before you ask) goes for oil and filters and several other 'hot button' topics.

 

My indie said exactly the same thing, that the oil from the K&N would mess up the MAF. However, on digging deeper, it seems that the problem is not with new K&N filters, only with those that have been cleaned, over-oiled and then re-used.

 

Exactly Robin. It would take 1000 mph winds blowing through the intake of the airbox, drop to the bottom of the airbox, then rise pushing through the filter, dislodge oil, then carry it the MAF sensor. This very unlikely event would become even more difficult with an "Over oiled" filter.

 

Let me add my $0.02 - The K&N Air Filter is proven to improve performance and MPG - the improvements are minimal - but the K&N filter is NOT going to ruin or interfere with MAF operation as long as you follow directions on oiling the filter and do not "rush" the process...

As mentioned above by bfsgross - as long as you do NOT remove the OEM air box assembly and use a "plug and play" air filter you should be good to go...

Good Luck.

 

Thanks for all the help! I've changed the battery no more air bag issues since, but I still get the DSC light. If I deactivate the traction control it will rarely light up.

Also, I've been reviewing the website and I can do 80% of the 100k service myself. I'm not super mechanically inclined, but given a step by step video I can figure it out no problem. Thank you all for the feed back you put in to this forum, you're saving a lot of A$$es and bank accounts.

Quick question, how many mounts to does the STR have? Engine and trans?

Also, when should I wait to serivce the trans? It's working fine now, should I wait for an issue before swapping out the fluid?

Thanks a lot again!

 

Turning TC off is in effect largely disabling a safety system and isn't I suggest what one wants to do for normal usage.

When not battery, the next suspect is probably one of the sensor rings (or the sensors) which get rusty. It's easier to get the (DSC) codes and see what the module's complaining about, though, than start doing untargetted work.

 

if you ask me, the last two pages of posts have shown that your mechanic has an agenda. I'd forget nearly everything he's told you.

My '03 STR has just over 120k on it, and while it has some wear in rubber-parts, it's certainly not on its' last legs.

Why do you think your trans mount is bad? I just replaced my motor-mounts, because I had a failure on one. the trans mount is on my list as a preventative item, but i'm not feeling anything that makes me think it's bad.

 

Ditto to Mcjaguar, periodically some parts and a bit of elbow grease is what these cars need now and then. My 03 STR has 135K miles. The trans and torque converter are being rebuilt this week.

 

This is one area where waiting till it starts misbehaving might be too late. I think the consensus is 80K miles or more means it's time to do it.

 

Yes, I believe it's more than the battery but at this point I don't nec. believe it's something that needs to be replaced. The errors that pop up don't always come up. I've been driving for 2 days without an air bag issue, this morning I get in to drive to work and both my air bag and DSC not available lights were on. Air bag flashes mostly and comes on and off while driving. This evening on the way home not a single warning light came on .. go figure.

Any thoughts? I'm thinking it may be a sensor going bad?

Also, I was told by the mechanic my two rear tires were larger than needed. I can't quote the size but he did say they were larger than they were supposed to be. Could this be causing the DSC issue?

Thanks for any advice!

 

"The mechanic with the alamony issue" told me my motor mounts has gone bad. He said he checked and that the mount was bad and the radiator fan was just barely missing the cars frame. When I make a sharper right turn I hear a loud clicking that sounds just like a fan blade smacking the frame under the hood. However, when the car is cold if I put the car in reverse while not moving it will click. Some days it's worste than others, some times it's not an issue others it's a matter of speed and or velocity.

I believe he's correct, but it only happens when I turn right, left I have no issue. Only other thing I can think of would be CV joint? But again, it's not a tire issue and there is no play in the wheel, it happens in reverse if cold when not moving.

I would guess it's only the front drivers side mount allowing the engine to deviate in to the frame .. no? Is it worth it to only change the bad one?

Do you think it's an engine mount or trans mount?

Hope this filled in any gaps, hope to hear back some GREAT advice!

 

He might be right- a substantial differential in front to rear tire circumference can make the ABS and DSC think there's a problem while the systems are trying to initialize.

 

Go check those tires yourself. The fronts are 245's rear are 275's. The motor mounts may need help. This can be easily verified while on a lift. While underneath check all electrical connections. The intermittant warning lights may be due to loose/faulty connections and/or frayed wires that transverse through metal passages.

 

+1 to Mikey on ABS.

What sizes are rear & front tyres? (Expressed as number / number R number like 55/25R10, which is a nonsense one)

 

Huh?

Your mechanic does not have a clue.

Is the clicking present at idle in park? Does it sound like a rattling bicycle chain? If so, take the keys out and start reading about "secondary tensioners" in the stickies and numerous threads here before ever starting it again. Whether it is or not, it is the very first thing to check and upgrade on these engines above all else.

edit: never mind, if you have a 2004, as the problem is for 2002 and earlier ... unless your motor was replaced with an older motor at some point

The above is strike two on your mechanic. See below for strike three.

 

Ok ... definitely at least strike three. Better yet, ejection from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Your car has an electric fan mounted on a plastic shroud attached to the radiator. It moves with the radiator and has no physical connection to the motor. It does not matter how much your motor moves around, the motor will not move the fan. It is impossible.

Are you getting the drift that this particular, very money hungry mechanic is not the right mechanic for you if you value your financial well being? Not to mention the well being of the car itself.

He seems to be pulling things out of thin air. Or some other thing that starts with "A" and has three letters.

You should make sure you and he are separated by as much distance as possible between now and forever. He probably has alimony "issues" because his own wife could not stand his "ethics".

++

 

Thanks for all your replies. To touch base on the motor mount issue again and help with trouble shooting the clicking only happens when turning right, if I am making a sharp right or a slight right at a high speed like on a highway on ramp. It happens when not moving at all when I shift in reverse at start up if I don't give it a few minutes to warm up. Some days it's worste that others not sure why.

The mechanic couldn't tell me 100% what it was as he couldn't make the noise happen himself while testing it.

If it's not the fan, any idea as to what it could be? Again, there isn't any play in the wheel so I don't believe it's a CV or steering issue. If I could describe the sound I would say it sounds like a playing card in a bicycle spoke the sharper the turn the deeper the sound gets, the less I turn in to it the lighter it becomes.

I do believe it's the mount, but would deff like to know your thoughts for troubleshooting. Anything else I should look for?

Thanks for all the help!!

PS>>> Not going back to the Alimony Mechanic AGAIN!

 

While we all figure the issues out, in the meantime search for a decent independent Jaguar mechanic.