lights blink every hours and drains my battery...Please help me!!
 

I have a 03 Jaguar S-Type sport with 96,000, just purchased a week ago. I noticed that my lights blink every 45 minutes to an hour. This morning I go and try to start my car and it's dead. I was made aware of this problem before I bought it so I purchased a battery jumper pack (thank goodness) and got it started. I read a technical bulletin about intermittent loss of power feed for a 2000 Jaguar S-Type but this doesn't pertain to my year or my VIN. It has the same issue as the bulletin though. Lights blinking every 30 minutes to an hour. The dealership charges $135 p/h just for diagnosis which could take up towards 5 hours. Has anyone had this same problem with this year and could give me some pointers before I go and spend a lot of money? I need help. This is my first post so please bare with me if I did it wrong.

do you have auto lights ? if so switch them off, its a common(ish) problem

Agree with that answer.

Not sure on your year model, BUT, on our X200 models you have to turn ON the ignition, so the auto light circuit is activated, then turn the light switch to OFF, then OFF the ignition.

I tried the easy way with "her" car, and simply reached thru the window and turned the switch to OFF, but next time the car was started they still came on automatically, bugga, but the turn to OFF with teh circuit solved that little eror.

I was NOT chasing light flicking, just the car NOT going to sleep, which turned out to be the little flap switch in the ignition barrel opening.

I do have auto lights and when I purchased the car I was told not to use the autolamp delay on the dash because it was causing the battery to drain. I have it set for off, not auto and I still see the lights flick on and off. I called the dealer and they said that some years of the S-Type and corroded negative battery terminals and this is some cause to parasitic battery drains. My husband did notice there is some white corrosiveness on the nut that connects to the car from the battery so we're going to try and wire bush that but also to the comment about the key hole not closing.....My key holes is partially open. I am a first time owner of a luxery car and I'm not sure what it's suppose to look like. Completely closed (flush)? BTW, thank you for you comments.

OK, good move on the battery corrosion. Look around carefully and make sure you get it all.

If its at the body connection, the only proper way is to remove that bolt, clean it all (I use lemon juice), and a smear of grease/vaseline/whatever on the cleaned surfaces to reduce the growth somewhat.

I would disconnect the battery PRIOR to undoing that bolt.

I do remember when I was with Jaguar, an issue with the auto light function on the early X308 (XJ8) cars, and it mattered not if in "auto" or "off", it still flashed the lights and flattened the battery, mmmm. The fix was in fact the light switch itself, from memory?.

I forgot, I do that.

The little flap (as I call it) in the key opening does almost close off that opening. I originally thought it was a neat idea for keeping dust and dirt out of the workings, haha. However, when the key is removed, the seats/steering column retract for access ease. When the nose of the key pushes on that flap when re-inserting, the seats/steering column return to last used position.

So, that flap is in fact a tiny switch, that does what it does. My wifes 2001 had the flap close, the seats etc moved, so all good, or so I thought, but the car intermitantly failed to go to sleep. Days of searching, I concluded that although this flap was activating the seats etc is was not allowing the car to sleep. NO idea why I came to that. I simply sprayed some Silicone spray (p/pack can) into that area, and worked the flap etc many times.

The car then went to sleep, no worries, but it took 39 minutes to nod off. Been 12+ months now, no further issues.

39 minutes is about right. The factory says 30 minutes so I think everything is working as it should.
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Agreed Tbird.

My Black one takes 42 minutes "usually" to nod off.

The other issue is the battery. If when the system decides its time to sleep, the battery voltage MUST be above 11.9. If its below that the system simply will not nod off, and the 2.3amps draw of the near last step down, remains until the battery dies.

Check your car as per that bulletin anyway. The diagnosis track is the same. The wire color is different on the later models, but is otherwise the same.

The link harness mentioned will also work on your car.

Good luck!

Thanks for all you help guys. There seems to be too many possible electronic parts to go bad and cause future problems. Not being a mechanic myself, I am choosing to go the fool proof route and buying a remote controlled battery disconnect as per the advise of a service tech from the Jaguar dealer in my area. He referred me to Crutchfield.com for this unit which should be easily installed by me and my husband. Here is the link to anyone that is interested and has the same problems as me or has any other electrical problems.

Granatelli Motor Sports Sure Start Smart Battery saver system for your vehicle at Crutchfield.com

I have not yet purchased this unit, if there is anyone that is reading this that has done this very thing and has experienced any drawbacks related to installing this unit, I would be happy to here from you.

I clean the battery corrosion today and I am waiting to see if I see the lights flash, haven't seen it yet but I just got out of the car 10 minutes ago. Gotta remember to keep an eye out of my window in about an hour to see if the lights flash. Hope this works, I can't stand having to jump my car every other day.