The XF sensor game

[Simpo Two]

Last December the 'Water in fuel' warning light came on; it was due for a service and the dealer replaced it.

Last week the 'Handbrake' warning light came on once or twice then got bored and went away.

After that the 'Screen wash low' warning light came on - but the reservoir is full.

This morning after moving the car I noticed a small dark grey object lying under where the engine had been. A Google suggest this is the fuel filter sensor (not the secreenwash sensor as I'd expected). Just like this one:



If the sensor fitted by the dealer last December has fallen off, which wouldn't surprise me at all... why am I not getting the 'water in fuel' warning? And how can I fix the 'Screen wash low' warning light?

Car is 2011 model with <40K miles.

[fatboy b]

They dropped that sensor in the engine bay. Couldn't be arsed to find it. Fitted another one. The original then dropped out on your drive, and you also have a knackered batttery.

Edited by fatboy b on Sunday 12th March 20:25

[Simpo Two]

Thanks, that makes sense. Are random sensor warnings a sign of a poor battery? It seems fine. You'd think there'd be a 'Dodgy battery sensor'!

The oddest thing is that the sensor fell out when the car was parked, and not in the last 3,000 miles bouncing along roads...!

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 12th March 20:50

[fatboy b]

Yes, random displays about bad things can be due to a bad battery. My last XF was only a year old when the battery went duff. If you do many short journeys, then it can gradually lose power. A big run will/may fix it, but could just be knackered.

Regarding the sensor falling out, the undertray is big. May be it was teetering on thr edge when you reversed into your drive, and it then just fell off.

[Simpo Two]

Makes you wonder what else is in the undertray - the mechanic's lunch perhaps!

Anyway, the warranty ran out last month so I'm braced for catastrophe...

[lexusboy]

Low washer fluid with a full reservoir could be painful. Not uncommon for water to leak through the sensor into the wiring loom and sometimes it carries all the way through to the junction box in the drivers footwell. If that is the case you will likely be looking at a front end look and junction box.

[Simpo Two]

Hmm, rang my local garage today and they said 'Ah yes, we know about this, call the dealer'.

Terrific. Can't Callum design a car with wires that don't break after 6 years?

[a8hex]

Simpo Two said:

Terrific. Can't Callum design a car with wires that don't break after 6 years?

Not that anyone can these days.
Just wait it these super reliable systems are doing the driving.

[fatboy b]

Simpo Two said:

Hmm, rang my local garage today and they said 'Ah yes, we know about this, call the dealer'.

Terrific. Can't Callum design a car with wires that don't break after 6 years?

Not really anything to do with Callum though is it?

To be fair, a friend had a problem with the CO2 sensor on their Evoque. Turned out the dealer nicked it with something sharp at a service, and then the wire corroded causing a intermitant fault.

[Simpo Two]

fatboy b said:

Not really anything to do with Callum though is it?

Well, it was more a general swipe at the fact they put more emphasis on glamour and gadgets than reliability.

That said, the warning light has gone away now. So either it's fixed itself or the whole front end will fall off next week!

[fatboy b]

Simpo Two said:

fatboy b said:

Not really anything to do with Callum though is it?

Well, it was more a general swipe at the fact they put more emphasis on glamour and gadgets than reliability.

That said, the warning light has gone away now. So either it's fixed itself or the whole front end will fall off next week!

Sounds like you won't be happy until you get a 'Perceived Quality' German boring-mobile

[Simpo Two]

fatboy b said:

Sounds like you won't be happy until you get a 'Perceived Quality' German boring-mobile

Looked at them all in detail. The exteriors of BMWs are bland; mercs ahve some good body shapes but the interiors are ordinary and the paint colours very boring. The XF is actually the best in terms of looks, but I expect a Mondeo or Cavalier would be indistinguishable if you had your eyes shut. You see once upon a time Jaguar was a prestige brand, now it isn't. They've gone down and the rest of the pack has gone up.

It's the first time there hasn't been a car I really want. Weird.

[a8hex]

fatboy b said:

Sounds like you won't be happy until you get a 'Perceived Quality' German boring-mobile

Don't expect them to be any better. Our MBs haven't been, relations Porsches, neighbours BMWs they're all too complicated by half and the electronics are likely to be the pain point.

[Simpo Two]

a8hex said:

Don't expect them to be any better. Our MBs haven't been, relations Porsches, neighbours BMWs they're all too complicated by half and the electronics are likely to be the pain point.

I tried a 6-series cabriolet - liked the looks and very fast - but it was an enormous car with no accommodation and it felt as if it was driving me, not the other way round. Never did figure out the gearstick!

Controls seem to be changing - my neigbour's B-Class Merc has the gear selector where the wiper lever should be. And the satnav isn't touchscreen, it uses a jogwheel thingy like a Dymo machine and takes about three weeks to put a postcode in.

[fatboy b]

a8hex said:

fatboy b said:

Sounds like you won't be happy until you get a 'Perceived Quality' German boring-mobile

Don't expect them to be any better. Our MBs haven't been, relations Porsches, neighbours BMWs they're all too complicated by half and the electronics are likely to be the pain point.

Don't worry. I'm know they're not. All my BMWs and Audis have been in the garage way more than my Jags. The O/H bought a new Golf last March. It's about to go in for the 8th time to cure rattles. Abysmal build quality.