Hey guys,
I have an 84 XJ6 - the passenger side blinker always stays on when the lights are on (unless I am using the left blinker). If I use the right blinker (passenger), the blinker only dims slightly and the passenger low beam dims alongside the blinker. What is going on? There’s some kind of electrical kerfufery going on but I’m not sure what it is. Can anyone help me out?
Thanks!
Tyler
Tyler,
Does your Hazard Lights switch work properly? The reason I ask is because the directional signals are powered through the Hazard Lights switch and when that fails unusual things happen to the directional signal lights.
Please test your Hazard Lights switch and write back letting us know if it works properly or not. If the Hazard Lights switch does not work properly then removing and replacing the Hazard Lights switch will likely solve your problem. BTW, this problem comes up from time to time here and there should be a lot of helpful information from others who have had this problem and about how to remove and replace the Hazard Lights switch in the archives.
Paul
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What happens to the blinkers and hazzard with the lights ‘off’, Tyler…? You need to look both front and rear - indicating both ‘left’ and ‘right’, lights ‘on’ and ‘off’, testing also with ‘high’ and ‘low’ beams…
In principle, there are no shared components or wiring between direction indicators and the lights - depending on results from the suggested tests; it looks like a short…somewhere…‘right’ low beam possibly shorting to the ‘right’ blinker bulb…
If so; as an initial test; remove the ‘right’ side blinker bulb - and repeat tests…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Euope (UK/NZ)
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Tyler,
Is it a North American model ?
If so, the front blinkers have a twin filament bulb shared with the side lights.
If for a reason there is a short between them, either in the bulb itself, or in the socket or the wiring, the flasher scheme can indeed go kerfufery !!
That’s where I would look first.
Hope that helps,
Aristides
Hey guys,
So - the hazard switch (the plastic switch) is broken - one of the rocker holes (which attach to the pegs on the hazard switch unit) is cracked so I can’t get any leverage on the copper pads to activate them. So, that’s a potential problem right there.
However, I did try manually activating the copper pad with a probe and I can hear the hazard switch activate as it should.
Oddly, an intermittent problem arose with the blinkers while I was fiddling around - the left side’s blinker lights stayed “on” as opposed to flashing, even when the blinker arm is in the “neutral” position. I managed to get the problem to go away by repeatedly activating the hazard switch copper pads with my probe.
It leads me to believe that the hazard switch is causing some kind of issue - just like you guys suggested - but I don’t know what. Especially why/how the low beam headlight is shorting to the blinker on that side. As far as I can tell from schematics, these wires don’t come into contact with each other.
It’s odd…
Tyler,
It has been my observation from watching this list and experience with my three Series III saloons that failures of the Hazard Switch causes strange unexplainable problems with a variety of lamps, even ones that shouldn’t be affected. The same goes for the strange conditions that a failed ignition switch can cause. Perhaps there are some bad grounds that are the culprits? If I were you I would get a replacement Hazard Switch (Jaguar part number AEU1338) and if it fixes your light issues consider it “dusted and done”.
Paul
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The simplest explanation is as Aristides says, Tyler - a shorted double filament bulb will cause exactly these blinkers’ symptoms…
As I suggested; remove the blinkers bulb and retry - other blinkers should then work normally. If so; replace bulb…
The hazard switch basically connects ‘left’ and ‘right’ bulb wiring, but still using the flasher unit. A fault in the hazard switch may either just disable the hazard function without affecting indicator functions - or, more unlikely, just ‘hazard’ one side.
But your hazard switch has of course failed - as a separate issue…
Attend to the ‘right’ flasher bulb - and if that doesn’t work; visual external observations of all functions is a must…
As an aside; the head lamp dims because the wiring takes the load of several bulbs - and this should, in principle, affect ‘high’ beam as well…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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