I'm really hoping someone can assist with this. My 17 year old daughter, who doesn't live with me, purchased a 1994 Jaguar XJ6. It started and ran fine this past spring, but then sat for an entire Wisconsin winter.

Three days ago she started it up, but her step-father told her it was low on oil and gas so she turned it off. He threw a charger on the battery overnight, added oil, and we put premium gas in two days later.

Now the car doesn't even crank. When you turn it to power position 1, you can hear a pump kick in (I'm assuming fuel pump), but when you go further, there's nothing.

What could she or myself have done that would have affected it like this? She stupidly purchased a vehicle she can't afford parts for, but I'm going to do what I can to get it running. Thank you for any help guys.

 

Welcome to the forum Spackfan,

I've moved your question from General Tech Help to XJ40 forum. Members here with the same model will be able to help.

When you get a minute, please follow this link New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum to the New Member Area - Intro a MUST forum and post some info about yourself and your vehicle for all members to see.

In return you'll get a proper welcome and some useful advice about posting to the forum.

Graham

 

Could be any number of issues but try jiggling the gearshift to engage fully with "P" or move it to "N" (if you can) and see if she fires up.

 

Welcome - both to the forum and from Wisconsin! Sorry you've having a problem… In addition to Larry's advice, I'd like to confirm that the battery is good. I realize you just charged it, but if it were me, I'd take it out and have it tested. These cars need a good strong battery to get started.

Report back and let us know how it goes.

Scott

 

Being a new owner myself. Don't get frustrated with the car. But do understand at least from what I am learning. They are a car that needs attention, and a lot of good maintenance. Reading this forum, you can learn a lot of the small maintenance issues and get them worked out, before they become a big problem in the future.

As for the cost of parts. Unless it is a major part, or some trim panel that you have to search out. The cost of owning the car seems about the same as any other car. minus the fact they drink the good stuff.

 

Spackfan

Welcome to the forum.

What Lawrence is referring to is seeing if the linear gear switch is acting fickle when the car is in Park. If the linear switch is out of adjustment, the central processor will prohibit the starter/ignition relays to send signal to the starter. Lawrence's suggestion is a good start since, based your narrative, you get nothing more than the relay activity. Here's a rendering of the linear switch (Item 29) located under the ski slope finisher:

Part no. DBC12395 | Linear switch parts from Jaguar Classic Parts UK

I'm not certain on a 94, but there should be a gear indicator on the dash display. With the vehicle off, key in P1, you should be able to see the different gears as you move the lever through them.

If I'm not mistaken, I think the inertia switch will also prohibit starting if it has been tripped. You should find it in the drivers foot well, near the fuse box. Again, I'm not familiar with the 94, so hopefully someone with chime in with specifics from they're experience. Here's a rendering of the inertia switch:

Inertia Switch, Fusebox and Relays - Parts For XJ6 & XJ12 from (V)667829 to (V)708757 | Jaguar Classic Parts UK

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

Good tips, Lawrence & Rob!

I think that on our '93 the only gear indications on the dash are for SPORT mode and first gear lockout (a / through a 1), but the car is 6 hours away so I can't check to be sure.

The inertia switch is in the far forward outer corner of the footwell, and I think that if it has been tripped the small button on top will be extended upward. Press it back down to reset the switch. Forgive me if it operates in just the opposite manner, just try both positions of that little button on top.

The inertia switch can be seen in photo 7 in the album at the link below:

Welcome to Jag-lovers - Members Photo Viewing Page

Other possibilities include the ignition switch, but they generally don't fail suddenly. Check for corrosion on the contacts in the bases for the relays mounted on the right firewall under the hood. If you find some, disconnect the battery negative cable, then clean the relay bases with a small wire brush and electrical contact cleaner. Also clean the terminals on all the relays. Remove only one relay at a time so you don't switch amperage ratings.

Please let us know if none of these ideas works and we'll offer some more.

Cheers,

Don

 

Excellent suggestion there Don!

I know on my '94 if the oxygen sensor heater relay (yellow base, firewall) isn't energizing (due to socket/pin corrosion for example) the car won't start.

 

Lawrence,

Does the dash on your '94 indicate the selected gear (D, R, 2-4) or does it only show SPORT or first gear lockout when selected?

Don

 

Just sport and first gear lockout, Don - same as your 93, right? If it showed the gears the dash would be like a strobe flashing constantly as I shift gears more than I hit the anchors!

Larry

 

Yes.

HAH! So you're one of THOSE drivers too????


Okay, so here's my question for Rob - does your '89 show the selected gear on the dash (D, R, 2, 3, 4), and I guess I should also ask, is yours the digital dash or analog dash?


Don

 

Don,

Yes, digital and shows all gears on lower dash cluster. I think in the early MY's the gear selection was shown even if analog. The gears display isn't part of the digital reads, which really is only oil pressure, engine temp, battery and fuel, aside from the VCM display

 

Thanks Rob. Since our daughter, and now our son, has been driving the '93 to school, on the isolated occasions when I drive it I expect to see the selected gear on the dash. The last couple of times I've had the instrument cluster out I've actually checked to see if a bulb was burned out. I realize now that I am remembering the '88, which did show the selected gear on the dash like your '89.

I'm not crazy after all! (Well, at least on this one issue).

Cheers,

Don

 

Holy WOW guys. I'm going to take this information and head over to my daughters tonight. If I can apply any of what you've put here, I will be indebted to you! Thanks guys.

 

My -91 3.2 XJ. Does not always recognize it is on P, light touch to the gearshift ad it starts.

How easily can that switch be accsessed and adjusted? I am not the most capable to do fixes myself but I can get simple things done by myself (even though I am a natural blonde)

Kay

 

Hi Kay, I haven't done the switch adjustment myself but you get to it by removing the "ski slope" and as Rob shows in post#6 above it sits in the transmission tunnel on the right side of the gear selector.
There's a few posts in the archive describing the process of removing the slope - radio or heater fix threads have good illustrations and step by step pics. I'm sure you can handle it!

Larry

 

Thank you, I will look into it in time... This wknd I will let my Kitten out from the winter storeage and hopefully without any major problems.

Kay

 

Guys, I went to pick my daughter up last night, and we looked at her car. I sat down, slipped the shifter into neutral and BAMMMMM....started right up. I'm sure this vehicle has no end of problems, but this is no longer one of them. Thank you very much and I know where to go if another problem arises.

 

hi Spackfan, welcome to the forum.
Seems Rob beat me to it....
I also was going to suggest the inertia switch.... as an option to check lol
If the car had had any kind of decent bump it may have been triggered.

but it has already been suggested so I will simply say hi and welcome

 

might want to read the Warnings and alerts thread...

I know when my car (tho older) is not in park all the way it screams at me by beeping like crazy...