I have a 2002 2.5 X-type and recently there has been an issue with the electrical system, specifically with the turn signals. I'll do my best to describe the symptoms-

When the headlights are in the off position, there are zero issues and everything works as it should.

When the headlights are turned ON, the following happens:
When the brakes are applied the opposite turn signal activates and blinks while steadily illuminating the correct side. Without the brakes being depressed, the turn signal and brake light for the corresponding side blink alternately. Also it audibly blinks at double speed on the dashboard indicator when the brakes are applied and return to normal speed when the brakes are released. There is also a clicking sound that generates in sync with the turn signal coming from the shifter area.

I have spoken with a home mechanic and he suggested that a possible cause could be a short in the neutral safety switch. I'm open to any and all suggestion and thank you in advance!

Justin from Pennsylvania

 

Replace the indicator stalk and you will probably find it will all work correctly.

 

Now I would have thought that might just be a ground problem, probably in one of the two rear lamp clusters that each have a single, black ground wire. The electrical connectors to the clusters should be checked for good electrical contact.

 

i replaced my indicator arm it had a slight crack in the base

 

A lot of these strange light issues are caused by jaguar using a switched earth system rather than switched positive.
For example when a fuse is blown you can get a back feed of +12v through the lamps making it imposiable to test the fuses with a test light. You need to take them out and look at them to see if they are blown.
Mellow

 

Mmm. True for some Jaguars such as my XK8, but the X Type does not have a switched earth system. It's a supply side switched system.

 

JRHuff83, odds are, your problem is going to be 1 of 2 things. The more likely cause is going to be that you have recently replaced bulbs in the rear of the car and you didn't get one of the bulbs seated just so. Therefore, this is now causing 2 circuits to be shorted together, causing the random lights that you are seeing.

The other possibility is that you have a bad ground wire in one of the tail lights. You can remove the plug from the tail light and look at the pins. Everything should be silver in color if it is metal and either white or black if it is plastic. What I have seen happen is the ground pin will get a high resistance and then get too hot. This will cause a discoloration to the plastic (gets either a black "char" look or will get a brownish "dust" on it. When you get a high resistance in the ground wire, the power starts finding different paths to ground. What it does it flows backwards through other lights, causing them to light and cause funny indications.

If you are suspecting a bulb issue, the best thing I can tell you to do is remove the plates that contain the bulbs from both tail lights. Then remove all the bulbs from these plates. From there, you can play with the turn signal stalk and the lights to see if you get funny indications as shown on the instrument cluster (all bulbs will be removed). From there, you can start installing bulbs one at a time until you see the wrong indications start coming up. Note which bulb(s) it is and then post them here. Remove the offending bulb and then install other bulbs one at a time, continuing to test all the indications to see if you can find another failure.

There have been rare instances where the back plate has been bad. But, normally it is the bulbs are not twisted all the way in like they need to be.