Hi there,

I've been reading the posts in here about battery light warnings and sundry other odd problems with starting. But nothing exactly like what's happening to my car - which is possibly possessed!

So I'm hoping someone might be able to diagnose what the cause of the problem might be.

For some time now, I've been having odd electrical problems with starting. Originally, the battery light would stay on - though the car started, and ran, fine. A while ago, the mechanics replaced the alternator with a second hand part. The problem reoccured. So they replaced it again (at their expense which was decent of them) with another second-hand one which they rebuilt. This happened as part of a very expensive rebuild of the head, after a stuck valve - which the mechanics told me was a problem that was caused by a design fault with the "shims". \\

The display console was showing a bunch of errors, and before the head was rebuilt, the mechanics replaced the alternator to check that the faults that were being raised were "ghost" faults - otherwise it wasn't worth fixing the engine. After the alternator was first replaced, the problem went away - as did the faults that had been registered (gearbox fault mainly). But now the problem is back again. After reading posts on this forum - particularly some by Thermo - I'm not convinced that there was a problem with the alternator originally ... this is now the third alternator that's been in the car (admittedly the last two have been used ones).

Now what's happening is this. I insert the key and turn it to the on position. I hear an odd whirring noise behind the dash, and the gauges all start up, as do the car's electrics. Then, more often than not, a "gearbox fault" message comes up and I am unable to start the car - this has been becoming more frequent. I repeat the process - sometimes 4 or 5 times - give the key a bit of a wriggle, and hey presto, she starts. But the battery light stays on. The car runs fine. Often after it has run for a while, I'll hop in, and it'll start fine - no battery light. Very occasionally, I'll get into the car, insert the key and turn it to on and wait for the whrring noise to stop - and then it'll start with no warning light.But this is becoming less common - and usually only happens when the car has already had a run recently.

The other thing that happens is that the whirring noise happens when I turn the ignition off as well - but for a shorter time. There is also an audible "clicking" noise as the needles on the dials all drop back to zero.

The mechanics currently believe it to be the ignition switch. And I'm waiting on a part to arrive so they can replace it. But I thought it was worth posting here to see if anyone has any other ideas - as I'm not entirely sure the mechanics know for sure. (They are Jag specialists).

Any help or advice very very welcome. I've not had a good run with this car ... and I'd really like to get this sorted and get some (relatively) trouble-free motoring if possible. It's only done 60,000km! Barely run in!

Cheers

Mark

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...L6DuYiJ55_4jEA

Try this and the first actuation of the "trip" button after test appears on odometer screen, i.e. the gauge test. Is the sound that occurs at that test, is this the sound you're hearing on regular start up? If so, on mine it was a loose battery cable on a low battery causing that exact same sound on the "gauge test screen".

 

Hi Dell,

Thanks for your post. Yes that sounds very similar to the noise I get on startup. I'll make sure the mechanic checks the battery cables - and the battery too (though that is reasonably new it could still be a problem).

Question - did you get any error messages as well as that sound? Like the "Gearbox Fault" message? And did your battery light stay on?

BTW .. your car is almost identical to mine. Same colour but a year older (2005).

Thanks again ... I'll try that when I get the car back. It's in the panel shop currently having a small scrape repaired. Going to take a week apparently!!

Cheers

Mark

 

Welcome to the forums Mark. Please drop by the "New Member Area" and pot an intro for a warm welcome useful information.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/n...-intro-must-5/

 

I did not get any error codes when mine made that sound, but also car did not engage starter. Just that exact same sound that the gauge test gives, with a "click".