Jaguar warning lights: what each light means
In Jaguar models, the documented faults light up 7 warning lights on the dashboard. The most frequent: engine warning light (3 faults), oil warning light (2 faults) and coolant light (1 fault). Oil warning light and coolant light call for stopping as soon as possible.
Which warning lights the faults of Jaguar trigger
Red ones first, and those that call for stopping. Below each warning light, the documented faults that trigger it, with their pages.
Oil pressure warning light on
Urgency: As soon as possibleRedSymbol: oil can (an oil can with a drop)
The red oil-can warning light means the engine is not getting the oil pressure it needs. The cause may be a low oil level, a failing oil pump or a blocked oil circuit. With low pressure, parts such as the turbo, the bearings or the timing drive can wear out within minutes.
What to do: Stop the car as soon as it is safe and switch the engine off. Check the level with the dipstick and do not drive on if the light stays on: call a recovery truck.
2 documented faults that trigger it in the Jaguar
- High severity: Balance shaft bearing wear · 2.0 Ingenium diésel engine · E-Pace, F-Pace, XE and 1 more
- Critical severity: Crankshaft breakage and spinning main bearing shells · TDV6 / SDV6 engine · XF I and XJ X351
Coolant warning light on (low level or temperature)
Urgency: As soon as possibleRedSymbol: thermometer over wavy lines (fluid)
It is the symbol of a thermometer over wavy lines, which warns of a problem in the cooling circuit: low fluid level or excessive temperature. The colour changes by brand (red, yellow or blue) and the seriousness of the warning depends on it.
What to do: Slow down, stop on level, safe ground and switch the engine off. With the engine cold, check the level in the expansion tank and look for leaks; if the level drops again or the light persists, do not keep driving and call for assistance.
1 documented fault that triggers it in the Jaguar
- High severity: Coolant leak from the EGR valve cooler · 2.2 TD4 / SD4 engine · XF I
Engine fault warning light (check engine)
Urgency: Garage soonYellow or amberSymbol: outline of an engine seen from the side, in yellow or orange
The orange engine-shaped warning light comes on when the ECU detects a fault affecting combustion or emissions. If it flashes, it usually points to misfires that can damage the catalytic converter.
What to do: If it stays on steadily, you can drive gently to a garage and ask for a fault code read-out. If it flashes or you notice a loss of power, slow down and get to a garage as soon as possible.
3 documented faults that trigger it in the Jaguar
- Critical severity: Timing chain stretch · 2.0 Ingenium diésel engine · E-Pace, F-Pace, XE and 1 more
- Medium severity: Diesel particulate filter (DPF) clogged by urban use · 2.2 TD4 / SD4 engine · XF I
- Medium severity: Timing chain and VCT unit noise on the 2.0 petrol · 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina engine · E-Pace, F-Pace and XE
ABS or ESP warning light on
Urgency: Garage soonYellow or amberSymbol: the letters ABS, usually inside a circle, in amber or orange
It indicates a fault in the anti-lock braking or stability control system: often a dirty or damaged wheel speed sensor, its wiring or the hydraulic unit. The brakes still work, but without those aids.
What to do: Drive carefully, especially in the rain, and ask for a fault code read-out. It is often fixed with a wheel sensor.
1 documented fault that triggers it in the Jaguar
- Medium severity: Wheel speed sensor faults with ABS and stability control warnings · outside the engine · XE
AdBlue system warning
Urgency: Garage soonYellow or amberSymbol: AdBlue system warning in the instrument cluster, yellow or orange at first, usually accompanied by a text message and, later on, a countdown in kilometres
Diesels with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) use AdBlue to cut NOx emissions. A warning with a countdown ("engine will not restart in X km") indicates a low level or a fault in the AdBlue tank, pump, heater or injector. When the countdown reaches zero, the car will not start again.
What to do: If the tank is full and the warning persists, the problem lies with the system. Go to a garage before the countdown ends and keep your receipts in case the fault is covered by a manufacturer campaign.
1 documented fault that triggers it in the Jaguar
- Medium severity: EGR fouling and AdBlue system faults · 2.0 Ingenium diésel engine · E-Pace, F-Pace, XE and 1 more
Particulate filter warning light (DPF)
Urgency: Garage soonYellow or amberSymbol: particulate filter symbol on the dashboard, normally amber; its design varies by manufacturer
On modern diesels it means the particulate filter is clogged with soot and has not been able to regenerate. It is common in cars used mostly for short town journeys, although it can also be caused by a sensor or by an injection or EGR fault.
What to do: If the handbook allows it, a 20-minute drive on a motorway at a steady speed can complete the regeneration. If the light stays on or you lose power, go to a garage.
1 documented fault that triggers it in the Jaguar
- High severity: Fuel dilution of the oil linked to particulate filter regenerations · 2.0 Ingenium diésel engine · E-Pace, F-Pace, XE and 1 more
ESP warning light on or flashing
Urgency: Garage soonYellow or amberSymbol: the silhouette of a car with curved skid marks (swerving lines) beneath it, or the letters ESP, in amber or orange
The ESP light belongs to the electronic stability control, the system that brakes wheels individually and reduces power when the car starts to skid. It flashes while the system is intervening; if it stays on steadily, it usually indicates a fault (often a sensor) or that ESP has been switched off with its button.
What to do: If it flashes in a bend or on a wet road, ease off: ESP is working. If it stays on, switch off and restart, check the ESP OFF button has not been pressed and, if it persists, ask a garage for a fault code read-out.
1 documented fault that triggers it in the Jaguar
- Medium severity: Wheel speed sensor faults with ABS and stability control warnings · outside the engine · XE
Frequently asked questions
Which warning lights come on most in the Jaguar?
Engine warning light: 3 documented faults, such as timing chain stretch. Oil warning light: 2 documented faults, such as balance shaft bearing wear. Coolant light: 1 documented fault, such as coolant leak from the EGR valve cooler.
Which warning light of Jaguar is the most serious?
Oil warning light and coolant light: its urgency is “as soon as possible”. Stop the car as soon as it is safe; on each warning light's page, at the top, you will find what to do.
Which Jaguar models have the most faults that trigger warning lights?
Jaguar XE (7 faults), Jaguar E-Pace (5 faults), Jaguar F-Pace (5 faults) and Jaguar XF X260 (4 faults).
A warning light has come on in the Jaguar: what should I do?
Find which warning light it is on this page and check its urgency. With oil warning light and coolant light, stop as soon as possible somewhere safe. For the others, book an appointment at a garage and have them read the fault code with an OBD reader: it shows which system has failed.