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Jaguar XF Diesel: Timing Chain Symptoms Explained

My 2016 Jaguar XF diesel (115000km) is giving me headaches with poor performance lately. The engine light keeps coming on and the car feels sluggish, using more fuel than usual. The last mechanic mentioned something about cam sensor readings and crankshaft to camshaft timing being off. Has anyone dealt with similar symptoms? Looking for advice before heading back to a shop, since my last repair experience wasnt great. Could this be a timing chain issue or something with engine synchronization?

Summary of the thread

A 2016 Jaguar XF diesel is experiencing poor performance, with the engine light on and increased fuel consumption. A mechanic suggested issues with cam sensor readings and crankshaft to camshaft timing. This could indicate a timing chain problem or engine synchronization issue. A similar case involved a faulty crankshaft sensor causing incorrect ECU readings, leading to poor performance and increased fuel use. The solution involved replacing the crank sensor and cleaning the sensor area, which resolved the timing issues and restored normal engine performance.

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8 comment(s)

dominikmaier60

Had similar symptoms on my 2013 Jaguar XJ diesel at 125000km. The engine light kept triggering due to crankshaft position sensor sending faulty signals to the ECU. The timing chain was actually fine, but the crank sensor was causing the ECU to misread engine timing, leading to poor performance and increased fuel consumption. The repair involved replacing the crank sensor and cleaning the sensor mounting area since metal debris had accumulated there. This was causing incorrect readings and making the engine run poorly. Without proper sensor data, the ECU was getting confused about injection timing and throttle response. This is a serious issue that needs addressing soon, running with incorrect timing can potentially damage engine components if left unchecked. When the crank sensor fails, it can cause misfires and timing issues that mimic timing chain problems. Would recommend getting it diagnosed properly at a shop that specializes in Jaguar powertrains. The symptoms match exactly what happened with my car, sluggish performance, engine light, and timing-related trouble codes. Once fixed, the engine performance returned to normal and fuel economy improved significantly.

laura_lange1 (community.author)

Thanks for sharing your experience. Really glad you got it resolved. Had exactly the same problem last month, the faulty cam sensor was causing all sorts of engine synchronization issues. The reference values from both crankshaft and camshaft sensors were completely off, making the ECU compensate incorrectly. Do you remember roughly how much the repair cost in the end? Also curious if youve had any other issues pop up since getting it fixed? My car has been running great after the sensor replacement but always good to know what to watch out for.

dominikmaier60

Had no other problems since fixing it last summer. The crankshaft sensor replacement sorted everything, the reference value between crankshaft and camshaft is now spot on, which resolved the engine light and performance issues. Total cost was 340€ including diagnostic work and sensor cleaning. The mechanic confirmed that once the faulty crankshaft sensor was replaced, all timing values returned to factory specs. No more misfires or engine timing compensation needed. Fuel economy is back to normal and the engine runs smooth again. Keep monitoring but you probably wont see issues return. These sensors typically last the life of the vehicle once replaced with quality parts. Just make sure any shop working on it uses genuine sensors, aftermarket ones can sometimes cause reliability problems.

laura_lange1 (community.author)

I finally got everything sorted last week. Took it to a certified shop that diagnosed the problem correctly, turned out the engine synchronization was off due to both cam sensor and crankshaft sensor issues. The timing belt area was actually fine. Total bill came to 420€ including parts and labor. They did a thorough cleaning of the sensor mounting areas and replaced both sensors with OEM parts. The engine light hasnt come back on since, and the car feels like new again. Fuel consumption is back to normal levels too. Amazing how such small sensors can cause such big problems. The mechanic showed me the old sensors, they were covered in metal debris which was causing incorrect readings. Makes sense why the ECU was getting confused about the engine timing. Just glad to have it running properly again. Will definitely keep an eye on the engine performance, but the shop assured me these new sensors should last for years. No more sluggish acceleration or strange behavior from the engine.

Demerer123

Hi, I have a Jaguar XF diesel 132kW from 2017. The engine light is on, it doesn't have the same power, and it doesn't start as it should; it starts on the third or more tries. I was at the service, they replaced the camshaft and crankshaft sensors, and it's still the same. They told me at the service that the timing needs to be adjusted, but the timing belt was changed 40,000 kilometers ago, so is it possible that the error only showed up now? Or is the error somewhere else? Thank you in advance for your answer.

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Demerer123

Hi, I have a Jaguar XF diesel 132kW from 2017. The engine light is on, it doesn't have much power, and it doesn't start properly; it takes three or more tries. I was at a service center, and they replaced the camshaft and crankshaft sensors, but the problem persists. They told me at the service center that the timing belt needs to be timed, but the timing belt was changed 40,000 kilometers ago. So, is it possible that the error only appeared now? Or is the fault somewhere else? Thanks in advance for your answer.

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CarlyMechanic

community_quotation:

community_author_wrote_on

Hi, I have a Jaguar XF diesel 132kW from 2017. The engine light is on, it doesn't have much power, and it doesn't start properly; it takes three or more tries. I was at a service center, and they replaced the camshaft and crankshaft sensors, but the problem persists. They told me at the service center that the timing belt needs to be timed, but the timing belt was changed 40,000 kilometers ago. So, is it possible that the error only appeared now? Or is the fault somewhere else? Thanks in advance for your answer.

It's possible that the timing belt installation wasn't done correctly, leading to timing issues that are only now becoming apparent. However, before revisiting the timing belt, check for any vacuum leaks or issues with the fuel system, such as a clogged fuel filter or failing fuel pump, which could also cause starting and power issues. If these checks don't resolve the problem, it might be worth having the timing belt alignment re-verified by a trusted mechanic. Let me know how it goes or if you have further questions!

CarlyMechanic

community_quotation:

community_author_wrote_on

Hi, I have a Jaguar XF diesel 132kW from 2017. The engine light is on, it doesn't have the same power, and it doesn't start as it should; it starts on the third or more tries. I was at the service, they replaced the camshaft and crankshaft sensors, and it's still the same. They told me at the service that the timing needs to be adjusted, but the timing belt was changed 40,000 kilometers ago, so is it possible that the error only showed up now? Or is the error somewhere else? Thank you in advance for your answer.

It's possible that the timing belt installation wasn't done correctly, leading to timing issues that are only now becoming apparent. However, before revisiting the timing belt, check for any vacuum leaks or issues with the fuel system, such as a clogged fuel filter or failing fuel pump, which could also cause starting and power issues. If these checks don't resolve the problem, it might be worth having the timing belt alignment re-verified by a trusted mechanic. Let me know how it goes or if you have further questions!

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XF