Just bought a new (for me) '04 XJ8 and yesterday I noticed that the LCD display showed a warning that the DSC was not available. The light for what I believe is the traction control system on the dash was lit as well as another amber horizontal light was on. I parked and an hour later back in the car and for an hour of driving the warning did NOT reappear.

This morning got back in the car and the DSC warning appeared again. The previous owner told me, after I called him on this, that he had seen that warning a couple times when he owned the vehicle. But he said it always disappeared and he never thought much about it.

Anybody got a clue as to what's going on here?

 

Pretty simple really, when the warning light is on the DCS is not working, in other words you have a problem. And I would also guess that the story the previous owner gave you was
BS. I'm also willing to bet that you will continue to see this warning on a more regular basis. I've been in the car repair business for over 20 years and the odds against this just going away
are slim to none

 

Hi Worldrider, the Dynamic Skid Control uses your ABS brakes to control wheel spin and skids. This is something that should be checked by someone who has the diagnostic equipment to read the codes.

 

I had that light come on once and then I shut the car off & on and haven't seen it again. The seller may be stretching the truth a little. From what I have read on this forum, it's most likely a sensor issue and only a dealer is going to be able to find it and fix it. Seeing how your light is on all the time, it is a serious concern you should remedy. Driving this car without DSC is not joy. I am repainting my front bumper due to it being off and my "testing the car"

One thing I can say, is the Jag's DSC really works. []

 

What's going on here is that there's probably one of the four wheel speed sensors is "dodgey" or possibly the stability control computer is having problems (though I think speed sensor is more likely). I also believe they're VERY expensive ($200-$300 each, depending upon where you buy them), so you probably don't want to just replace them all. Further, my understanding is that most, if not all, code readers and scanners will not read a code like this, since this is going to be a "C" (for "chassis") code as opposed to a "P" (for "powertrain") code. Does anyone know if there's a scanner or a pc-based program (with a usb to OBD connector) that will read "C" codes? Or is the ONLY option to take it to a dealer to read the code? And must the code be read while the light is on, or does it get "stored", even though the light may go out on its own after subsequent restart?
Greg
'04 XJ8

 

Just took the car in and have a diagnosis...

I think the seller probably wasn't up front but...

It's not on ALL the time. But seems to come on in the morning and after driving car and parking for 1+ hour it goes off and then comes on in the morning again.[/quote]

What's going on here is that there's probably one of the four wheel speed sensors is "dodgey" or possibly the stability control computer is having problems (though I think speed sensor is more likely)

wow I would like you to elaborate please??? ;-)

Okay so Jaguar said this:
[hr]Power distribution fuse box inspected to find c1279 Yaw Rate Sensor circuit failure. Removed the center console and inspected the sensor and wiring to find good. Checked power and ground to find good. When checked found that the message and DSC warning was off. Inspectd the wiring at the front power dist. fuse box to find good. Lifted the box and checked the connectors and pins, noted message came on when fuse box moved. Recommend replacing the front fuse box.

Estimate: $742
[hr]

Needless to say, I passed on the repair at this time. Does anyone know where that dist. fuse box is? Is it an easy thing to replace? Maybe I'll just buy the part and do that? Or....?

Well I wonder if it's not deeper than the fuse box and as such that might just be a coincidence that the light came off when moving the box? Nothing mentioned about the speed sensors.

Any suggestions?

 

There's only one front fuse box. Get it loose and look at it and see if you can get the light to turn on by moving it around with the car running. If you can, then try todetermine if it's the box or the harness. If it's the box, replace it. If its real expensive, I would get a used one, they are not subject to much wear and tear. It's possibly a damaged or corroded pin in the connector so look closely. Use electrical cleaner on all the connections before reassembling it.

 

Dear Worldrider,
Allow me to correct slightly my previous reply...I meant to say "yaw rate sensor", not "stability control computer". I am not a professional Jaguar mechanic by any means, but my limited understanding of this issue is the the "DSC Not Available" is usually caused by one of the wheel speed sensors at each of the four wheels giving erroneous or sporadic readings (when the car otherwise "knows" that it's not in a skid or some such maneuver). This "misreading" sensor will trip the DSC light. The other usual cause of this light, again, as I understand it, is a faulty or malfunctioning yaw sensor (which tells the car if it's rotating about its central axis, i.e.: in a skid). Obviously, there can be other causes for the DSC light, such as a wiring/connection issue which is what it sounds like you have. Sorry, but I don't know what's involved in replacing this fuse box and/or the connector to it.

Just one more opinion, but I'd be inclined to try, as "Oldmots" suggested, to inspect and clean all connections to this fuse box and especially make sure all of the female connectors have some "spring" or "pinch" to them so you know they're making a good connection.

 

Fuse box is really easy to replace. There are a whole bunch of connectors to disconnect, but other than that just 2 screws. When you open the hood it is a black box on the passenger side - can't miss it.

About getting a used box, be carefull with eBay. The box itself is very stirdy, but I got a couple of thing of eBay that had suffered flood damage.

You should tripple chack the cables tough, the fuse box is really hard to break, cables are far more likely culprit.

 

I have a different DSC problem. The DSC warning flashes above the mileage # when I first start the car, it lasts only a fraction of a second and there's no DSC yellow light, just the word on the screen. While driving/accelerating I can definitely feel a lack of power until much later when it drives and feels normal again.

I think this problem started one day when I floored it to enter fast-moving traffic. I felt a sharp jerk in the rear of car and something might have been broken....

Puzzled,
Wolfy

 

I have had this message ocasionally, but only then driving in Germany of all places ! In my case it seems to happen when the car goes over bumps in a particular sequence or way. I got it coming out of a filling station, ("Tankstelle") once, and again whilst negotiating hairpin bends descending into the Mosel valley.

So last year I had the car in to my local indie when I got back, and was told there was a very small switch in the brake servo somewhere that could be playing up a bit. I was told it was an expensive job as the little switch is not separately available. How many times does one hear this phrase with Jaguars !!! However, since then I have not had the message come up.

 

I recommend when any trouble message comes up and/or check engine light comes on to look at the trouble codes that the computer has stored. I did that and a simple clean the connection was free compared to what could have been over $2,000 at a dealer. Car part stores will usually get them out for free.

 

I have had DSC fault and ABS not available when reversing. That turned out to be an ABS sensor.
Not too expensive a fix.
Les.

 

Have the same massage, DSC not available. In my case it's related to left front sensor. Plan to lift the car, take the wheel off and take a closer look. First will check wiring between sensor and module, than connect oscilloscope to sensor, turn the wheel by hand and see what is cumming out. Hope it's the wiring only not the sensor. Ebay sell used sensors for $50 - $150 if needed. Will post results when get to it, probably next week.

 

I have an 04' XJ8 and when I start my car every time the "DSC not available" message appears with the amber light and then it suddenly disappears and stays off. It hasn't effected my car at all and it drives normal, but after reading some of the comments on here I am a little concerned. It only happens when I start my vehicle and disappears rapidly. Could that be a sensor issue or just the computer not making a reading properly when I start the car?

 

Hey there....I get this message when the temp outside drops below I think 50 degrees. As soon as it is warmed up in the day then it goes off and doesn't reappear unless the temp drops again.

Does anyone suspect why?