I have a 2004 X-Type with automatic transmission. I recently got my front end stuck in the snow and noticed that my back wheels were not spinning at all. Could my AWD be out? What gives?

 

Do you have DSC? The AWD system on a post '03 X-Type has an "open" transfer case and all torque will be routed to the wheel with the least traction... (i.e., that one wheel will spin while the others just sit there).

The "correction" for that issue adopted by Jaguar was to basically use the anti-lock brake system to brake the spinning wheel. Doing that causes torque to be routed to the other wheels. Not perfect but it sort of works.

Unfortunately not all cars came with DSC. Does you car have the button between the shifter and the cup holder? If it does then your DSC is not working and you have other problems.

If it doesn't then you don't and you're kind of stuck with regards to AWD and your car.

However, there is a work-around for situations like you describe. If you find yourself in a situation where one wheel is spinning on mud or snow use the hand brake to apply braking. That will cause the slipping wheel to begin to slow down and the AWD system will start directing torque to other wheels. That should allow you to, at least, begin to move and get out of whatever is holding you in place.
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Jaguar - it's not an automobile, it's a Motorcar

 

Unfortunately the handbrake trick will only work if it is one of the back wheels which has no grip. It was the OP's front wheels that were spinning. Could try using the footbrake in those circumstances.

 

>Unfortunately the handbrake trick will only work if it is one of the back wheels which has no grip.

Ya, good point, same idea, though.
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Jaguar - it's not an automobile, it's a Motorcar

 

Thanks for the input. I am not sure if I have DSC or not. I do not have a button between my shifter and the cup holder but I do have one to the upper left of the shifter labled "S". Would this indicate that I have DSC?

 

Never ever press the S button. Doing so will eject the warp core. Do this only if you have a core breach. Once on the highway I depleted my dilithium crystals and was forced to eject the core. Not pretty.

 

Pretty much yeah. It engages warp drive.

The "S"-button is for "Sport mode", only found on automatic cars. It changes the gearbox setting to a more aggressive one, so it shifts up later and shifts down sooner or something like that. It has no effect on anything else.

Check this interior pic:
Jaguar XType 3.0 picture # 28 of 44, Interior, MY 2004, 800x600
You can see the coin-holder (3 slots, near the gear surround)? If you have that, you have no DSC. If instead of that you have a button there, then you have DSC.

 

So just to be clear... Jaguar changed the transfer case beginning with the 2004 MY to eliminate the viscous coupling and instead use DSC to optimize the AWD. But they didn't make DSC standard on all cars from that point on so if your car does not have it (mine does not), the AWD does not function the way Jaguar designed it? That sounds preposterous.....

 

Preposterous......and true unfortunately.

 

Indeed, and the only somewhat realistic way to deal with it is to retrofit an early transfer case.

Retrofitting DSC is not for thus far possible, as it'd require all sorts of sensors and stuff all over the car. There's a fairly long thread on the subject at Jaguarforum.co.uk and if I remember correctly they have yet to find success in doing so.