This was weird

[andrewh]

My friend nearby to me owns a 2000 XKR. whilst he was away on a work trip the other night there was an electrical storm. The power to the house went on and off and then his poor wife (they live in the country) heard his Jaguar start in the garage. She went downstairs petrified to check the keys were in the house. They were, then the car stopped again. I remain cynical that this could have happened, but I guess it may. Any thoughts out there?

[christopher storey]

If it has keyless start , I think it would be quite possible . The frequency spectrum ( and amplitude ) emitted by lightning is very wide , and about 20 years ago it used to set the alarm of my wife's BMW 325 convertible off every time we had a storm

[andrewh]

I dont think it has keyless start as its too old,but will check. I guess the starter has a solonoid and maybe this is controlled through the ecu but it still seems hard to understand how a storm could operate a starter without the key