Dear Forum,
My car is a daily driver. For months and months now, when I start it up in the morning, most times my screen is blank (climate screen blank too) and the buttons immediately surrounding it (Auto, fan speed etc, etc) are not powered. They still light up when the lights are switched on. The buttons above it (seat heaters etc) are powered, lit and work fine.
Most times, when I start it up again in the afternoon/evening, everything works?
I have been assuming that this may be battery influenced; the Head Unit susceptible to small voltage drops? Perhaps (I thought) a drain overnight negates function, whilst the first run followed later by the second start enables? However, it now appears to be dead morning and evening.
My CD Changer had failed a while back; could this be the cause? If so, difficult to understand why the Head Unit has been working perfectly (with that failed Changer), albeit only when it feels like it? Anyone got any ideas as to why the intermittent functioning, please?
Grounds both sides of the console seem okay?
When it wanted to work, my screen would flicker on and off briefly before it stabilized and then worked perfectly. If my screen has now finally given up the ghost because of (say) D2B issues, would that also cause the functionality of the buttons around it to also die? Or is this a power issue?
Touch Screen failure removes so much essential functionality and this is likely to become an increasing problem for many of our Forum members in the future!
Please, I need your advice! Anyone have a similar experience? I need to find out whether my Head Unit problem has a fix, or if I should look at the expense of replacing it with a used unit?
Thank you
Lots of things go wonky with these cars if the battery is weak. I’d suggest starting with having an auto or battery shop load test your battery. If that’s ok, then pull the head unit and check all the connections.
I do't think that your failed changer is the cause because mine has also failed.
There are two small motors in the changer,one to change a disc and another
to spin it.I replaced one in mine and then the other failed.
I think I have posted before about Reman who were in Kent but now moved to USA
They repair autoelectronics.
I would be suspicious about the little flouorcent tube which illuminates the screen
but that's just a guess although we know that type of light has a limited life.
Also I think the initial flickering is a clue.
I do't think that your failed changer is the cause because mine has also failed.
There are two small motors in the changer,one to change a disc and another
to spin it.I replaced one in mine and then the other failed.
I think I have posted before about Reman who were in Kent but now moved to USA
They repair autoelectronics.
I would be suspicious about the little flouorcent tube which illuminates the screen
but that's just a guess although we know that type of light has a limited life.
Also I think the initial flickering is a clue.
Thank you Meirion1. I do see what you are saying about the tube flickering. However, I don't understand why a failed tube would cause none of the surrounding buttons to be powered? I am going to have to take her off the road for a few days (the Memsahib will have to use the metro) and remove the Head Unit; inspect it and check its serial number. I have seen a used unit for a 2005 XJ8L in the States. The serial number because I don't know if my tape deck instead of CD player and my long-wheelbase 4 zone climate control and rear entertainment center is reflected in the wiring of the Head Unit?
Can anyone tell me whether a replacement will have to exactly match all of these numbers, please?
Will those that have an included CD player instead of a tape deck (like mine) be universal? I have no problem with changing to a CD player...In fact I would prefer it?
I think I need to ensure it has those 4 RCA plug-ins for my rear entertainment module?
For example this one does not match the numbers but looks right:JAGUAR XJ X350 2005 Display Screen 2W9310E889CG | eBay It is numbered W93 10E889 CG (last letter G instead of my J) and 462200 - 5256 (the last number 6 instead of my 8)
I do apologise for being such a nuisance, but obviously the very last thing I need is to buy and ship the wrong unit!
Hi Esray,
the screen and the entertaiment system (or radio) are two separate systems, although when you remove them you take them out as one piece. Once removed, you will see that both units can be replaced independantly.
Whether the radio has a tape deck or a CD player does not matter to the screen, it will show what it gets. You should even be able to replace your radio with the tape deck to the one with the CD player without issues.
Furthermore, I am of the opinion that the same applies to the LWB, rear entertainment and 4 zone climate control: it doesn't matter to the screen, it will show the "data" it gets from the different modules.
Why I am saying this? My Super V8 did not have bluetooth, only the fixed mobile phone, and I upgraded it to bluetooth. Unplug the receiver in the arm rest, replace the mobile phone unit in the trunk (connection wise, a straight swap), add the bluetooth antenna dn voilà, the screen show the phone with the bluetooth screen.
One more reason for my statement: Cambo added DAB to his car years ago, and he had to replace the radio in order to do so, but I do not remember that he replaced the screen, as well, and the screen showed the additional DAB information without a problem.
Thomas,
Thank you for clarifying the situation regarding tape deck and CD player. I have looked at several replacments (all with different part numbers) and found only one (so far) that has the 4 RCA connections pictured and mentioned in my previous post
I have just checked the schematics, and I believe that the 4 RCA connctions you refer to are the TV inputs from the 4 TV antenna amplifiers, and that is why you do not find many screens having them. It was an option not ordered very often.
So, if in Dubai you still have a analogue TV signal, you night still want to use them. If the TV in the car does not work anymore because like in Europe you only have digital TV transmitted, then a screen without them should also work.
Thomas, thank you for taking the time to check that for me. All that you say regarding the TV signal is true.
However, I use the rear multimedia module as an AUX IN from which I run to a bluetooth device and so am able to play music from my 'phone through the car system. Should I assume that this will be unaffected by the omission of these 4 RCA connections, please?
Thomas,
Please look at the pic of the back of my unit I posted previously. You will see that there are two connections to the right of the RCA's. Almost all of the replacements I ave looked at on eBay do not have the left hand one (nearest the RCA's) of these connections?
Please (when you have time) could you look at your schematic (I wouldn't have a clue how to) and tell me if this is also for the TV?
Thank you.
I have had a look at the schematics, and the connector you mention should be shown in figure 15.3 and be the connection to the audio/video selector. I believe that the audio/video selector is only present in cars with the screens in the front headrest, but I am not 100% sure. It might be that it is present as soon as the car has the rear entertainment system, but without the rear video screens.
Hello Thomas; thank you.
I think you are correct (yet again)!
I checked my loom and it does not have a plug for that specific connection because I do not have headrest screens.
So (it would appear) that all these different part numbers are related to functions you may or may not have. I think I will just have to ignore part numbers and hope that selecting one that matches all of my available loom connections (bar the inoperable TV) will work?
What do you think?
I've been reading this thread with great interest as my 2004 XJR also has a blank screen usually when the temperature is under 55 degrees F leaving the climate control, navigation, defoggers, etc., un-functional until I drive the car approximately 20-30 minutes and then the screen turns on and I have all the controls back. If I leave the heat/AC on when I shut the car off, it will work with the screen blank but I cannot access any of the controls until the screen comes back to life. It doesn't seem to affect any of the radio or CD functions other than they are not available to be controlled from the touch screen (until it turns back on) only by the radio/CD buttons lower on the unit. I have had the unit out and inspected the connectors and pins which seem fine, I cleaned them as well. I even tried to change out the entire head unit but that was not successful as the replacement unit only showed a fuzzy and rolling screen and no better functionality so I re-installed the original. There has to be something that seems to be affected by colder temperatures in getting the touch screen to turn on but I can't seem to track it down. Hopefully some Jaguar magician will have some insight into this as it does drive me crazy.
Hello Thomas; thank you.
I think you are correct (yet again)!
I checked my loom and it does not have a plug for that specific connection because I do not have headrest screens.
So (it would appear) that all these different part numbers are related to functions you may or may not have. I think I will just have to ignore part numbers and hope that selecting one that matches all of my available loom connections (bar the inoperable TV) will work?
What do you think?
I do't think that your failed changer is the cause because mine has also failed.
There are two small motors in the changer,one to change a disc and another
to spin it.I replaced one in mine and then the other failed.
I think I have posted before about Reman who were in Kent but now moved to USA
They repair autoelectronics.
I would be suspicious about the little flouorcent tube which illuminates the screen
but that's just a guess although we know that type of light has a limited life.
Also I think the initial flickering is a clue. https://www.yelp.com/biz/reman-auto-...ics-lewisberry
Meirion1, not for the first time, I suspect you were correct!
Pics show details of the 'Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp' you referred to and (as you described) the flickering I experienced before the final failure was attributable to the fluorescent lamp...
As CCFL tubes age they tend to show some colour shift at lower brightness levels (tend to move into the reddish hues until they warm up).
They do become more hesitant to strike and can flicker as they draw more current from their high voltage supply to strike.
You can often replace them but it can be a very fiddly job, as more often than not you have to dismantle the LCD display to get to the embedded tube(s).
They vary in size, shape and diameter, so you generally have to reveal the original to take the relevant measurements to order a replacement.
They also often have very tiny clear o-ring spacers along the original tube that need to be transferred to the new one.
The high voltage wires are soldered onto the tubes but covered by a silicon boot that also needs to be preserved and reused.
The good news is the tubes are generally still available and are usually pretty cheap.
As CCFL tubes age they tend to show some colour shift at lower brightness levels (tend to move into the reddish hues until they warm up).
They do become more hesitant to strike and can flicker as they draw more current from their high voltage supply to strike.
You can often replace them but it can be a very fiddly job, as more often than not you have to dismantle the LCD display to get to the embedded tube(s).
They vary in size, shape and diameter, so you generally have to reveal the original to take the relevant measurements to order a replacement.
They also often have very tiny clear o-ring spacers along the original tube that need to be transferred to the new one.
The high voltage wires are soldered onto the tubes but covered by a silicon boot that also needs to be preserved and reused.
The good news is the tubes are generally still available and are usually pretty cheap.
Hello Mark, thank you for your reply. I think replacing the tubes and putting this lot back together again is a bit above my pay grade!
Having dismantled it that far, you could just swap out the entire LCD panel from a donor unit if you can find one.
As long as the part number on the panel is the same it should be a straight swap.
