I’ve posted this info in bits, but this is the summary and my solution:

My 03 XJR had three bad door latch microswitches. My alarm was either randomly going off or was not able to arm, so I had to use the key to lock the doors instead of the fob. The interior lights would often turn on after driving over a bump or when accelerating through a turn. The dash message indicator would occasionally say that a door was open. I had never heard the key-in chime. Only one door (puddle) lamp was working.

Weather had found its way into the door latches and the unsealed microswitches took the damage. Upon autopsy, the copper components inside the switches were so badly oxidized they had crumbled to bits.

I put in an effort to find suitable replacement microswitches based on information provided by some helpful forum members, but could not locate any retailers selling to the public. I found an eBay seller who cut me a deal on three complete door latch assemblies from his 99 VDP he was parting out. That was my only option. They arrived in good shape.

I carefully extracted each microswitch from the VDP donor latches, removed all three door latches from my XJR’s doors, replaced the switches (tested each), and reinstalled everything. FIXED! I have the alarm system, courtesy and puddle lamps working properly, and no more annoying status warnings on the cluster.

The next logical step is to prevent weather from entering the door latch area and ruining the microswitches again. From appearances, water was coming in at the three (four on driver door) large latch torx screws. What would you recommend? Silicon spray? Clearcoat paint? Or I could be mistaken and the switches could be exposed through the actual latch opening.

Anyone here dealt with this?

 

Dear Squish

I have a 1995 VDP wit electrical problem which I think could originate from the components in the driver's door;

But nobody seems to know what is inside that door.

Can you tel me what you found in there?

I have no interior lights, no cigar lighters, no courtesy mirros lights, no clock

As I do not know what triggers the interior lights when you open a door I figured that my problem could be in there...maybe

Thanks for your input

Claude

1995 XJ6 VDP
1991 Audi 100

 

Thanks. Interesting, have to have a look at getting the door trim off and have a look. Much appreciated. Neil

 

My 03 R had the same problem, all on the non drivers side door (previous owner probably didn't take anyone along too often I thought). Replaced with junk yard sourced switches and haven't had an issue since. The replacement ones were all off early cars like 96-98s and had absolutely no issues with them when removed so I just chalked it up to a bad batch of switches at least until reading your same issue.

The're a big pain to replace aren't they.

 

I like this strategy since the assemblies are so hard to find!