X150 coupe: Talk me out of it

[Patrick Bateman]

Sounds peculiar!

[Simpo Two]

remedy said:

I spoke to soon with mine. I packed it up for the journey to Bristol yesterday, started it when it immediately cut out... it will turn over but not fire.

I think that's the end for the car now so it'll be off to the breakers. I've spent nearly £2k trying to fix it. Jag Coventry clearly don't have a clue having changed the fuel pump, CJB and now some re wiring.

I can get the car started by heating the CJB with a hairdryer.

Seems odd to have it scrapped because the engine doesn't fire. I think you just haven't found the man with the skill/knowledge to find and fix the fault.

If the CJB (central junction box for those like me who had no idea what it was) was replaced but you still need to use a hairdryer then you need to go back to the people who changed it and tell them to do it again properly. But I agree that is faff and there comes a point when you just want to get shot of the problem. I came very close to that with my DB9 until I found the right person to sort it out. I think main dealers are actually very poor at fault-finding; they just want to sell cars or expensive new parts.

https://www.jaguarforum.com/threads/cjb-water-ingr...

How much would your car fetch as scrap, vs getting it going and trading it in?

[remedy]

Sorry, it's been 6 months of various fault finding and tracing to get where I am now and my post was a bit sloppy.

The CJB (between the rear seats) is obsolete now so I had to buy one on eBay for £500. About a month ago Jag swapped it and reported that the fault improved but didn't go away. So my original one went back in (spare is now in the boot ready to be resold).
So, I think the problem is in a connector or wire attaching to the CJB.
I found this quirk out because I noticed the car started fine when the sun had been on it. When cold it has the CPS fault and no start issue.
I then played a hairdryer on it for about a minute and noticed the airbag light flicked off. Then the CPS warning disappeared and the car was able to start.

My theory is that the car thinks it's been in an accident as it can't send a message somewhere because of this dodgy connection.

You are right about Jag. They first swapped the fuel pump (£400 plus fitting) because "we are the experts and it is the pump" despite me showing them the evidence it was electrical. Then, when the problem came back about 2 weeks later in September it went back and they agreed it was electrical, not mechanical.

I just don't know where to go from here and to find the right person. I'm throwing money away at the moment.

[Craikeybaby]

Surely there should be some diagnostics on the CJB? The Coventry Jaguar dealership (on the A45) has also closed recently, but there must be a good specialist around here. There are certainly plenty of people who understand JLR vehicles.

[remedy]

Craikeybaby said:

Surely there should be some diagnostics on the CJB? The Coventry Jaguar dealership (on the A45) has also closed recently, but there must be a good specialist around here. There are certainly plenty of people who understand JLR vehicles.

I know, I drove there to drop off the CJB and found an empty, bollarded car park that was a shock. They have moved to share the Land Rover site further along the A45.

I've got an auto electrician here in Warwick who is mobile. He did go to Jag on my request to take my CJB apart and resolder the joints as a first attempt at a fix. When that didn't help I bought the replacement.
I could ask him to come to me and spend a bit more time.

The Jag specialist in Snitterfield that I use for servicing did say about the XF having water ingress problems causing similar issues with the body control module. But the XK can't have the same issue because there is no way for water to get behind the rear seats.

[Patrick Bateman]

Would never trust a dealer with that kind of fault finding. This is where properly good specialists come into their own.

[GeniusOfLove]

Patrick Bateman said:

Would never trust a dealer with that kind of fault finding. This is where properly good specialists come into their own.

Absolutely, ripping people off into replacing brake discs that are 25% worn for £800 per axle and throwing cabin filters in the bin rather than actualy fitting them is about the full extent of the skill set in a dealership. If you're not there for warranty work you're there to get bummed.

I'd call a couple of local Jaguar specialists and explain the fault, and see if they give you any confidence on the phone. If you're in the Coventry area that has to be prime specialist territory and I doubt it'll be the only one with this fault they've seen.

If you really cba with it any more (which I'd understand) you could warm it up until it's behaving then take it to WBAC, they'll stop and start it but that's the total extent of their mechanical assesment. They're seriously low balling XKs though, because the trade doesn't want them at auction.

You could also make an honest ad on eBay, for every borked car there is a dreamer with more money than sense.

Either option is better than weighing it in though!

[Simpo Two]

GeniusOfLove said:

I'd call a couple of local Jaguar specialists

I'm not sure it needs the word 'Jaguar' in front, just a good autoelectrician/diagnostician. The word 'specialist' can cover a multitude of sins. I'd try to get a recommendation.

[GeniusOfLove]

Simpo Two said:

GeniusOfLove said:

I'd call a couple of local Jaguar specialists

I'm not sure it needs the word 'Jaguar' in front, just a good autoelectrician/diagnostician. The word 'specialist' can cover a multitude of sins. I'd try to get a recommendation.

Fair point, any decent auto electrician should be able to work this out.

[remedy]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I'll give the auto electrician that I've used before a ring tomorrow and let him know the situation.

In reference to this happening before on other cars, the only example I can find is 1 post on one of the Jag forums back in 2020.
I bought mine in Oct 21 so wouldn't be surprised if this is the car I've got now

https://www.jaguarforum.com/threads/2008-xkr-4-2l-...

[Vsix and Vtec]

remedy said:

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I'll give the auto electrician that I've used before a ring tomorrow and let him know the situation.

In reference to this happening before on other cars, the only example I can find is 1 post on one of the Jag forums back in 2020.
I bought mine in Oct 21 so wouldn't be surprised if this is the car I've got now

https://www.jaguarforum.com/threads/2008-xkr-4-2l-...

If they're anywhere near you, Roach Classics in Sudbury are fantastic and helped my partner out with a complicated harness break problem that seemed to stump everyone else.

[8bit]

Also worth getting on to jaguarforum.com, there's a dedicated section for pretty much every Jaguar model there and the X150 XK/XKR section is particularly good. I'd be astonished if you weren't able to get on the right track there.

[Simpo Two]

Vsix and Vtec said:

If they're anywhere near you, Roach Classics in Sudbury are fantastic and helped my partner out with a complicated harness break problem that seemed to stump everyone else.

I would also put forward Fairfax in Colchester, but he lives in Warwick... (and Fairfax are so busy they're not taking on new customers)

8bit said:

Also worth getting on to jaguarforum.com, there's a dedicated section for pretty much every Jaguar model there and the X150 XK/XKR section is particularly good. I'd be astonished if you weren't able to get on the right track there.

Yep; better than PH in that respect.

[Diderot]

Diderot said:

Stunning car chap. Congratulations.

I’m going to be buying one of these in the Spring. Back in 09, I had an 07 plate in a very similar colour. It’s the only car I’ve really ever missed. Perfect blend of performance, comfort, effortless continental cruising ability (although not great range given the MPG), and IMO fantastic looks. It doesn’t help now that two neighbours on our street have them, plus another neighbour has an immaculate 1998 X100. The bds rubbing my nose in it every single day as I drive past in my elderly 350SL.

I blame the OP. I’ve just bought one much earlier than planned (2011 XKR). Pick her up next week. Can’t wait.

Edited by Diderot on Saturday 6th January 18:57

[tberg]

Diderot,
Congratulations! You're in for the best car you will have ever owned. Going on 11 years in my 2010 and 210,000 miles of sheer brilliance.

[AC43]

Diderot said:

Diderot said:

Stunning car chap. Congratulations.

I’m going to be buying one of these in the Spring. Back in 09, I had an 07 plate in a very similar colour. It’s the only car I’ve really ever missed. Perfect blend of performance, comfort, effortless continental cruising ability (although not great range given the MPG), and IMO fantastic looks. It doesn’t help now that two neighbours on our street have them, plus another neighbour has an immaculate 1998 X100. The bds rubbing my nose in it every single day as I drive past in my elderly 350SL.

I blame the OP. I’ve just bought one much earlier than planned (2011 XKR). Pick her up next week. Can’t wait.

Edited by Diderot on Saturday 6th January 18:57

Nice. Pics when you get it pls. I spotted a lovely brace of them today on the M40. A grey coupe and a black vert.

I originally had my search set to blue and green but have now added black and grey as that massively increases the cars available.

[Vsix and Vtec]

Diderot said:

I blame the OP. I’ve just bought one much earlier than planned (2011 XKR). Pick her up next week. Can’t wait.

Edited by Diderot on Saturday 6th January 18:57

I accept full blame for you achieving motoring nivana, I look forward to seeing some photos! Congratulations on your purchase, you're going to love it.

[GeniusOfLove]

AC43 said:

Nice. Pics when you get it pls. I spotted a lovely brace of them today on the M40. A grey coupe and a black vert.

I originally had my search set to blue and green but have now added black and grey as that massively increases the cars available.

Add boring silver to the list too and watch the numbers increase even more and prices drop dramatically.

It'd probably be my last choice for the car new, and if I didn't like paying "free with cornflakes" money for cars I'd probably not have considered it, but it was apparently Ian Callum's favourite choice for it and it does really allow the subtle surfacing to show through.

It's really grown on me, and by not waiting for a pretty colour to come along I've already had 4 months and 3,000 miles of happy supercharged motoring.

[E31Shrew]

Diderot said:

I blame the OP. I’ve just bought one much earlier than planned (2011 XKR). Pick her up next week. Can’t wait.

Edited by Diderot on Saturday 6th January 18:57

You'll love it. I've had the 'eco' standard XK 2013 for 4 weeks and over the moon. Only small niggle is the parcel shelf wont stay affixed!

[RB CV8]

E31Shrew said:

You'll love it. I've had the 'eco' standard XK 2013 for 4 weeks and over the moon. Only small niggle is the parcel shelf wont stay affixed!

Common problem! I sorted mine with a new pair of genuine front fixings, and a pair of 3D printed rear fixings from a bloke on Ebay. The latter are intended to be better than the originals, and I see that he offers front ones now too.