I finally managed to work out how to remove the approach light fitted on the door mirror. The RH one won't come on anymore, but LH side is OK. I had spotted it before Christmas, but winter weather put me off fiddling around. Anyway, today was a nice 1st March day, with daffodils starting to come out, (there are thousands upon thousands in the Cheshire countryside, by the way, so we'll be out on a trip soon).

The approach lamp moulding itself fits in a carrier piece on the mirror bottomside and completes the mirror plinth, and can be easily extracted from the rear where it is closest to the car door. I had thought the bulb had gone, but on checking, not so, so I took off the one on the left and fitted it on the right, and tried again, no joy. Checked with an AVO meter to see if there were volts at the plug, again no joy. So somewhere from where this lamp is switched on and the lamp, there is a break in continuity of the line. I am assuming both lights are switched from the same place.

Everything else electrical works OK, the mirror moves on the motor, so I am puzzled. There seems to be no fuse for this item, at least nothing listed.

Anybody else had trouble with these lamps ?

I know this is a piddling little fault, but I like things to work, dammit !!

 

I finally did some more tests, and the RH electric mirror can no longer be moved with the joystick on the door, so it looks like I have a cabling issue somewhere. So NO approach light, and NO electric mirror. I am shortly going to check the mirror heater to see if that is out as well. Last year I had the failed door latch replaced, so something may have been disturbed when that job was done, and has only now decided to pack up.

Why can't things just keep on working, dammit !

 

I finally got the approach light and mirror drive sorted today by a Jaguar independent. It took them about one hour, as the mechanic had to take off the door panel and check the wiring. It transpired that the last mechanic of the main agent who replaced a duff door latch had nor reconnected all the electrics, as the mirror plug was found to be hanging loose.

All now working, and I will be putting this down to experience. I doesn't seem worth haranguing the dealer for this minor error. Probably Jaguar repair times are a little time leading to a rush to complete the job. Maybe 'Brutal' would like to comment. Am I too forgiving, after all I have made mistakes in my work career too ?

 

Thanks for the posts Fraser.............start, middle and end.....lol

Having read through them I kept thinking to myself perhaps it was a fuse, but you got to the bottom of it and all is good.

I'll amend the thread title to read FIXED....................Thanks

 

Yes, we all do make mistakes now and then. Still, they won't know they had a problem if it isn't brought to their attention. Don't have to be testy to do that, but they need to know.

They might offer a coupon or something for your next visit, who knows.

My two cents........

 

Good you got it fixed - at first it sounded as a corrupted wire. Yeah we all make mistakes. My shop at that time forgot to put the oil cap on so the engine sucked oil through the intake from the vent hose in the valve cap - cleaning of the whole intake the whole intake + new plugs - still don't know if car will pass emission next time due to all the oil that ended up in the exhaust - car still smells slightly from the exhaust when hot- 3k miles after
I have and will check everything I can see and check before leaving from that day on - everybody makes mistakes.

 

I am going to write to them telling them what happened in a friendly way, not angry. Problem with this fault was I only noticed it when the approach light failed to come on, and that was when the nights had drawn in for winter. I rarely move the mirror, as my wife doesn't drive the car, (she says it's too BIG !!)

 

I have been re-reading that and I still am having trouble figuring out how to get the mirror apart to change the bulb. Which direction do I press on it? Thanks

 

It's very difficult to describe, so I will try to take a picture and post it. Please note that the bulb is not supposed to be replaceable from the moulding because the lens is glued on, not clipped. However, with casr, one can prise it off. You would then need to use plastic glue like used for model aircraft etc.