My winter ride acting up

[ChuckG]

Okay, this one has me stumped.

My Winter ride is an '03 Jag X-type 2.5L/Auto. Great car with excellent millage (25/30+).

Yesterday, after sitting for about 36hrs in at or below zero weather, it wouldn't start. DIC said "Gearbox Failure". Hit the crash reset and threw on a 10Amp charger for five minutes. Started and ran fine.

Started today just fine again, after sitting at 10 Below all night. Down to 1/4 tank, but just added Techtron on last fill, so was waiting for 1/8 to fill up again.

Drove a bit, stopped for three hours, started fine again, drove down the highway ten miles in some congestion. Then the car started to chug and choke. It would rev fine in Neutral, but in Drive, it steadily died bit by bit--45MPH, 30MPH, 10MPH, finally ending on an off ramp in a stall.

Again, the DIC said "Gearbox Failure" and though all my accessories worked fine, no crank. Hit the crash reset again, but no crank. Smelled very faint clutch/break lining smell (could've been off ramp traffic). Each crank was preceded by a humming sound when the key was turned.

Flat bedded home. After waiting a few hours, car cranked but did not fire, then just clicked.

On charger again now.

Last time I saw this "Gearbox Failure" was when I got in an accident last year. Hit the crash reset and the car fired right up and I moved it out of the intersection.

Any thoughts? Alternator, battery, out of gas, frozen fuel lines, or really my gearbox?

I'm guessing here!

[leadfoot]

If it were mine I'd think battery and water/condensation in the gas.

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
Thats a ZF gearbox as I recall.
I do know that there was updated calibrations for a few control modules for transmission conditions.
However, I will have to do more research.
Allthebest, c4c5

[LLC5]

I would start with the basics first, a complete charging system test including voltage test, alternator diode test, and voltage drop test from alternator to battery (positive side of battery), and battery to engine and battery to body (negative side of battery), battery clamps clean and tight to the posts. . Fully charge the battery and have it load tested with a carbon pile load tester.

[ChuckG]

All very good tips I'll follow when it stops snowing (condo w/carport). I did fill the tank and threw in some HEET gas dryer.

Today when I started it, it had a check engine light, but that went away after it reached operating temp.

I did see that there is a TSB from Jag where there's a reset routine for the J Gate shifter. All just a shift sequence done from inside with no tools. I did do that and drove today without too much worry, but only a few miles.

Also, took it to Autozone since it's Saturday and my local garage doesn't do weekends and had them check codes. They used the OBD II and it didn't work. I think they need something called a Tech II to read Jag codes.

I'm also hearing maybe MAF sensor, but that will surely throw a code, so I'm waiting for an accurate read. The MAF is one part I can actually get that isn't a dealer item! (wheel bearings were $130/2: rotors $150/2--Dealer-only).

By the way, I did discover the "sealed no maintenance" transaxle indeed can be drained and refilled. Drain plug on the pan & refill hole under the battery tray. Told seven qts Mercon III, but oil guy says Dextron V. That's one I have to be sure of. I don't trust fluids past 50k and I'm at 72k now and on pins and needles with this "no maintenance" jive. Things have to be gooey in there with October, 2002 fluid still in the trans.

Wish the Ford dealer would service this! They're close and charge 75% of what the Jag dealer does. ($85/hr vs. $135/hr).

PS Thanks for the help and here's a few more ducats for the kitty

[aquaholic]

i'de bet the owners manual would say what the fluid is. i think your both mixed up on the fluid though. i would bet its dex iii/mercon fluid and you can buy that anywhere. i just picked up 3 gallons of penzoil that says on the jug "replaces dex iii/mercon" for my jeep at walmart. what the guy probably meant was dex iii or mercon v. NOT mercon iii and dex v.

[ChuckG]

The owner's manual says it's service-free. The shop manual gives a spec number, not a term or name we'd recognize as an item we'd see at Autozone, et al.

Now I'm reading that it's a proprietary mixture (that is pink) that the dealer sells for $60/qt. ARRGG! It's a FREAKIN' FORD under the skin. Why all the voodoo?

The quest continues....

Really, I'm not kidding here, I've been to the Jag dealer a bunch over the last three years since so much is Dealer-Only and I've NEVER seen anyone buying one. Every nickle they're making is in the back room and parts counter. They don't even have a collision shop.

[ChuckG]

Just an update: Went through the codes. Mostly related to split PCV hose ($14, again Dealer-only) and the battery. One points to cat, but we'll check tat again. Dealer confirmed it's warrantied 8/80k.

The Gearbox Fault thing seems to be related to the 10 below/needing adjustment deal. The shift sequence in the TSB seems to have corrected the adjustment issue and I haven't seen any repeats.

Battery stood at 12.7V, but showed 64% of life remaining. I'll tough that out through Winter,since Summer is Vette season and the car stays parked unless it's raining, replace the battery in the Fall.

Any thoughts on the DieHard Gold series? They list one for Jags at $109 and it has a better warranty than the $212 Jag battery.

[aquaholic]

i've had good luck with the regular die hard batteries and ac delco batteries (never used the gold series). i have never had an optima battery live up to its longevity claim. which is a real shame since i used to work for the company that made them. 3 years is the max i've ever gotten out of an optima. die hards and ac delcos have been the full 6 years or longer.

[ChuckG]

Die Hard line is made by Johnson Controls. Johnson makes tons of labels, but not Optima and I don't think Interstate (or is that Exide??).

I have a DieHard Gold in my C4 and it's never failed me. Sits six months, takes a charge, works all summer. Who can ask for more?

I'm still kinda impressed the Jag battery has been on the road since since '02 (built months prior) and still reads a steady 12.7V and has 64% of its "life" left.

What I need, in any style battery, is a 92R, which of course no one stocks....

Have to do some digging, it seems.