Hi!

Choosing to scratch my longtime itch to have convertible as a fun car, last week I bought a 2001 XK8. She's a beauty and I love cruising in it. I've only had limited time to get to know the car. As with cars this age, one always finds things after buying it that weren't noticed during the pre-purchase test drive and inspection process.

In my case, so far I've found that the battery is weak, it starts hard when the engine is warm but has been sitting for more than 10 or 15 minutes, there's an issue unlocking the glove box and the headlights are aimed too low.

Today was my first chance to tinker with it. I installed some LED bulbs that I had lying around from a previous purchase. In doing so, I had the headlights on for about 15 minutes. After that the car wouldn't turn over/start.

• So a new battery is in my future. The battery guy I talked with tested the CCA at ~400. He recommended an AGM type battery, such as this one. (Link removed - GGG). Any thoughts, advice, suggestions on replacing the battery in this 4.0 engine?

• A few days ago, I wanted to secure something while the top was down. I gave the glove box a quick test and locked my stuff in the glove box via turning the lock in a clockwise direction. Trying to unlock it, the key will not turn counter clockwise. I cannot open the glove box. It feels like I am putting a key in it that is the wrong key. But the key works on the ingnition and other locks just fine. I read that this style of key will lock many different locks but only the right key will unlock it. The glove box looks original vs being a replacement.

• This issue with the hard starting seems like a choke problem. The engine turns over properly and after a moment kind of gradually fires up. That will make sense to any of us the have experience with manual chokes or earlier automatic chokes. It may not be a mixture issue. I haven't done any testing on it. Any thoughts here?

• The license plate bulbs don't work correctly. I replaced them with LED's as well as other bulbs. As I close the trunk (boot) the bulbs both come on but shut off again at some point in the process of lowering the trunk lid. Is there some type of sensor that shuts these bulbs off when the lid is up?

• I've only driven the car for a few miles at night on the highway. I have not even really measured the effective distance of the high beams. I did notice that not a single car flashed their brights at me while mine were on. My low beams are far too low. Is adjusting these going to be a challenge?

• I see numerous options for buying a service manual. Is there one that is better than others? Some of the ads that I have seen on eBay looks sketchy. Why is there such a market for even the owner's manual? Is this a European car thing?

I know this sounds like a long, complaining list. I am really enjoying this car. These are just things that I've noticed in the early days of buying a car that has been owned by a gal that simply drove it and put gas in it for the most part. Replacing the bulbs when able with LED's is something I recommend to anyone. For the most part LED's provide more pleasing and effective lighting. The bulbs tend to outlast ownership of the item. When it comes to the bulbs that light up the license (number) plate, I absolutely replace those.That light being out is the number one reason why coppers pull normal driver's over. Most of the time it is simply a nuisance. But too often, these coppers write, $20, $40, or even $100 tickets over it. I say put LED's on them and you won't have to worry about them burning out.

Here are the bulbs that I used so far:

• (Link removed - GGG)
• (Link removed - GGG)
• (Link removed - GGG) (Not installed yet but similar bulbs as backup lights are something that I like)

Thanks for reading and offering any insights and suggestions.

Interior LED's



Front Marker LED on Driver Side

 

Welcome to the forum karl632,

Your post was automatically locked for moderation because it contained multiple links to Amazon which flagged it as advertising spam. I've removed these and unlocked the post.

When asking for advice, a single topic per thread is the best way rather than a list of unrelated issues.

Graham

 

Karl,

Welcome to the Forum. This place is a gold mine of information if you use keywords in the search box on the top right.

For your problems with a hard start, lighting, and the glovebox, then you’ll find lots of possible fixes which forum members, both past and present , have shared. If these are the extent of your problems then you have bought a good one.

Check out the “Stickies” threads at the top for really good info that the Forum decided to make “ever lasting.”

As Gus has said, use a new single thread for each problem, titled appropriately, as those members, who had that problem, can chip in.

Well done on the purchase as the X100 is a beautiful, powerful grand tourer.

 

Just had a quick read of your post. Good luck with your new toy!

The glove box. Your not by any chance trying to open it with your green key are you? If you are try the black one or opening the car with your remote again. The green key is the valet key and if the valet mode has been used the glove box will not open with the green key. At least I think thats right? Someone will jump in if I am wrong.

 

Still reading. The bulb issue with your trunk/boot lights. Id bet money on a damaged wire in the loom that goes between the lid and the body of the car. It has to bend and flex each time the trunk is opened and closed. Put your lights on and move that about and see what happens.

 

Yep still here. Regarding your headlamps. Yes they are certainly not very good. Like you mine on full beam did not warrant others on the road flashing me to tell me to dim.

Sometime ago I decided to do something about it and it was one of the best mods I have done on my car. Everyone who owns a X100 should update their cars lights. Have a read........ click me to read

 

Karl you have found the best place to learn about your XK. Frankc has great info, I just wish it was available on a pdf(hint,hint??). Work your way thru this forum and your will get all your questions answered. There is a plethora of answers available for you here.

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence Sam. Its always nice to get feedback especially good feedback! I forget sometimes that the internet crosses the big pond. Makes such comments even more interesting.

As for putting it on PDF I have always said its not so much of a 'how to' but what I have done. If anyone finds it useful that is even better. I cannot see how a PDF would be any better than the topics on the forum?

I did take the time though, twice, to do a list of links to the things done. Already needs updating again but it gives a good general idea of where to look and a link to that page. So look at the foot of each of my postings on the site and you will see this :-

For a list of most topics written in this 'Story' Please click here. Pretty self explanatory. When you get to that page you can also do a CTRL + F to bring up the search box. I know as the old say goes 'teaching granny to suck eggs' but not everyone is as knowledgeable as you.

Despite some of the topics being quite old if you want to quote and comment on them Id be happy to hear your reflections and considerations on them. The "Story" is practically my second home these days (yes I know sad git) but who else can we chat about cleaning cars, changing bolts etc? Mention ABS replacement and my wife's eyes glaze over.

For those who wonder what the *&(((*& we are talking about this is the first page, of currently 457, .............. Click Me To Read So have a read and comment on there, always happy to hear from you or anyone.

 

Frankc, as I slowly work my way thru this wonderful tome, worthy of the Bard himself, I keep trying to discover a method to maneuver it into my XK file folder so that I do not have to constantly refer back to this or another Forum link. That is the reason for a request for a pdf format. I am sure there might be a way for a more computer adept reader, but as a product of the "Southern rural education system", I am still learning to turn my computer on each morning, and as such have difficulty moving more complicated items around unless I have step by step instructions.

 

Karl, did you know that there are 2 keys included with your car? One opens all locks. The other green one is a valet key. Works the door and the ignition, but not the trunk or the glovebox. Were you maybe using the valet key in your glovebox?

John

 

I only got 1 black key. If I have a copy of a valet key, that would be the problem. Does the valet key "lock" the glove box?

 

I'll bear that in mind. So 1 link is okay but numerous, not so much. Am I reading that right?

Thanks for the suggestion. I did consider that but I worried that it would look like some newb flooding the forum who was too lazy to do any leg work for himself. (We see that often in my normal arena:-) ) I'll keep this in mind down the road. I hope I will be able to give as much as I take knowledge wise.

 

That was my first thought. Being new to these high end foreign cars, I didn't know if they didn't install some fancy switch to turn them off when the lid was up. Thx!

 

I did mention this much earlier.

As for locking the glove box....... I have never tried it. Just been out. My green key will lock/unlock the glove box. I tried pushing the valet button. The green key still unlocked the glove box. I tried locking the car with the remote and unlocking it with the green key the glove box still opened with the green key. I am assuming my valet mode is not activated as I am in the UK?

Update

What I mistook for my green valet key was in fact my Black key. I wrongly assumed the Green Jaguar logo made it the Green key. Confused ? Me too. (does not take much with me though). I went hunting for the spares and found the Proper Green Key. Basically it has no effect on my glove box. I cannot lock or unlock it with that key, in or out of Valet mode. So how you managed to lock yours with the key is a mystery to me. Sorry!

 

Hi. The black key can be considered the master key and operates everything including the glove box and the manual trunk opening ( you know that's hidden between the X and K badge at the rear). When you visit a hotel/golf course etc, you can lock your valubles in the trunk, and switch on the valet mode. The green valet key is designed to be given to a valet at a hotel/golf course etc and he can't steal anything.

Check out this forum thread for info.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...button-164642/

Putting on the valet mode is particularly useful if you park the car with the top down, as any valuables in the trunk are secure, as the valet switch deactivates the trunk release button on the dash.

 

David. What a brilliant thought. Its obvious but I never thought of doing that. Going to go outside and try it now.

Nope. Does not work on mine. My glove box does not automatically lock. Shame, good idea though. One point. If I lock the car the boot/trunk locks anyway. So no need for valet key?

 

When you say "If I lock the car.....", I presume you mean by using the fob, which activates the car alarm.

I know it's kind of a wierd one, the purpose of green valet key is to put valubles in to the trunk with car in valet mode and hand over the green key only (not the fob) to the valet. Anything in the trunk is therefore secure, as the green key can unlock the car door and start the car, but not de-activate the valet mode. That is done by the black key in the door keyhole, or using the unlock on the fob.

As far as I know, the glove box lock is a simple barrel lock, unconnected to the rest of the car, that opens/closes with the black key only.

The black key and green valet key are different by the end tip. Some Forum members have converted their green key to a black key with a simple dremel tool.
With the original delivery of the car, there should have been 2 black keys, 2 fobs and 1 valet key. But I guess these may have been mislaid over time.

 

Well after popping in and out of the house to try different things with the different keys and the Valet button I at last know what it does............

Have a read https://www.jaguarforum.com/showthre...=1#post1188977

Hope this clarifies things...........