"Gearbox Fault" in Jaguar XF – Explanation of the Error Message

Life is good when you have a luxury Jaguar XF car that works fine and doesn't ask for an expensive repair. But once something goes wrong, your mood is not the same anymore. The older your XF and the more miles it has on it, the more chances of faults and malfunctions that will start getting on your nerves now and then.

Gearbox fault message highlights

• Common reasons:shifter issues, TCU problems, transmission issues
• How to fix:check the codes, take it in for inspection
• Possible consequences:transmission may fail if ignored
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Impossible
• Repair price range:$300-$4,500

The transmission type in your Jaguar XF - what should you know?

First of all, let's look at the type of transmission you can have in your Jaguar XF. It's important because there are types of transmissions that fail more often than others. Of course, Jaguar is concerned with the quality of their cars, so the company only uses high-quality and reliable transmissions.

The X250 generation (2008-2015) used these two transmission types:

• 6-speed automatic transmission by ZF (ZF6HP);
• 8-speed automatic transmission by ZF (8HP70);
• 6-speed manual transmission by ZF (S6).

The X260 generation of the XF (2015 - now) uses these kinds of transmissions:

• 8-speed automatic transmission by ZF (8HP);
• 6-speed manual transmission by ZF (6S-45).

We are mainly talking about automatic transmissions today. Not only because they were more popular than manual versions in these vehicles, but also because these transmissions are the only ones that can send you the "Gearbox Fault" message.

So, all transmissions are made by ZF. They are all torque-converter automatic transmissions with a lot of positive reviews. Their approximate lifespan is about 200,000 miles with minor repairs. These transmissions are really good and they are the last unit in your Jaguar XF that would fail and cause those nasty messages with errors on the dashboard.

Let's see why this message may appear.

Why do you see that "Gearbox Fault" message in your Jaguar XF?

So, now you know that the XF has pretty durable and reliable transmissions. And the other news you should know is that the "Gearbox Fault" message in your Jaguar is not always directly connected with transmission problems. This sounds ridiculous but the self-diagnosis system in these cars is not perfect and it can send you brake failure messages or gearbox errors when other things should be repaired.

Here are some of the most common reasons why you may see the "Gearbox Fault" error message in the Jaguar XF:

• Wiring issues- corroded wiring or just lost contact may be present in older cars. This means that the ECU won't get needed signals from all sensors and will show you the error message.
• Battery problems- the dead or dying battery may be the reason for this error message. At least, this is what many XF owners say in their reports and comments. Check the battery or replace it to see if the error disappears.
• ECU glitching- actually, this also happens quite often when the battery is nearly dead. The ECU may send some error messages and then after restarting the car they disappear and the vehicle drives normally.
• Transmission failure- anyway, let's not forget that even reliable and high-quality transmissions may fail and cause some problems. Checking it with any DIY methods is not rational, you should take the vehicle in and have it diagnosed.
• Shift selector issues- quite a lot of XF owners report that they had the shift selector replaced under warranty up until the vehicle had about 40,000 miles. This means the part may be defective and it will cause the "Gearbox Fault" error message when it fails.

So, quite a lot of reasons can lead to this problem and it's not only the transmission. Even more, the transmission itself is pretty rarely engaged in some problems that activate this error message on your dashboard. So, you should check other parts of the Jaguar XF to find this problem and resolve it in the end.

What should you do when you see the "Gearbox Fault" error in your XF?

So, this is not always a bad problem that needs your instant attention. In most cases, the "Gearbox Fault" in your Jaguar XF is just a simple electrical problem that can be repaired easily after proper diagnosis.

You can try the following to get rid of the error message:

• Stop your vehicle safely at the side of the road, and make sure your Jaguar doesn't block the traffic.
• Turn off the engine and let it rest for a while - 5-10 minutes should be enough.
• Turn on the engine and see if the problem has gone.
• If not, then repeat this procedure 3-4 times to see if the error disappears.
• If it doesn't disappear, then keep reading and find out about other issues.

Unless you hear some grinding noises or feel bumps in your Jaguar, you may keep driving carefully even if the error is still on the dash. Unfortunately, you may also have some other problems with your transmission that can activate the "Gearbox Fault" error message and they may be fatal for the vehicle.

What transmission problems can cause the error message in the XF?

The Jaguar XF is equipped with a good diagnosis system but it may throw some errors at you without actually giving an explanation of the problem. The best thing you may do is to go to the dealer or just to a good repair shop and have the vehicle diagnosed with a proper scanner tool. This will give you the fault code which can lead you much closer to the actual problem.

If the issue is eventually with the transmission, here are some weak links in this transmissions:

• torque converter - this part may live up to 200,000 miles but it will fail in the end;
• gears in the transmission - the gears are very durable and can only die because of improper use of the vehicle;
• electronic transmission modules and units - they may malfunction because of water damage or just age;
• low fluid - this is one of the most common issues that may happen, but checking up the level is pretty hard in these cars;
• dirty and clogged transmission - any solenoids may malfunction because of bad and dirty fluid or just because of wear;
• stick shift issues - the selector has some electronics that may stop working at high mileage or after 12 or more years.

So, if the vehicle is over 12 years and has more than 200,000 miles on it, chances are you will have to repair or replace the transmission. It's not going to be a very pleasant experience because you will have to spend some money. Unfortunately, any automatic transmission is expensive and hard to repair, and the Jaguar XF transmissions are even harder to get back to life than average.

Repair options if your Jaguar XF has the transmission problem

The first thing is diagnosis. When you know what causes the problem, you can make a proper decision and get your car back on the road.

Jaguar XF has automatic transmissions made by ZF company and they are just classic torque-converter transmissions. When they are taken apart for repair, you will want to replace a standard set of parts to let them work at least 70-80 thousand miles after the repair is completed.

Here are your options:

• Repair. If the problem is not that bad, it may be really good to repair the transmission. The repair costs will still be depressing - $1000 - $3000 depending on the issue.
• Replacement. You can buy a used remanufactured transmission for about $3,500 or even look for the new one that would cost you at least twice more than that. Don't forget about labor costs.
• Selling the vehicle. You can also sell the XF as a salvage car or scrap it. Sometimes, it makes sense when the vehicle is old and with very high mileage on it. Repairing investment doesn't seem very clever, in this case.

Final words

Your Jaguar XF transmission may fail at 200,000 miles or after approximately 12 years of work. Also, these transmissions can't stand overloading, or towing heavy trailers, they hate being towed, and they really need good service. But when you see the "Gearbox Fault" in your Jaguar XF, you should not start with the transmission repair. Sometimes, the problem is just because of the battery or wiring. A good diagnosis is needed.

Also, if you don't hear any bad sounds and the vehicle drives normally, you can keep driving the car carefully even though the fault is on the dashboard.