My headlights flicker during night time driving. Used to be just a quick flicker. Went to the Jaguar service dept. to fix it. They said it was due to the extreme heat produced by the lamp and it would turn off/flicker to preserve the bulb. I thought OK. Now the flicker lasts 5 seconds or longer and that scares the heck out of me driving at night, cause I don't know if they are coming back on. I have tried different positions on the stalk with no redeeming results. Also, have put on the front running lights thinking they should stay lit if the headlamps go out, but no they go out too. What to do?

 

HID or halogen, you didn't mention which.

Both sides go out together? Is it just the headlight, or your 'marker' lamps as well?

Check your headlight relay. Will check in later to see what you reply with.

 

I have got a similar fault and it's been there for 2 years, as I 'm too idle/poor to try a fix yet, (after all the other money I've spent on the car recently - service etc !!).

My fault is that on 'Auto lights" in broad daylight, the headlights will suddenly flicker on/off, accompanied by the dash display going into 'night' mode. Then on 'Headlights' the lights will suddenly switch off then on again for a split second, I fiddle with the switch, and then once settled down they seem to stay on OK

My prognosis so far is that this is a lighting switch issue, or the connection to it, not the relay because the fault is occurring at two settings of the switch. Problem is I'm a bit tight for funds right now, and can't shell out on a new switch just yet. I have found an internet supplier who has them for £90 (plus our dreadful 20% vat). BTW the switch is used in the XF, and the post-2006 XK.

Switch Direction Indicator - C2Z5018 | Jaguar X150 XK - XKR, Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ - X350 - XJR | Jaguar | British Parts UK

Trouble with this type of fault is there is no fault code or message thrown up.

 

When it flickers does it make a solid audio sounding buzz? or does it flicker without a sound?

 

No sounds with my fault.

 

ok then that would eliminate the cluster malfunction...I have seen the cluster fail,and this in turn makes the headlights go off,but it will always make a solid buzzing sound...Need to have the codes scanned it if repeats itself..

 

Halogen, Both headlights go dark together. Running "marker" lights go out at same time when they are on. Front of car is totally dark.

 

Lobby, can you regain all lights by messing with and/or wiggling the lighting stalk on the wheel? I'm trying to diagnose if it could be the stalk (like fraser's above) or a power/ground problem in your lighting circuit. Did you check the relay's for the llights?

Get a copy of your electrical schematic from the JTIS program (see the FAQ in the xk8=xkr area) and see what common 12v and grounds are applicable. It'll narrow it down even more.

 

While we are on this subject,another thing that I have seen recently on a 2004 vanden plas, was electrolysis occuring through the ballast itself.One of the headlight ballasts kept burning out in a few weeks time.(they are not cheap and none serviceable seperately from the assembly)..The client had a leaking waterpump,looked around the pump and the coolant looked like candle wax..This is a sure sign that current was grounding to the frame or subframe,this reaction caused ions to crust where the two metals met on the engine.A way to know is check for current in the coolant tank.The pigtail connect to the ballast was dirty.Most likely the stalk is the issue with whats happening, but if at all possible try to recreate the issue while can is being scanned..A good scanner should detect the gremlin.

 

Just throwing it out there, my headlight was flickering and I traced it down to the ballast. These are available separate online and many vehicles use the same ballast. I realize your other lights flicker, but the topic is flickering headlamps and wanted to offer my experience to others looking for a fix instead of replacing a whole headlamp unit.

 

Guys, mine did the same, XJR 2004. I read this thread and a few months ago, I changed both lamps ( the osram xenarc) , flickering stoped . then I had an overheat, and the water tank burst. I am not sure if this has to do with anything, but now it flickers worse than before. And it does the day\night mode with the interior lights as well. I did clean the ground connection on the battery. I can't believe that I the xenarcs I put a few months ago are broken, there must be something else. Now today I put my light switch to OFF instead of auto, the lights on the dash stopped switching between night and day mode, and I got a message on the dash that the lights are off I have a setting in the system which is called daylight running lights or something like that, it is switched on, so no matter if I turn on the lights on the light switch or put it in auto, as soon as I put the car in D , the headlights just turn on. Anybody please, any advise much appreciated

 

Now I just read on this thread https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xj-x350-x358-xj6-xj8-xjr-28/hid-ballast-conversion-lad5g-lad5gl-89738/page2/

That it might be the ground connection behind the lamp housing. When I overheated , the dealer changed the fan pack , as it was broken. I am not quite sure what needs to be removed in order to change the fan , but it is after that I think it started to flicker again