Jaguar X300 boot release button and "hot" smell

[StoatInACoat]

My old man has a (rather lovely) X300 on an R plate that has developed a fault with the boot release button, as in it doesn't work at all. I had a quick look at the wiring on the hinge and couldn't see any obviously frayed wires so is this a common fault that anyone has fixed? Looks a bit harder to take bits of trim off than I'm used to with my collection of French sheds.

Second problem - when the car is used around town and run up to temperature it stinks. It's not using any water or oil and according to the gauge isn't overheating. Doesn't smell like coolant particularly but it's a noticeable "hot" smell. Apparently it doesn't do this on long runs and on a brief test the thermostat appears to function normally although the fans spin constantly? Not sure if this is normal?

Any help at all very much appreciated

[Jaguar steve]

Try substuting another boot release button, these occasionally fail. Euro jag will sell you a tested second hand one.

It's a long time since I drove a X300 so can't remember if there is a boot release button inside the cabin. If there is and it works then the boot mounted swich is most likley at fault.

Cooling fans will run all the time the climate control is swiched on IIRC. There's nothing - like a plastic bag perhaps - melted on the exhaust or any fluid leaked or spilt on the engine is there?

Is the smell inside / outside / under the bonnet? If it's inside the cabin then you may have a tiny coolant leak, maybe not enough to lower the coolant level yet, from the heater matrix, if it's outside or under the bonnet then again there might be a minute leak from the cooling system. Hot coolant at the correct concentration has an acrid bitter smell and will leave a coloured deposit usually around the hose connections or along the bottom of the radiator.

Engine temperature should be in the middle of the gauge and no further towards the hot sector after maybe 3-5 miles from cold start. Not bordeline overheating maybe? Coolant level too low or perhaps a thermostat stuck partially closed or maybe a blocked radiator?

Not got a partialy siezied caliper? That'll stink of burning brakes obviously. Feel the wheels after a drive - all too hot to touch just means you've been giving it some, but one wheel significantly hotter then the others or a heavier covering of brake dust or uneven braking with firm pedal pressure is a sure sigh somthings not right.

Might be worth having the cooling system pressure checked - or see for yourself by squeezing them - if there's any residual pressure in the hoses once the engine has been run and cooled down for a while. Once it's cold then check the coolant level.

[StoatInACoat]

Thank you Hadn't heard of Eurojag so will have a look. As far as I know there isn't a button in the cabin so it's currently being opened with the key every time which is annoying if the car is running and you want to open the boot.

Some more details - Even with the climate/Ac off the fans both spin all the time. I haven't managed to have a look underneath yet but a bag or something sounds plausible actually as it's a difficult smell to place. It does it on idle as well.

The thermostat>rad hose fills up when running so I assumed the thermostat was working correctly? It sits at half on the gauge all the time, never any more as far as I know. The smell is definitely outside the car and I couldn't see any deposits on the windscreen so I ruled out heater matrix for the time being.

I'll have a proper look for coolant deposits + underneath when I get a chance and report back

[Jaguar steve]

Thinking about it I have a vauge memory - which I'm not certain about so don't treat it as gospel - there may have been a revision to the cooling fan control sometime during the X300 production - I think the later cars may well run the fans all the time but at two different speeds depending on cooling load and a/c operation.

[nc67]

my car x300 smells quite hot, when town driving, was pretty worried,when i bought it, so had it checked out, no probs, and its been like that for 5 years now, just thought put your mind at rest

[cml]

I noticed a hot smell in my X300 on a motorway blast - a slightly sweet hot rubber smell, quite strong. Around town nothing, just on sustained high revs. Not belts or brakes or anything obvious. So I did nothing as a service was due. Told the story, man checked the possible culprits, nothing. Next motorway blast = no smell. The only work done on the service (apart from the usual fluids and filters) was a replacement back box on the exhaust and the tightening of the belts (they were new and had been run-in a little). So two possible causes there, otherwise, who knows, some spilled/leaked fluid that burned off maybe.


Sorry that might not have been much help on reflection! I just like to identify

[StoatInACoat]

Thank you all for your assistance

Feel a little daft now, on closer inspection (IE on a ramp) there was a bag wrapped around the exhaust Ah well, at least that explains why it was a difficult smell to place and everything seemed to work normally...

Regarding the boot button, and bearing in mind my dad has owned the car for about 6 years now, I asked him if it had a boot release button in the car and he discovered that actually yes it does and now the boot opens. I assume therefore that the button is the fault

New problem though, now it's knocking from the back over bumps...

Edited by StoatInACoat on Thursday 30th September 08:54

[cml]

Ah, mine needed new rear shocks at 130,000 - £220, although that may be a special rate as I bought the car from the garage