Hey, I own a Jaguar XJ L 2012 Supercharged

Does anyone know what may be causing the issue with the drls to be so dim? When I first got the car from the auction the lights were bright. After I got the car back after an engine build it became one of the problems I noticed.

Is there a fuse associated with it that's not listed in the handbook? Looked around some forums and through the literature I can't find anything to fix an issue like this or troubleshoot.

Here's some photos for reference



Last one is after, it still comes in, but very very dim.

 

As far as I know the North American US Spec (not Candian) 2012 did not have DRLs from the factory, but I think there was a way it could be done although not desirable because it's basically having the lights on all the time.

 

Sorry I meant the light shown in the first photo(the only one on). But I did code the drls to function via SDD to (Scandinavian) to have them always on but before I even did this, the lights were dim after receiving the car from the shop.

 

Okay, so you're talking about the LEDs along the bottom of the headlight then.
Technically they call those the "side lamp" and "side marker" LEDs.
Now that I went out to look at them, they do seem dimmer than I expected. Although the car's in the garage (with garage door open & windows), I am looking at them during the daytime on a sunny day..

 

Scandinavian DRL settings means that the main lights are On all the time, exept if the stalk is set to the "side markers" only position. Pre-2016 model don´t have "real" DRL:s at all. The led strip is "side markers" like 12jagmark wrote.
"Side markers" do have approx 400nit, what is too low for DRL, what should be min 500nit (if i remember values right)
From sunshine/mains on picture its hard to say if the led strip is dimmer than normal, but thre are no adjustment for it. You can try to check the connectors for each headlamps. They are accessable without removing the headlights.

 

QUOTE][/QUOTE]When looking up close even in the dark the lights are barely even on, (side lamp and side marker) in person it's very faint almost not on. Unlike before where it was noticeable from a far. I'm not sure if there's a ground strap associated with it or a specific connection for the leds.

Sorry for the previous pictures, went back out and got some clear ones for the forums. In comparison to the first in the garage is a significant difference.

I'll follow what you advised and unplug the lamps check the connection and clean with electrical contact cleaner in case they may have dirted up the pins.

 

And this was the before

 

They're not bright LED's. You're comparing daytime to nighttime pictures

 

One trick you can try is to look at them with the main beam headlights off (like in your pics where the LEDs look bright) as opposed to when your full headlights are on.
It's hard for them to compete with those bright xenon headlamps.

 

I'll take another photo when I switch them back to the normal setting for pictures sake, but just assuming that I'm not going crazy. Is there any info on if there's a fuse, ground strap, or any other electrical occurrence to cause something like that if I was to be correct on judgement (as I've seen it in person without the xenon lamps on?

 

You can still turn mains off from the stalk. Rotate the end of turnsignal stalk to the position "Side lights". No need to go for settings with SDD.

 

You're not. Just navigating your way around your X351 like the rest of us.

If you look to "the stickies" at the top of the X351 forum page you'll find a post that provides links to an actual JLR manual for the X351 - but with the diesel engine IIRC. So while it won't help you as far as engine info, all the rest not related to the engine applies such as (non-engine) electrics, body & so on.
Very helpful and includes good system operational descriptions (IIRC).
If you download that workshop manual from "the stickies" post, headlights are somewhere around page 2100 (of 3448 pages)

 

Thanks!

 

I turned on the parking lights and the side lamps only came on and it was very dim (night time) so I went ahead and just unplugged the connection and sprayed electrical contact cleaner (sensitive red spray bottle) after drying plugged it back in and it was as bright as before. I forgot to take the before photo but here's the after from the fix



Thanks for the advice as always <3

 

So some corrosion in the connector. And those connectors have pretty good environmental seals too.
Was this a flood damaged car before you bought it? You did get it from an auction (directly or indirectly), didn't you say?
If so, you may have other effects that you'll have to work through of course, but it's a start.

 

Its a clean title car that wasn't in a flood, it came from Nevada. It could have been from the mechanics when they removed the front end and the connection. They may have left it exposed because the boots appear to have a very good seal.

Getting closer to a full restoration for sure. Next I'm polishing the head light lenses. And down the road upgrading the bulbs as I've already done all the other bulbs in the car.

 

So….. Connectors! Ok. Please….. How to reach them? Where to look? Thank you

 

Not near the car at the moment but it's a circle like connection head. That plugs directly behind the headlight. Can miss it! If you need pictures just let me know

 

way of acces….. under the car of engine compartiment? Or under the wheel cover?

 

Engine Compartment.

The xj has a lot of space in front of the engine compared to other cars I've worked on. Especially with the intake off. But you won't need to remove that.

Here's a video for better insight. I know we're not talking about replacing headlights but they can help you get a view.