Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights

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Tue 27 Oct 2015 08:11
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - Rauly

Hi All,

I have followed the site but now joined tobe able to ask the advice of the Forum.

I am looking at a nice Jaguar S type. On the test drive the ABS and Brake light warning came up, though there seemed no problem with the handbrake operation, and I did not put the ABS to the test.

Has anyone any advice as to the cause and possible costs of putting these right? Is it a common problem?

I know this is a vague question so not expecting any magic answers but just anyone with past experience.

The seller said the car had been sitting around (and there was cobwebs on the car), so maybe its condensation from lack of use as he thinks? He seemed like an honest fella and said it was not on the previous time he drove it.

Thanks in advance

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Tue 27 Oct 2015 10:11
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - Falkirk Bairn
The seller said the car had been sitting around (and there was cobwebs on the car), so maybe its condensation from lack of use as he thinks? He seemed like an honest fella and said it was not on the previous time he drove it.

"Many Rice Davis type statement"

Unless it is seriously seriously cheap compared to other S-types without the brake issues WALK - you could easily spend megabucks on a Jag.

A friend of a friend needed new disks & pads on a 2/3 yr old XF - so nothing complicated - he was quoted £600 by the main dealer who was servicing car - he had it done for a lot less elsewhere.

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Tue 27 Oct 2015 10:33
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - RobJP

Warning lights come on, or problems with a car when you go to look at it / test drive it, don't walk away.

RUN.

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Tue 27 Oct 2015 13:59
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - elekie&a/c doctor
The most common problem with abs system on these is broken/corroded reluctor rings on the rear driveshafts.that would be in keeping withe cars lack of use.




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Tue 27 Oct 2015 22:24
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - Rauly

Thanks for the direction. Much appreciated.

The agreement is that it would need to be put right before we buy, and then we will get it pre-purchase checked, but that is limited to an on the spot inspection.

With the possible diagnosis you came up with it that a pretty costly job to cure?

I do understand the walk/run approach as that was my first thought, but it is a nice car and at a good price if I can get this sorted first.

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Wed 28 Oct 2015 11:05
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - RobJP

The thing is, will they be fixing it properly, or bodging it enough to get it sold. Obviously, if it's an expensive fix, they aren't going to want to throw lots of money at it (would you, in their position ?), so it invites the seller cutting corners to get it gone.

Bear in mind that unscrupulous sellers have been known to disconnect the light on ABS-type faults. Fortunately, the light comes on for a couple of seconds at startup, so easy to check for.

I just have a philosophy that buying a car that has MOT failure faults is asking for trouble. Regarding it being a 'nice car at a good price', the phrase "cheap for a reason" should come to mind. Along with asking if it's so good then why hasn't it sold already.

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Wed 28 Oct 2015 13:44
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - colino

With most cars abs lights are very common if sitting for a long time (they like to see nice, stable voltage) but should quickly disappear on restart if the alternator/battery are up to snuff. However idleness is not a good thing on either an old or S Type Jag. They really need dismantling, cleaning and lubrication before throwing parts at it and for some reason, Jag abs sensors seem to pick up grot fairly easily too.

S Types are now so cheap, better to walk away and find a near perfect example in the colour and spec that you want now.

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Wed 28 Oct 2015 18:47
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - Kia Ora

This is coincidental, my car did exactly the same thing with exactly the same indications. That's where the similarity ends of course because my car is a Daihatsu Sirion 1.5sx - and before anyone laughs it has ABS and VSC.

Anyway - I replaced a rear bearing hub, which has an integral ABS sender on it. I buttoned it all up and voila! I had the ABS, VSC, and the handbrake warning illuminate. I was a bit shocked because the job is only four bolts and an electric plug, and the other side I did the previous week gave no problems. So I pulled it all out and checked the resistance of the ABS unit against the old one and there was no resistance - it was apparent my new hub unit had a duff ABS sender.

I did fix it by swapping the old sender onto the new bearing assembly but to my horror the dash lights still stayed on. After much thinking I drove the car and after a hundred yards the light extinguished. It seemed the ECU needed to have a "think" about things. All is well after many miles.

I am still puzzling over why the handbrake light warning came on though.

Summing up it may just be a dead sender on this Jag and the only way to find out is check them by resistance (if you know what value it should be), or get a computer plugged into to interrogate the brake ECU. If it isn't a dead sender unit I would lose interest in this Jag.

Good luck. Regards.

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Wed 28 Oct 2015 19:15
Jaguar S-Type - ABS and handbrake fault lights - oldroverboy.

OK..

My username is ORB, but it sounds better than oldjaguarboy..

If the OP is comfortable in buying an S type however cheaply.. just one bit of advice, NEVER EVER buy the "problem"

If you are comfortable with losing the total cost of buying the car, and more Go ahead, but they ARE moneypits.

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