I just bought a 2004 Jaguar x-type 2.5 manual and notice the backup lights where not coming on when put in reverse. I checked the fuses and all seems ok, and the bulbs are fine too. Don't know if it has relays or not for the back up lights. Or it could be a wire or switch in the tranny but don't know where to look for it. Please help.

 

Hi, Punchy. Welcome to the forum. You might want to go to the introductory section for new members and introduce yourself.

Congratulations on your new X Type. I've had mine for two years and I just love her.

I'm sure someone will come along and have a suggestion that fixes your problem. We have wonderful members here that volunteer their knowledge and experience, and we all appreciate them very much.

 

PUnchy, like Jo said, welcome to the forums. I think you will find a lot of really useful info here from all the members.

As for your problem, first, check fuse F2 (10 amp). That is your most likely failure. Next, if you look on the top of fuse F2, you will see 2 metal posts. Now, turn the ignition key to the RUN position (do not start the engine), put the car in REVERSE, and then using a multimeter, hold the black lead against any bare metal surface and the red lead on 1 of the 2 posts for Fuse F2. Do you get 12 VDC? If yes, then you have either 2 burned out light bulbs or you have a wiring problem between the fuse box and the rear of the car. You can prove this by going to the rear of the car, accessing the backside of the tail lights and repeating this check but touching the red lead to the green wire with a black stripe at the plug for the taillights (make sure to touch the exposed metal inside of the plug). If you get 12 VDC, confirms bad bulbs. If you don't get 12 VDC, then wiring issue.

If you didn't get 12 VDC on the first check at the fuse box, you will need to lift the fuse box out of the car so you can access a plug on the rear of the fuse box. You will need to find a green wire with a black stripe in pin #9 of the IP203 plug (it is the plug nearest the large bolt back there for the main input power). Is this wire at 0 VDC while trying to attempt to turn on the reverse lights? If no, you have a wiring problem between the instrument cluster and the fuse box. If yes, then you have a bad relay R9. Unfortunately, unless you can find the multi-relay module that goes in the fuse box (the large silver finned piece on the front side), you will end up replacing the fuse box.

This all assumes you have an automatic tranny. if you have a manual tranny, then let me know as this changes things a little bit.

Hope I didn't overload you with the info.

 

Thanks everyone for the welcome. I will try using a multimeter here when it stops raining.lol. But I think its the tranny switch. The f2 fuse is fine, even changed it with a new 10amp one. Also changed the backup bulbs with new ones. I checked the board the the lights plug into and dont see any corrosion. ( It looks brand new) The backup lights comes on when I push the shifter all the way to the right but goes off when I let go of the shifter.(I have a 5 speed manual trans) Im not sure where on the tranny the switch is or what to look for.

 

Ok now I dont have a clue whats going on. Checked the f2 fuse and its fine but checked the the the post on top of the fuse with a test light and there is no power.(Sorry cant find my multimeter) Felt behind the fuse box right behind the f2 fuse and there is a relay that wasnt all the pugged in.Pushed it in and now I dont even have backup lights when I push the shifter all the way to the right and hold it. Could that be the relay for the backup lights?

 

Punchy, since you have a manual tranny, what I posted before does not apply to you. Let me look up the manual tranny info and I will pass that on to you. In your initial post, you didn't specify what type of tranny you had. So, I made an assumption since most cars have an automatic. Give me a little bit longer and we will get you all setup.

 

I think if it's like every other manual you will have a reverse switch located on the transmission close to the shifter. I would pull the top of the console, and look for a switch, then look at how the shifter makes contact with it. You have a working circuit but bad contact, I'd just play around until it worked.

 

Ok pulled up the console where the shifter is inside the car but dont see any swithces or wires. I think I found the trany switch it has a 2 green wires with one haven a black line on it. But cant test it till I get another multimeter. Still thinking its somekind of relay but dont know where they r because the owners manual doesn't show where the relays are.:-(

 

Cant be a relay, you say it works fine when you press the shifter over. So it's the switch. I googled it for you and here is a picture, it's on the tranny under the car, looks to be an easy fix. They say it's easiest to pull the battery and get at it from the top. Do you have the parking aid feature? Beeps in reverse. If you look on the back of your car it looks like little cameras mounted on the piece with the exhaust cutouts. The say it effects that too. 22MM socket fits it.

 

PUnchy, first, check fuse F34 (10 amp). That is the backup light fuse for a manual tranny. Next, disconnect the plug from the tranny switch (as shown in the picture) and then using a small piece of wire, stick the wire into the end of the plug, shorting the 2 pins together (make sure that the key is in the RUN position and the engine off). Do the lights light up? If yes, then you have confirmed a bad reverse switch. If no, do you have 12 VDC on 1 of the wires but not on the other for the plug? If yes, then you have a wiring issue between that plug and the back of the car. If no, then you have a wiring problem between that plug and the fuse box.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the pic Sidewalkman and Thermo,as soon as I find my Mulitmeter I will check what kind of power is going on in the wires. Kinda of a crazy weekend with the kids football games. I will keep everyone posted on what I find out. Thanks again for everyones help.

 

I have a similar problem with my 2003 Manual 2.5 X-type. Only other point I noted was that not only the reverse lights did not come on but the rear side lights are also not coming on at all. I checked the fuses and they all seem to be fine and will follow the other instructions here, but nobody has mentioned the rear side lights yet, so might be a different problem (I would expect a relay or something like that).

 

Gary, first off, welcome to the forums. As you can see, we will help out all that ask for it. So, get ready. But, at the same time, we do ask that you stop by the "New Member" section and submit something there. Contrary to popular belief, we are a friendly bunch and we like to know about each other. So, start a post there and you will find out what this group is really about. You may also find it of a benefit too.

As for your issue, I would be also looking at the grounds for the lights in the rear of your car. You are going to have 2 of them as I recall. If you pull off the cover inside the trunk and find the plug behind each tail light, there is a black wire on each one and if you follow it, it will shortly end up at a ground point (tied to the body of the car. It may be possible that this ground wire is not making good contact and leading to your issue. That is the only commonality between the side marker lights and the reverse lights. If you need more help, let us know and we will see what we can do. Also, please let us know what you find as I personally keep a running tally on what breaks on our cars and what the solutions were.

 

I just went through the same problem, to get original Jag Parts go to JAGBITS.com, they have everything you need as the switch is not aywhere else and the dealer price is over 100 for the switch, JAGBITS was the only place I found original parts