Hello Everyone,

It would seem that a lot of owners of earlier (2003-2004) cars fitted with Adaptive Cruise Control are having problems with the sensor (behind front bumper) packing up. These early systems used a one-piece unit (Part Number
C2C13813 - superceded to C2C23960) which is on back-order from the factory with no indication as to when it will be available again. Secondhand units are like the proverbial hens teeth. (New units are listed at almost £2,000 !)
Of course we can live without this advanced technology BUT if it does fail you will have a constant 'Cruise Not Available' message on the instrument panel. You will not be able to extinguish this light as your main ECU (PCM) will tell the dash that the car has ACC and, therefore, it will be looking to communicate with said unit via the CAN BUS system.
Having had this exact problem myself I sent my faulty unit to a well-known company in the South East of the UK for repair. Months later I was told that parts for the module are no longer available !!!

So, faced with this situation what can you do ?? After a lot of deliberation and trial I finally decided to replace the main ECU (PCM) with a secondhand one from a virtually identical car (but WITHOUT ACC). When installed (and using IDS/SDD) you will need to go through the 'Immobilization' process and then reconfigure the instrument cluster (these three units 'talk' to each other and if you don't reconfigure the cluster you will still see 'Cruise Not Available').
I must admit to being reluctant in changing the ECU as it means using that units original VIN No (make sure you get it off the seller !!) but provided the information is recorded in the service book I don't see a real problem (I couldn't stand seeing the message all the time in front of
me !). One word of warning though - if you do go through this process, make sure you obtain what Jaguar refer to as the 'Alphanumerical Code' from either inside the boot (sticker supposedly fixed behind right-hand trim - mine wasn't there !) or on top of steering column, which means removing four nuts to lower upper column to view. You will need this code when half-way through reconfiguring the instrument cluster (Shame they don't tell you that at the start of programme !!)
Another possible solution (if you must have this system ?) is to retrofit the units from a later vehicle (two seperate units) together with the associated
wiring. This would be an expensive option however as you would either need to manufacture your own loom section or buy a complete engine loom from a later car (new ones are around £800). Knowing how sensitive the CAN BUS system is, however, I don't know how succesful this option would be.

I hope this info is helpful to other frustrated owners.

Regards - Keith

 

I have attached some info that we got from Jaguar as TECH TIPS.
I saved these info .pdf documents.

Here are some relevant tips.
The ones attached are for the INST PK issues

I would save the original VID block but you can change things with different modules.
Look for ADMIN TSB 1-186 as a guide to CONFIG. and understanding modules.

bob

 

Thanks for those links 'Motorcarman'. Reading through the first link (12/03) with regards the column movement is pertinent as my column has now stopped working (I thought it was a connector that I had pulled on when I dropped the upper column). The barcode number that I entered was wrong (looking at bulletin S413-02 it should've been the small digits inbetween the barcodes NOT the larger figures). I'm wondering now whether I will need the barcode from the car which my used PCM came from as I presume that is linked to the column OR is it the barcode on my car ??? Do you happen to know which one I need ?? Thank you in advance. Regards Keith

 

The current column is the one you need to worry about. When I replaced INST PKs at the Jaguar Dealer I just used the column numbers that were on the vehicle column.
That is the column/INST PK relationship NOW in the car.

Later columns had the numbers on the bottom instead of the top. (The way they should have been)

bob

 

Thanks Bob. Looks like I'll be climbing back under the dash again tomorrow then. I'm getting really brassed off with these modern Jags - give me twin SU's any day - lol !!

Thanks ever so much for your guidance - really appreciated.

Regards Keith

 

LATEST UPDATE: All working fine now thanks to 'motorcarman'. Having replaced the main ECU (PCM) and going through immobilizer and Instrument Cluster reconfiguration I found that my electric column switch no longer worked (I thought it was a bad connection) after dropping the upper steering column to access the Alphanumerical Code which is attached to a label (slightly later cars also had a similar label under the right hand side of boot trim). If anyone is contemplating this solution to their Adaptive Cruise problem make sure you note down the correct 11 digit number situated between the two rows of bar codes NOT the larger 11 digit number, which is just the column part number !!! When you have that code you will need to enter the 3rd to 10th digits when prompted to do so on the SDD program (shame they don't tell you this before starting the configuration !) Bulletin Number S413-02 on a google search will show you a picture of said label.
Having entered the WRONG code my column worked for a short time and then failed to respond. The above link dated 12.03 told me why. Anyway, I went through the 'Steering Column Configuration' on SDD, entered the CORRECT code and all is now
well (touch wood).
I can now drive the car without being constantly told that Cruise is not available. Its taken me a few weeks of headscratching and frustration but it was worth it.

Thanks again 'motorcarman' - people like yourself are invaluable to people such as me.