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So, I just wanted to thank all the posters about correct battery charging procedures.
well for the last nearly, no I correct myself I've always charged the battery with direct connections to the battery terminals. I know, I know! Wrong!!!!. Never had a problem, ever. But the XJ, sheesh! Finicky little thing isn't she?
Now, I'm retired so I don't need the XJ every day, sometimes not for a few days and I was having doubts about the old battery. When I bought her from the dealership the battery was showing low charge, that was a year or so ago. I was thinking about replacing the battery, which I will do maybe next year in the sales, but I'm not really in a position to do it right now. So, cold weather is a coming and we're currently at -20C daytime and - 24 C overnight, I knew it was coming weeks ago so I put the charger on max amps for couple of days, but this time I put the negative on the body bolt which also hooks up to the battery charge control and the live to the battery terminal. Fingers crossed etc.
with all the snow recently I have not been on any long trips, just the local grocery store or Costco 8km away, and every time I have started up I have not even had an inkling from the dash that the battery was on low charge. This is a first and I'm so grateful I am converted.
one thing though, when the windscreen mode is on max, the heated seats are struggling to get Warm. Put mode to normal and they're toasty.
Happy motoring everybody.
Good post. My wife and I are on our second XJ-L, as unfortunately we lost our first one when some inattentive dolt crashed into it, when my wife stopped for a traffic light. nonetheless, we never drove either on in the winter, but being the "car guy" that I am, I like to stay on top of the maintenance items, the charge level of the battery being one of those things.
What my Jag dealer told me, a number of years ago, is that you could attach the charger's cables (correct orientation, of course!) directly to the battery, but the way the Jag's wiring is oriented, that would not satisfy the car's onboard charge level detection system. Therefore, the charger should have it's positive lead attached to the positive post of the battery, and, as you have mentioned, the negative cable is attached to the ground bolt located on the car's body, adjacent to the battery.
We had -20C as well for couple of weeks, but now its +3C and all snow melted by rain.
I have notised also that when Max widshield are On the seat heaters get less power. I quess the visibility are set for more priority than hot asses.
Ahh - heated steering wheels - I love them! When I first heard about them they sounded a ridiculous addition but once you've had one you never want a car without one.
Oh dear, Fiat 127! , Ha! memories of a misspent youth I had a 128 in '75 to '77. I swear I got 97 mph out of it going to Leeds once. Fun, but it fell apart with rust.
My first new car was a 1972 Fiat 128. Very few FWD cars in the US at that time. A real billy goat with winter tires. You would not believe how much could fit in that car. We'd camp at the USGP in Watkins Glen, and it was like a clown car, all the stuff that came out.
That's probably "Eat A Peach" in the 8-track player. No longer have the shorts; still have the girl ...
Winter is coming
