What to Do When Your Jaguar is Moving into Failsafe Mode

Posted on | 28 Mar 2019 By Anita Gaal

Over time, technology in vehicles has evolved to ensure that cars are much safer with the release of each model. These safety features that have been incorporated in recent models have had an immediate impact on the number of fatalities from road accidents, which have significantly reduced. One of the vehicle models where the manufacturer has paid particular attention to safety is the Jaguar. The Jaguar’s engineering has incorporated a failsafe mode that has greatly improved the safety standards of the vehicle.

What is Failsafe Mode?

The failsafe mode is a feature that helps reduce the effects of failure in the car. This feature comes in handy in the event that something stops working in the car while on the road and you are nowhere near an auto repair shop. Failsafe mode protects the car from further damage from the problematic part. The failsafe mode also reduces the chances of accidents by limiting how far and fast you can drive the car.

The process is automated so that as soon as the car’s computer determines that your car is not running as it should and causes a problem in the transmission, the failsafe mode then kicks in. For many Jaguar drivers, however, the failsafe mode sometimes becomes a nightmare. This is because the failsafe mode light on the dashboard can sometimes come on and off irregularly.

Why it Happens

While the failsafe mode kicks in to prevent further damage to the car as well as create a safe condition for you to find help from a professional, the warning light in itself is quite vague and can point to a number of issues. This is because the failsafe mode is computerized, and any fault that is detected in the car by the computer can cause the car to activate it.

However, some of the most obvious faults that cause the failsafe mode to come on are normally found in the transmission system. This is the system that is responsible for controlling the speed and direction in which the car is driven. The system is made up of several different parts, all of which can be culprits when the warning light comes on. Additionally, when any of the other vehicle functions that are computerized develop a problem, then the failsafe mode can be activated. The sensors that control the pressure of air in the engine, for instance, can also trigger the light to come on.

Because the failsafe mode works based on the car’s computer, a fault in the electrical system of the car can also cause the computer to misread situations and this can cause the warning light to come on. Such faults could arise from a blown fuse or even a problem in the wiring harness.

What Happens in Failsafe Mode?

When the vehicle’s transmission system goes into failsafe mode, the immediate effect is that cruise control will fail to work as it should. This is a situation that is characterized by a lock in the transmission system. This locking makes it difficult for the car to change from gear to gear.

In the event that the gears are locked in a low gear, you will find it impossible to go any faster than that gear. This is because the car’s computer decides that it may be unsafe to drive the car any faster in its condition. If the transmission locks in higher gears then the car can slow down to the other gears but the driver may experience difficulties when it comes to stopping.

What to Do if Your Jaguar is in Failsafe Mode

In the event that the failsafe mode light comes on in your Jaguar, that is a clear indication that there could be a fault in the car that needs immediate resolution. This is why you should immediately take your car into a trusted jaguar auto repair shop for diagnosis to determine what exactly caused the problem. Resetting the car as recommended by the manufacturer may help solve the problem, but it is safer to have a pro take a look. This is particularly true since the problem with the car may not be too obvious.

Getting a reputable auto repair technician to look at your car is very important, and Euro Automotive understands how important your car’s well-being is to your driving experience. If you are in Dallas, Garland, Arlington, or Fort Worth, TX, we are available to sort out your Jaguar’s problems as soon as you give us a call.

* Jaguar XE image credit goes to: trangiap.

Failing BMW Instrument Cluster Pixels

Posted on | 11 Mar 2019 By Anita Gaal

BMWs, like other luxury vehicles, are designed with expertise down to every detail, including the instrument cluster on the dashboard. So, failing pixels on the instrument cluster are an unsightly problem that can make your BMW look less appealing. In the worst case, it may look like you don’t care about the interior of your vehicle, so the best thing to do in this situation is to take your BMW to an experienced professional in order to have the issue taken care of.

It can be very expensive to replace the entire instrument cluster unit, so make sure that you’re aware of simpler, less expensive solutions that a professional service center can provide. In this article, we’ll go over some facts about pixel failure in BMWs, common causes of pixel failure, and a way to fix this issue without replacing the entire instrument cluster unit.

What Causes Instrument Cluster Pixel Failure?

Unfortunately, BMW models ranging from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s commonly experience problems with the instrument cluster pixels. The problems range from fading and disappearing pixels on the instrument cluster to pixels failing completely and dying. This is a troubling issue because important information like mileage is displayed by these pixels, and if the pixels are faded or dead it makes important data hard to read or understand. There are several factors that can cause problems with the instrument cluster pixels, but the main problem usually stems from a problem with the ribbon cable that connects the display to the instrument cluster and its circuit board. The problem can also stem from faulty or damaged LED lights.

Failing Ribbon Cable

The ribbon cable connecting the LCD display to the circuit board can fail for a number of reasons. The most common reasons for ribbon cable failure are related to faulty wiring, damage to the cable, and issues with the voltage regulator. Sometimes, the instrument cluster circuit board is what is actually causing the connection issue due to a blown fuse or defect. But more often than not, the ribbon cable has failed due to damage or wiring issues.

Damaged LED Lights

If you’re experiencing problems with the illumination of the instrument cluster in your BMW, the cause may be faulty or damaged LED lights within the display. It can be difficult to diagnose this issue without the expertise of a mechanic, but if the display on your instrument cluster is dull, dim, or completely dead, it may be due to damaged, burnt-out, or faulty LED lights within the display. Replacing LED lights within the display is a simple fix for someone with extensive knowledge of BWM wiring and hardware.

Solving The Problem

It’s difficult to determine the cause of failing instrument cluster pixels in your BMW, so the best course of action is to bring your vehicle to a qualified expert that can fix it without costing you a fortune. Instead of repairing or completely replacing the instrument cluster, have the specialist working with your BMW replace the ribbon cable and LCD display. If needed, replace any burned out LED bulbs. This method is much more efficient than complete replacement.

Failing pixels within the instrument cluster of your BMW can be a frustrating problem to deal with. We understand the importance of keeping your vehicle is the best possible condition, and have years of experience with BMW models that have failing instrument cluster pixels.

The team at Euro Automotive has years of experience providing the highest quality of service for European makes. We understand the importance of having a vehicle that performs well, which is why we pride ourselves on our attention to detail and honesty. Our commitment to stellar customer service has impressed European car owners all over Texas, with many of our clients coming from Dallas, Garland, Arlington, and Fort Worth. We believe in providing the highest quality of service and repair to all of our clients, and we do everything we can to ensure your vehicle is running smoothly.

Our specialists are the most qualified in the area, so if you’d like to build a business relationship with our experts please call us. If you’ve noticed failing instrument cluster pixels in your BMW, reach out to our team of experts to get the problem solved right away.

* BMW E39 520i image credit goes to: DarthArt.

* BMW 5-series (G30) image credit goes to: y_carfan.