I have a 1999 XJ8 VP supercharged, 64k miles, imported from USA to Dubai few years ago, fantastic car but progressively a very anoying and bizare problem developped over the last 2 years.

Perfect functionning, remote opening, great start perfect performance and back from the shopping or anything else and : dead, nothing work, no remote, no click or ... absolutely no light no reactions, simply dead, black hole.

Opening the trunk with key, get access to battery, all connections at battery perfect, (like brand new) touch here and there on the rear fuse box relay just beside the battery and like a miracle, energy back everywhere and back on track starting and resuming normal operation !!!

found progressively over X 12 time , to simply touch the hard cover on top over the fuse box and battery (not even bothering to remove it) , and miracle, the juice is coming back and on the road again.

More recently, it became obvious that it is a micro loose connection right under the black fuse/relay boxe . Now to cure the problem , we nedd to move gently the harness just on the upper right of the fuse relay box that is going under, my understanding, to the antitheft black boxe.

I am amazed that a tiny loose connection , could neutralise 100% the entire electrical system. ever heard about this kind of problem ??

The car is again dead and now, no more soft touch to bring it back to life, when I explaine this to the Jaguar serviceman he thing I am stone or drunk. Me or my wife have got the same treatment.

Any such an problem ever reported ??

 

Know the feeling,just posted this in another thread,

"That's what I was going to say before I read Glen's post...
Got mine started after a month sitting unable to start it..OBD reader was at my mechanics (where I leave all my Jag bits) And he was away on holidays.Hoping the car would tell me why it had the sads.

He did a home visit to see if he could find the problem. Was easy. An as new battery had failed.I had discounted the battery as it is only 6 months old. Wasn't enough power to run an OBD reader. Ohh well!"

While looking around for a fault we checked the "master" fuses located to left of the battery (removed the spare wheel cover to get to it)
If the fuse there has become corroded or loose would explain your problem.
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