S type won't restart after journey

[Blossom2003]

Hi everyone , Hope you can help.

Took the Jag to get fuel yesterday . Started from home no problem, filled up at garage would not restart. There was just a clicking noise from the ignition . After about 20mins tried again and it started. Got home switched it off and thought I would try to restart again. Same thing, just clicking from ignition. A bunch of warning messages flashed up including brakes. Tried a starting next day, no problem. Switched ignition on and of a few times no problem. Took the car for a drive, came back and switched off engine. Tried to restart straight away nothing but clicking noise. Tried an hour later started ok.

What s going on, please help!

[Raistlin]

This has certain echoes of a weak battery.

Can you give your battery an offload charge and see if makes things better?

[Blossom2003]

Thanks for such a prompt reply. Much appreciated.

I'm pretty sure the battery is only a couple of years old and came from a Jag dealership . But it's not our main car and stands outside unused for a couple of weeks at a time. There has been a couple of times recently, where we have gone a month without using it.

[Old Peter]

Hi Jane and welcome to the Club.

 

I also think that the problem is battery related.  Sometimes there can be water ingress into the boot of the s type and with the battery being in the boot there can be an element of damp. which electrical things do not like.

 

I used to have a caravan which I did not use between October and March, and always took the battery off and gave it a monthly charge every 4 weeks. A good battery would last 5 years or so.

 

Regards,

 

Peter. 

[Blossom2003]

Thanks Peter, much appreciated.

So I took her out for a drive this afternoon. I took a jump start/charger unit with me, that I bought from Maplins ( and will leave it in the boot from now on ). Drove at a steady speed, no more than 50 mph for 30mins. Stopped switch off engine, crossed fingers and waited 5 mins. She started no problem. Drove home and did the same, again started no problem. Hopefully, that's done the trick. If not, I'll be back here tomorrow.lol

[Raistlin]

Certainly sounds like a weak battery Jane.

 

Perhaps you could take it off-line and charge it overnight. It should be obvious, if your charger has a meter, that the initial charging current will be high but will have fallen to almost nothing the next morning.

 

One other thing that would be helpful, if you have (or can borrow) a multimeter, is to measure the battery voltage when fitted to the car (should be 12 volts) and then start the engine and letting it idle, check again when the voltage should be 13.8 volts or thereabouts. That will enusre that the alternator is working properly.

[Old Peter]

That's great, Jane.

 

The S Type is too nice a car to leave sitting around.

 

We only have one car now and my wife's red Escort EFI convertible has now gone.

 

Regards,

 

Peter. 

[Blossom2003]

Well, back to the drawing board. Had battery checked over and it is fine. Holding a charge no problem. Put it back on tonight and now car won't start at all. Any other suggestions as I'm at a loss now?

Cheers all

[Reverand]

Hi Jane,

           Had the same problem with mine (2002 S-Type), After a lo0ad of faffing around it turned out to be the Starter Motor. I replaced it with a Jaguar starter, but you can get a Bosch a lot cheaper! Don't take her to the dealer though, take her to a good independent to have her checked out.

Hope this helps,

Kind regards,

Phill

[bobbybiscuit]

I agree with Reverand - Jaguar dealer will charge you a mint even for a diagnostic check. 

[Blossom2003]

Well it's becoming a bit of a saga. Couldn't start her yesterday at all. Tried today and she started, so a friend took her to a local garage that has diagnostic capabilities. He said it was sure it was engine management fault. There were faults showing for brakes and gearbox, but he couldn't say exactly where. Something to do with sensors and it would have to go to a Jag dealer. As each part is coded to the car. He said that this could be expensive, as they change one thing at a time. They charge for each part they change, as its coded to the car. They do this until the fault is rectified . I really don't understand any of this. I thought, if your car had a computer onboard. It would be able to tell you exactly where the fault is. Last time she went to a Jag dealer, they came up with nearly £4000 worth of work. I love Blossom, but I'm beginning to wonder if she is worth getting repaired.

[bobbybiscuit]

I had a problem with the "low brake level fluid" warning come up and yet the brake level fluid was fine. No one could find out what the problem was. I bit the bullet and took my car to a Jag dealer where the hourly charge is £94 quid per hour!

 

I explained that i wanted a diagnostic of the fault only. They charged me 0.5 hour and gave me advice on how to do the work myself and how to get a work around for the MOT. Just make it clear you want a diagnostic only. Just say you have a limited income and that you know someone who can do the work for you to keep the cost down.

 

My Jaguar dealership were helpful and understanding BUT i would not let them do the work.

 

I buy genuine Jag parts for my own servicing and have haggled over price and have achieved discounts of between 10 and 30%. If its too much money I tell them I cant afford it.

[bobbybiscuit]

I am no mechanic but I have bought an inexpensive fault code reader which I can plug in to most cars. The code reader will tell you the fault code and there are code explanations on the internet - you can either search by code via google  or search for a list of all the codes. It helps the garage to identify the problem. My suggestion still is to bite the bullet and get a jag dealer to identify the areas - let them quote you for repairs - ie what part i needed and labour - take that to your own garage.

[bobbybiscuit]

I think you have got to the stage that you need expertise in ascertaining the exact fault or faults. Good luck. ;-)