I have owned a 2011 XK Coupe since last June. From the moment of my purchase I was in love with the car. Clearly it was the fastest and most impressive car I have come to own.
That said I have had repeated issues with dead battery during this short time period. I have read how other members have used battery tenders religiously and now understand exactly why.
My car has had the battery go dead on three occasions with absolutely no warning. Fortunately all three times happened in my garage so that it became just an inconvenience and not a calamity.
On each occasion my local Jag dealer picked up the car and took it in.
On the first occasion they recharged the battery and said everything was in order.
On the second occasion I asked for them to look further to find what was draining the battery. Having read multiple forum threads I knew to lock the doors upon exiting the car at all times so I knew that wasn't the issue.
The tech called and said they could find nothing and after a week returned the car.
I contacted Jaguar USA on the second occasion and they promised to send a Factory tech to look at the car.
Four weeks ago the battery died once again and I contacted Jaguar USA and my dealership. Jaguar USA put their tech in touch with the dealership.
Two weeks ago the dealer called and said they had found the issue and were in need of a part. A few days later they called and said the part did not fix the drainage issue.
At that point I felt that I had given the brand and the dealer ample time to locate a problem they should be extremely familiar with by now.
My frustration has grown and honestly I can't see holding on to this particular car though I still would like to locate another XK without battery issues.
When I purchased the car I asked for all of the repair records from the dealership and they told me corporate doesn't allow them to print it out. The dealer wrote down some repairs but they were minor.
Now with this current situation I asked Jaguar USA to give me details of the cars past. It turns out that there were 5 separate "battery-related" incidents with this car before my purchase. Now there are 3 additional visits.
My frustration is that this car is "Certified" by Jaguar yet they somehow manage to look away from the issues.
I am angry that the dealer didn't give me the info I asked for at the outset. If they had I would have insisted on the very first battery death that they repair or replace the car.
Sorry for the long rant but it is frustrating to own such a nice car and having to use a loaner instead. (BTW. The first loaner a 2016 Evoque was returned after a "check engine" light appeared at 1500 miles).

 

I was somewhat fortunate when I bought my 12 2 years ago. The deal was so fast that the dealer didn't even have time to get the title changed so I got the car with the prior owners title. I also go a PDF file of the total service records from the dealer who was the original seller of the car. I found the car had a new battery at 3500 miles and when I got it it had 6666 miles on it. When it was delivered I put it on the 10 amp battery charger until it was fully charged. After that every time it is parked in the garage it is on a smart charger and locked. Last year after tracking my voltage I found the alternator not charging correctly so working with my new dealer had it replaced. After track how this alt. works and how the charging system works I can see that short trips without a smart charger won't keep the battery charged. Also if you put a volt meter on when you park it and don't put it on a smart charger you can see it settle out to around 12.4 volts and spike down to 11V when starting. This is for the 2010-2015 MY as the earlier cars have a different charging system . All this being said there should be no reason why a dealer can't find a drain on the system. It still doesn't make sense to me that these cars put so much of a drain on the battery but it appears it is something we need to live with. I just plug it in when not in use and that would be almost every day. Now I know what and elect car owner goes through except they can stop and fill up on a 400 mile trip.

 

Not certain if this is the solution for you particular problem but many members here have found using a CTEK maintainer has solved all of their battery related problems. While mine is prior to 2010, I still have the original battery and use the CTEK almost all of the time. Sometimes I have left if off for up to 4 weeks and found that while the battery still works and starts the car the voltage has dropped below spec. I also do not ever lock the car while parked so that sure contributes to the drain.

I would at least try the CTEK before you give up on the car and Jaguar, they are notorious for draining batteries even on perfectly sound cars.

 

Jahummer,

I understand why Jaguar XK owners use a battery tender. My difficulty adapting to that daily procedure is a fundamental belief that the manufacturer should identify the problems and correct them.
In essence all of the Jaguar loyalists (I am not among them as yet) feel that it is worth giving up something for the privilege of owning such an exceptional vehicle. I for one can't understand why "All" of these cars must drain the battery. Shouldn't Jaguar fit the vehicle with an appropriate battery to handle its needs?
As Jagtoes said they "should" be able to detect the drainage problem but going on five weeks now of investigating they are still unable to fix the issue.
My question is since the car is under its original "warranty" what does that word actually mean to the consumer if they can't repair their own car?

 

Obviously you stated the same in another thread earlier this year and everyone recommended a battery maintainer, I guess that is not something you are interested in so I will not suggest it....

Previous topic: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...attery-158608/

These same battery type complaints and drainage issues occur on Mercedes, BMW, take your pick. Granted that when I had my BMW some had cases that were worse than others. The problem is that this is a used car so returns or lemon law does not apply even if it is a CPO car.

You could try getting another XK thinking that will fix your problem or it may not, you may be just a victim of a less than favorable driving profile, one that does not allow the battery to fully charge regularly by use. The solution has been presented and ignored so not much else to say at this point.

 

ja based on what I have found the 2007-2009 XK has a different charging system then the 2010-2015 cars. My bet is with your car runs at a voltage of 14.2 upon start up and during normal driving which is sufficient voltage to maintain full charge of the battery. The later cars have a varied voltage based on need and requirements from the ECM. I have seen voltage swings from 12.8 to 14.7 depending on the type of driving. Also the cost of a replacement alternator is about double for the later model cars. Why they changed or what they did is a mystery to me but the results leave something to be desired. I will be watching my system to see haw it works with time and see what the effect is on my battery.

 

I do completely believe the problem of Battery Drain is more common a problem than you may first believe.
My wife's 2015 Lexus RX350 sits in our garage next to my kitty. For some reason she hasn't driven it much (I actually know the reason... she doesn't want it scratched or miles added) so she drives her OLD RX400H instead.
Anyway, after a month of sitting still in the garage, her 350 has a hard times starting. The battery barely has enough oomph to turn over. If she left it alone for 6+ weeks, I really don't think it WOULD start. Most cars are meant to be driven.
Her way-old 2001 Lincoln LS had the same thing........ left parked and unattended for a month or more would drain the battery (oh no, another FORD).
To sum this up, probably a good number of new(er) vehicles WOULD have some sort of battery issue if they weren't driven as often or as far as they are. That's the problem with XKs, not many ARE Daily Drivers. Mine isn't.

 

Tampa Park,

Perhaps the lemon laws are different in your part of the country than they are here in New York. Used cars, at least those that are sold with more than 18,000 miles on them ARE covered by the lemon laws in this state.

I would rather not go down that road if possible and hopefully Jaguar USA and the local dealership will find a way to remedy this situation and hopefully keep me as a customer.

As for other vehicles also experiencing this problem I'm not that knowledgable on the subject so I'll accept that it does exist elsewhere. My question though is why do we as consumers have to accept this or find ways to work around it?

 

New York is very consumer friendly! Florida has no such option for used cars, you are on your own.

If a maintainer is not to be done, then take it for a nice long drive on the highway once a week.

You know that you do not have to put a maintainer on the car every night, once a week as a top off will probably cure your issues. My XK and BMW prior is used by my Wife who has a very short stop and go commute. So the battery never had a chance to replenish, not after the initial car start and then a short drive with the stereo, dash screen, air conditioner, and all the other electronics drawing on the system. The once a week overnight charge for the previous 650 and now my XK is just to make sure the battery is up to snuff.

You are railing against the machine, I don't think a now obsolete vehicle is going to be retrofitted to cure this issue.

 

Tampa Park,

That is exactly my issue. I do use it as a daily driver and go on what I consider decent highway drives. The car has died on me after said drives and that is what is most frustrating.
The car held a charge for two weeks that I didn't drive it and then failed the morning after I did have it on the highway.
It's that kind of irregularity that has me thinking something else is at work here.

 

Perhaps you should take it to a different dealer with a request to test the alternator? The CPO does not cover the battery or cables, but I do not see that the alternator is excluded in my paperwork.

 

Tampa Park,

The car is a CPO but MY11 had a 5 year warranty so the car is under its initial warranty. Since Jaguar USA tech is involved in conversation with local dealer and has been so for over 3 weeks I'm not sure another dealer would be a suitable answer.
I'm not sure where my issue falls under the warranty but no one from Jaguar has indicated as yet that the issue is not covered.

 

Easy to understand the frustration. Most likely you will not turn around this week or next and sell the car.

My suggestion is buy the following. Connect it daily. I have made many posts about the attributes of the CTEK battery maintainers. Use this product until and after the Jaguar dealer and Jaguar USA resolves the problem.

This will be one of the best investments you can make for any vehicle. Your XK is loaded with sensors. My 2009 XKR is reported to have 120 sensors on the car.

Amazon.com CTEK MUS 4.3...8 Step...Smart Charger/Maintainer.

Also, buy the CTEK Comfort Extension.

Here are links to make the purchase.





You will be glad you made the purchase.

..

 

Did you, or anyone from the dealership check to see what the voltage reading is at the battery with the ignition in the off position? If the voltage reading is 12.2 volts or less, the battery must be replaced.

Did anyone check the earthing points since this is an aluminium body, the earthing points and other connections can become corroded under certain conditions.

Did the JLR District Service Manager provide a list of tests that have been run thus far?

 

It is fairly easy to measure battery drainage. When the ignition is turned off then only a few circuits should remain open - those related to security, etc; and, over time, they will drain the battery to zip. But sometimes there are rogue circuits that remain open to power down the battery. Identifying these circuits is usually done by pulling fuses to compare battery draw. Once you identify an open circuit, then the next step is to disconnect those items using the circuit.
Agree that Jaguars (and all British cars, including Bentley and RR) have marginal ground systems. It cost little to add additional ground straps to the motor and chassis. All car audio stores sell these ground straps.
I don't keep a battery longer than four years. Nowadays, batteries fail without much warning. One of the overlooked items of electrical maintenance is cleaning the battery posts, particularly the positive post.

 

JaysXk,

Its Not Jaguar and its Not the battery drainage.

The issue is Not Enough charging. Lets be absolutely fair to Jaguar and ask, how much do you drive this car to charge it?

Makers of all new luxury cars have had this problem. They consume more than is put into them in short trips.

If they gave you a new battery every month, think of the destruction to the environment. The alternative is simple. Charge it fully once every 3 weeks. The dealer will even help you install the charger, which is as simple as pumping gas.

 

You should check the manufacture date on the battery, if it is the original battery, it is possible that it may have a bad cell or two or beyond its useful life expectancy.

If it has not been done already I would certainly try a fresh battery, they are inexpensive and also consider the CTEK. As mentioned here, you do not have to use it everyday and it only takes a few hours to bring the battery to like new condition.

If your daily drive is less than 100 miles round trip, I would suspect that may not be enough to charge it fully.

 

Queen And Country,

I have driven the car regularly. Actually the exact amount that I drove my 2010 Audi A5 previously.

I am honestly not familiar with what amount of driving is necessary to maintain a charge. As I have said the car has gone 2 weeks without being driven and started. It has also failed to start 2 days after driving an extended trip (more than 30 minutes).

I do not know, since it wasn't written in any manual, what the exact amount of driving should be in order to re-charge the battery.

I recognize these cars require an extensive amount of battery strength to maintain their functionality. At the same time I believe it is Jaguar's responsibility to create a vehicle that can maintain its battery power during "normal" driving conditions.

I believe my driving of this car has given the battery ample time to regenerate.

Not sure why you suggest that it is not Jaguar or Battery Drainage and must be "user" error?

 

It costs around $70 to buy a Ctek charger and a Ctek comfort cord. It takes no more than 15 minutes to install the comfort cord in your XK. then you plug in the battery tender/charger just like a lamp or any low wattage appliance.

After installation it takes maybe 10-20 seconds to hook up or unplug the Ctek. That's what I did and do, and I have NEVER had an issue. Sometimes one has to make an allowance to get what one wants. So, if you want to drive an XK or an XKR (2010-2015 MY) make that allowance, it is a small price to pay for great enjoyment.

 

jay get yourself a cheap cigarette lighter volt meter. When you get into the car check to see what the voltage is. It should read around 12.4-12.5 volts. If lower you should get the battery load tested to determine if it is OK or just needs charging. If it needs charging then have a good battery charger bring it up to full charge. Start the car and it will drop to around 11.8V and then go to around 13.8V. Drive the car and it should stay at 13.8 V until you decelerate and it should go up to 14.2-14.4V. When you get on the gas again it will drop to 13.8V which is OK to slow charge the battery. The reason this happens as I understand it is the ECM restricts the load the alternator takes to charge the car. This is for less load on the belt and improved mileage. If your battery is at 80% the 13.8V is a minimal charge rate and eventually the battery will not fully charge during short trips. The new charging system are mostly controlled by the ECM or a PVM (power voltage module) which regulates rate of charge based on things like battery temperature , voltage level , voltage draw and other sensors. SO it's not like your fathers alternator. Oh , when the car is locked there are electronics still "on" (like the clock) that draw current.