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After 8 years of life the car for the first time refuses to start. The clock reversed to 12:00 and the wipers for no reason went up and I get warning messages.
I have read about that this is probably just a battery issue. I don't know anything about these things. The electronics work fine. The car doesn’t show a low battery warning. It just won’t start the engine.
I am assuming I need to jump start it or similar. Anybody who has information about how to do it with the XJ? Photos or videos.
Vika, when did you last replace the battery. If you still have the factory battery, I would start there. If you have changed the battery in the last 3 years, then odds are the battery is good. But, I would confirm by getting a second person and when attempting to start the car, have a multimeter connected across the battery. Just before pushing the button, the multimeter should read 12.5 or 12.6 VDC. If it is reading less than this, then you have a partially discharged battery and you need to charge the battery before going on.
As the button is depressed, the multimeter should drop to 11.0 to 11.5 VDC. If the voltage stays up at 12.5 VDC, then we know we have a security issue. If it drops below 11.0 VDC, then we have a bad battery. If by chance the voltage is between 11.5 and 12.5 VDC, then you have a bad cable between the batttery and the starter.
Lets see what you have at this point and that will help narrow down what the possibilities are. Right now, there are too many to just start guessing as to what to replace first.
Can you expand on “Wont start”. Does it crank but not start, or not crank?
Reading between the lines, everything seems fine until you try to crank, then the electronics get upset and no crank.
Classic symptoms of a dead battery. To be sure, put a voltmeter on the battery and note the reading before, and while cranking. I bet the voltage collapses under starting current. But I wouldn’t even bother. Get a new battery.
jump starting it might get it going once. But next time you’ll be back to square one.
Guess when battery problems always make themselves known? Middle of winter. That’s because the battery capacity drops as it ages, the demand is highest in coldest weather, AND battery capacity is lowest when it’s coldest. Today you asked for more than it has.
Can you expand on “Wont start”. Does it crank but not start, or not crank?
Reading between the lines, everything seems fine until you try to crank, then the electronics get upset and no crank.
Classic symptoms of a dead battery. To be sure, put a voltmeter on the battery and note the reading before, and while cranking. I bet the voltage collapses under starting current. But I wouldn’t even bother. Get a new battery.
jump starting it might get it going once. But next time you’ll be back to square one.
Guess when battery problems always make themselves known? Middle of winter. That’s because the battery capacity drops as it ages, the demand is highest in coldest weather, AND battery capacity is lowest when it’s coldest. Today you asked for more than it has.
It cranks and doesn’t manage to start. The brake pedal is hard.
Vika, when did you last replace the battery. If you still have the factory battery, I would start there. If you have changed the battery in the last 3 years, then odds are the battery is good. But, I would confirm by getting a second person and when attempting to start the car, have a multimeter connected across the battery. Just before pushing the button, the multimeter should read 12.5 or 12.6 VDC. If it is reading less than this, then you have a partially discharged battery and you need to charge the battery before going on.
As the button is depressed, the multimeter should drop to 11.0 to 11.5 VDC. If the voltage stays up at 12.5 VDC, then we know we have a security issue. If it drops below 11.0 VDC, then we have a bad battery. If by chance the voltage is between 11.5 and 12.5 VDC, then you have a bad cable between the batttery and the starter.
Lets see what you have at this point and that will help narrow down what the possibilities are. Right now, there are too many to just start guessing as to what to replace first.
It’s the factory battery. Never been changed.
i don’t have a multimeter. I will try to get one.
I can’t even manage to open the cover on the 2nd photo.
If I jump start it, should it be with the trunk battery or the one under the hood?
See your Owner's Handbook for the proper way to jump start your XJ. I am not certain that this applies to your XJ. Connect to the battery in your trunk and never directly to the negative battery terminal because doing so will damage the battery monitoring system module.
It does a whistling sound, the car makes a small shake but then the wipers start and I get the transmission warning and other things. That’s what happens.
vika, based on what you have said, I am 99.9% confident that your issue is a bad battery. I know your next question, which battery do I replace? You want to replace the battery in the trunk. Any local auto parts store (atleast here in the US) will change it for free for you. They may try and put in a "battery maintainer" which will keep power to all the electronics as they swap out the battery. This is up to you. I personally don't. Keeping the car powered at all times maintains the memory of all the computers (including the radio, windows, e-brake, etc). But, it may also maintain any other error that the car may think it has too. You may also get a random error message about the battery since the car learns the traits of the installed battery. Because you put in a new battery, it is going to act differently and the car may recognize this. It will go away after a bit once it learns the characteristics of the new battery. Where, if you let the car go completely cold (electrically), all this memory goes away, so, once you get the car back up and running, you will need to reset the radio presets, recalibrate the e-brake (simply set it, it programs itself), reset the seat positions, and the auto up down of the windows (start with the windows up, push and hold the window down button until the window reaches full down, continue to hold for another 3 seconds, you may hear a quiet click too. Lift the button to raise the window and let it go fully shut. Continue to hold the button in the up direction for 3 additional seconds (may hear a quiet click).. Repeat for the other windows.
vika, based on what you have said, I am 99.9% confident that your issue is a bad battery. I know your next question, which battery do I replace? You want to replace the battery in the trunk. Any local auto parts store (atleast here in the US) will change it for free for you. They may try and put in a "battery maintainer" which will keep power to all the electronics as they swap out the battery. This is up to you. I personally don't. Keeping the car powered at all times maintains the memory of all the computers (including the radio, windows, e-brake, etc). But, it may also maintain any other error that the car may think it has too. You may also get a random error message about the battery since the car learns the traits of the installed battery. Because you put in a new battery, it is going to act differently and the car may recognize this. It will go away after a bit once it learns the characteristics of the new battery. Where, if you let the car go completely cold (electrically), all this memory goes away, so, once you get the car back up and running, you will need to reset the radio presets, recalibrate the e-brake (simply set it, it programs itself), reset the seat positions, and the auto up down of the windows (start with the windows up, push and hold the window down button until the window reaches full down, continue to hold for another 3 seconds, you may hear a quiet click too. Lift the button to raise the window and let it go fully shut. Continue to hold the button in the up direction for 3 additional seconds (may hear a quiet click).. Repeat for the other windows.
Thank you. Any idea what particular battery I should look for? So there is no point in changing the battery? Better to buy a new?
On my last XJ, a 2011 model purchased from new, the battery gave out after about 7 1/2 years and about 80000 miles , it was fine right up until the day it died, it had been fine in the morning and after a 60 mile drive the car was parked up for 45 minutes ( no radio on or anything, I was sat waiting in the car ) . Went to start it and a few clicks , nothing, not even my large jump start pack could start it.
I called the AA and they came and jump started it, first thing next day I picked up a new Jaguar battery from the local dealer and fitted it myself.
I am fairly sure I will buy one from a Jaguar dealer. But if not, is all I need to look for a battery with the same spec as the one in the car now? 12V, 90ah?
I live in Sweden and we have a store. Do these seem okay? https://www.biltema.se/en-se/car---m...5ah-2000029894
Yes that should be fine to use as it is the correct size power and is an AGM battery. As an owner of a 2013 XJ that has the extra small battery for the start/stop function, I cannot say what you will need to reset. In my case after the main battery was replaced I had to reset the windows and the HVAC settings.
You got me thinking about 8yr old batteries. I haven't changed mine (2012 XJ),and wasn't having any problems, but thought I'd better take a peek at it. Much to my surprise it had an install sticker on it dated July 2015! Sure enough, I checked my service records and it was replaced, under warranty, at it's 3 year service. They just didn't mention it when I collected the car....or I forgot.
My old XK8 would eat batteries like my daughter eats Cheezits, if I got 2 years before things started acting up I felt lucky.
I was trying to charge the battery but have no idea how to disconnect it. If it doesn't need a disconnection where should I place the black connector? I read it should not be on the minus when charging. Should I connect it where I have circled it?
12-28-2019, 04:56 PM
Car won't start. 2012 XJ 3.0 diesel.
