Hello
My XJS-C 1994 have a problem with the dash voltmeter. In fact it drops when I brake (for exemple).
First excuse me for my bad english. I’m French.
I read that is necessary to clean or remake the 4 wire connector. But I don’t know where this connector is.
I need Help
Thanks
Emmanuel
Hi Emmanuel…
Mine does the same on my 1995 convertible, but only slightly.
Not really an problem (I think)
I live Charente (Nr Aubeterre-sur-Dronne) where do you live?
Je vis à Aix en Provence. Ce matin passage à la DREAL. Tout est OK sauf les pneus qui sont aux normes américaines. Résultat ils veulent des ZR16 mais ça n’existe plus … Je ne sais que faire
I would show them new specifications…
ZR** basically means the tyre is adapted for speeds above 149 mph.
ZR tyres* includes the speed ratings
V(149mph),
W(168mph)
Y(186mph). …
Nowadays, the marking ZR is not relevant anymore but it is still used in the catalogues of manufacturers and tyre retailers
Just prove your tyre exceeds (or is the same as) ZR specification
Salutations de Roussillon !
Your car should pass if you have an equal or higher specifications tire, they should have told you that.
I also had to pass from the dreaded DREAL… It was not a happy adventure… As there was not a noise figure in the declaration partielle de homologation that Jaguar provided they had to do a complete noise emissions test that lasted about two hours… and of course had to pay it…
Had to change tires, four headlights, side repeaters and explain why Jaguar decided to put a different VIN number on the door, and on the tittle of the car, than the one stamped on the chassis… a two month adventure…
Aristides
Your English is far better than any French that most of us may have. Me only slight, at best!! Only one error in your post, “example”!!! Oh, and capitalize English!!
Do you have the Jaguar wire schematic for your car ? It would guide you as to location.
The voltmeter in my SIII is lazy… I read that most are…
Carl .
mine does the same thing
Known “issue”.
The fix is not too difficult and requires some cleaning/soldering:
The plug and socket under the steering column has a high resistance and will also discolour the wire next to the faulty connection. This is a main power feed and NOT just the stop lamp circuits !
Hi 540,
Interesting to learn. Do you know which MY cars are involved?
True Dave. I taught me that a long time ago. I did the same as you – the needle still moves a bit when the brakes are applied, but the voltage drop is not as dramatic as before.
This “fix”, together with cleaning and lighting the bus-bar connectors in the engine bay made huge difference.
Glad to have you back – I hadn’t heard from you in a long time – hope all is well.
Steve
The thread I quoted earlier and started by Dave (aka 540itouring) applies to the cars with the facelift cluster (round gauges).
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Thanks a lot for your reply. But where is the bus-bar connectors in engine bay. I find the 4 Wires connector under the steering wheel.
Main power feed. Cable from the battery runs along the whole body of the car and emerges from the passenger side (US-market, LHD car). The connection on that side is on the firewall there, just behind the engine.
Then, there is a THICK cable that runs alongside the firewall to the drivers side
Actually, I think the cable from the battery connects to the post on the port side. I always thought that was weird, since the starter and the alternator are both on the starboard side and connected to the starboard side post, so the heavy current from starting and charging has to cross the car from one post to the other.
In any case: The two terminal posts on the firewall are a known source of flaky connections. For anyone who’s plagued by electrical gremlins, it is de rigeur to disconnect the battery in the trunk and then loosen the nut on this post, clean up the connectors on it, perhaps apply some contact grease, and then screw it all back down securely. Repeat on the other post. To do the job right, repeat again on the other ends of those same posts where they protrude into the passenger compartment above the footwells. If there are any iffy connectors, now’s the time to fix them – attach new ring terminals to the ends of wires or whatnot.
A tidbit of warning: On my ‘83, the nuts on those posts were Whitworth. Ain’t nuthin’ in an SAE or metric wrench set fits them properly, and it’s fiddly to try to get at them with a monkey wrench or a pair of channellocks. Might be time to spring for one special wrench. AFAIK, that is the only Whitworth size you’ll ever need on this car, no point to buying a whole set.
Would low battery.capacity cause brake light to move ammeter a bit
Pardonne-moi mon mauvais français: je suis américain!
I do not have the car with me, but I am looking at the wiring diagram right now. Again, this is with a reference to the FACELIFTs and may not have been the case for Kirby’s famous 1983.
To recap, Figure 1, battery power distribution shows the positive of the battery to connect to “RIGHT TERMINAL POST” followed by “LEFT TERMINAL POST”
The “RIGHT TERMINAL POST” is shown to feed power to LB145, LB146, LB288 (LB = left-bulkhead harness), as well as LF3R (left forward harness ) and RF15 (right-forward harness) AND, please note, ST3 (starter motor harness)
Kirbert Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.
March 13
EDIT: Here is the diagram, confirm on the car.
I’ve not seen this problem in my facelift car, but it is RHD, so the instrument cluster is on the same side as the main battery feed. I wonder if the cluster being on the LHS is part of the probem. Though no excuse for me not going out and checking those connections. I’ll have a dig in Grandads toolbox for his Whitworth spanners.
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