Jaguar XE Stalling: Camshaft Sensor May Be the Culprit

I had a very similar situation with my Jaguar XF 2016 with the 2.0L petrol engine. Having some experience with automotive sensors and timing issues, your symptoms sound identical to what I encountered. The check engine light came on, and I experienced the same rough starts and power delivery problems. The crankshaft and camshaft position sensors work together, and when the wiring connection gets loose or damaged, these exact symptoms appear. My workshop found that the cable connector to the camshaft sensor was damaged, causing intermittent signal issues. The repair involved replacing the wiring harness connector and testing the sensor itself. Total cost was 95€ for parts and labor, which was actually less than I expected for a sensor-related repair. The fix completely resolved the stalling and power loss issues. However, before suggesting this is definitely your problem, could you share: Current mileage on your XE, Whether the check engine light is constant or intermittent, If the problems occur more when the engine is cold or warm, The specific error codes from your diagnostic scan This information would help confirm if your issue matches what I experienced with the sensor wiring.

Last service was at 137500 KM, current mileage is 138966 KM. The check engine light flashes intermittently during cold starts and remains constant once the engine is warm. Error codes are P0340 and P0016, pointing to camshaft position sensor problems. The rough idling happens mostly during cold starts. Our symptoms match exactly, particularly the power delivery issues. After reviewing my service history, I noticed these problems started shortly after my last major service interval. I will definitely have the wiring harness checked along with the sensor since the repair cost you mentioned seems reasonable. A faulty connection causing sensor failure makes more sense than a complete sensor breakdown given the intermittent nature of the issues. Would you recommend checking the timing chain as well while they are working in that area? Since timing issues often accompany these sensor problems, it might be worth investigating both.

Thanks for providing those details, the error codes P0340 and P0016 definitely confirm what I experienced with my XF. The timing between your symptoms starting after the service and the intermittent nature during cold starts matches exactly with my sensor wiring issue. Regarding the timing chain check, absolutely get this inspected while they are working in that area. When I had my camshaft sensor repair done, the mechanic noticed slight wear on the timing chain tensioner. While not critical at that point, addressing both issues prevented future problems. The combined check only added about 45€ to the total repair cost. Just note that if your engine misfire symptoms persist after fixing the sensor and wiring, the timing chain could be the underlying cause. A worn timing chain can create similar symptoms by affecting the synchronization between the crankshaft and camshaft position sensors. Based on your mileage, which is close to what mine was when these issues occurred, a thorough inspection of the entire timing system alongside the sensor repair would be a smart preventive measure. The stalling engine behavior you described could be linked to either component, so checking both makes technical sense.

Thank you for clarifying those specific error codes. The timing chain inspection recommendation makes perfect sense, especially given my mileage. This whole engine misfire situation is getting clearer now. I just scheduled an appointment for next week to address both the camshaft sensor issue and inspect the timing chain. They quoted 150€ for the complete diagnostic and sensor replacement, which seems fair considering the scope of work needed to resolve these stalling engine problems. The technician also mentioned they will thoroughly check the wiring harness since the intermittent sensor failure symptoms strongly suggest a connection problem rather than just a faulty sensor. The timing chain inspection is included in their diagnostic process, which should help identify if there are any related issues causing the rough starts. Really appreciate the detailed feedback about your similar experience. Having these specific points to discuss with the workshop will help ensure they check all the potential problem areas. Will update once they complete the repairs and confirm if this resolves the check engine warnings and power delivery issues.