[xj] Why, oh why, do the headlights have to go off

XJ
21

Your post made me think. I started wondering if the PO that fitted my
switch had wired it in some non-standard way.

First off, I looked in the handbook for my car (it’s the edition 1
series III handbook for the XJ12). It shows and describes a switch
just like yours.

Looking again at the switch that’s actually in my car, what I said
before about its operation is correct and I can tell without a battery
because the symbol for a front fog is drawn facing the same way as the
headlamp symbol, and the rear fog the other way around. The symbol on
the knob itself, within the trapezoid section, is for a rear fog on my
switch. The switch in the handbook shows a front fog there.

Nearly 20 years ago I was lucky enough to own a brand new XJS V12.
It’s a long time ago but I think the switch in that car, and in the
'91 DD6 I replaced it with, both worked like the one in my car.

Is it possible that the ‘black face’ switches have the later operation
mode, and the silver ones the earlier? Bearing in mind all this is
referring to the UK only… If so, maybe one answer to
dissatisfaction with the light switch is to just get a newer one from
a scrapyard.

JustinOn 15 Jul 2008, at 16:41, almcl wrote:

Interesting that your switch operates the rear fogs when pushed
in. My DD6 (the only one with front fogs) is the reverse. Pushing
the switch in (can be done is all positions except off)operates the
front fogs.

Wonder which, if either, was the intended way for it to operate?

The handbook isn’t a great deal of help, either.

–
Justin Hill, Surrey UK
Jaguar XJ12 HE 1982 “The Cuckoo”
Jaguar XJ40 4.0 1989 but actually a 1990 model year specification
Sovereign VIN 605518 “Horn Rimmed Harry”
Land Rover SIII SWB 1980 2.25 Diesel “The Biscuit Tin”
@Justin_Hill1

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22

In reply to a message from cadjag sent Tue 15 Jul 2008:

Carl,

Using anything but the proper bulb will risk melting the lens.
Don’t ask me how I know !!!

I buy mine at the dealer, cheaper then the news lens.–
The original message included these comments:

Now, I noticed my daughter’s Passat wagon had one out of four lamps
out in rear. No clear access from exterior. Oh, I know about that,
just approach from rear of lamp assembly. Nice neat little hatch to
open. there it is, black plastic with wire going in. Ho, oh, the
black plastic thing has to be removed and the bulbs approached from
the front of the plastic insert. Hmm, two clip looking things.

–
Tim '83 VDP
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–
–Support Jag-lovers - Donate at http://www.jag-lovers.org/donate04.php –

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23

Now Carl, you forgot one key step – lube the bulb’s base with OO.
;]–
Alex
79xj6L SII (BRG + wires)
86xj6 SIII (Black)
61 Sprite MkII (Red)
Menlo Park, Calif.

cadjag wrote:

In reply to a message from BARRIE DAWSON sent Tue 15 Jul 2008:

All:

Jaguars are a piece of cake. Lamp goes out in rear. Remove the lens
with screw driver, probably Pozi, but Phillips will get it. Push
bulb in, twist and remove. Reverse order with new bulb.

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24

almcl wrote:

In reply to a message from Justin Hill sent Tue 15 Jul 2008:

Justin

Interesting that your switch operates the rear fogs when pushed
in. My DD6 (the only one with front fogs) is the reverse. Pushing
the switch in (can be done is all positions except off)operates the
front fogs.

Wonder which, if either, was the intended way for it to operate?

The handbook isn’t a great deal of help, either.

Probably market/model dependant, Al - reflecting state of laws and
regulations at rpoduction…?

Where fogs could not be used without headlights this had to be built in
as a limit in the switch. Which likely was standardised to operate in a
variety of ways - with relatively simple adjustments ‘in factory’…

This likely leaves possibilities that to some of us seem odd. I can
understand ‘fog only’ being prohibited even though in dense fog/snow
‘fogs only’ may be helpful. After all; in this situation we are curb
crawling - speed is not a viable option and further lighting unnecessary
anyway.

But that ‘rear fogs’ are optional or even banned in such conditions is
odd - fog is fog both in the front of the car and in the rear. I sure
would like to protect my ass with ‘rear fog’ guards then - and my ‘rear
fogs’ sure comes on during ‘fog’ setting Of course lights might be
misused, but that can hardly be a legal issue in sensible set ups…the
law is sometimes an ass…

Over time the switch may also have been to made incorporate
possibilities for the legal requirements of driving lights - using the
fog position in this capacity? Which may explain some of the oddest
combinations…

Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)>The original message included these comments:

In positions 3,4 and 5 the switch can pushed in to switch on the rear
fogs. So, I’ve got all options available and it hadn’t occurred to me
that this might not have been the case with the original switch.

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