i have no idea when or long its been missing but the module in the dash that sits in the middle by the windshield is missing! i haven't noticed this because its where i have my radar jammer sitting. the only reason why i noticed is because i was replacing the suction cups on the jammers bracket. what all does this monitor? I'm not sure why its missing. i have no dummy lights or random fault messages popping up. do i need this and how hard is it to install?

 

Dude that's weird. Without going out I think its the alarm lite and the day/night sensor.

 

Hmmm, I'm not clear what the picture is showing, could you provide an alternative view and from a bit further away. At top middle of dash, by the windshield is the sunlight sensor, and the car alarm flashing light.

 

@ fraser, sure just give me one minute

here is a view from the top looking down from the windshield. as you can see there are no wire or connections of any kind.

 

Josh pull that tape or whatever it is off. You will find the connections under it. Wonder what happened to make the previous owner do that?

 

@otis that's not tape covering a hole it's the dash it just looks like tape because it's access material inside the hole. also the previous owner didn't do that. I know for a fact it was there at one time because I had to push down on the plastic dome from rattling during a road trip about a year back

 

Alright then! Next question what did you do with it and where did it go? Just not going to dissappear into thin air. I really don't understand this. Going to look @ mine to see if there might be a clue.

 

Take a look @ this picture. Makes no sense to have tape or whatever that material is over that hole. Alldata says remove from the side and then you have a wire and it snaps back in. looking into the pic you see a cavity where the tape is?? To me the tape is an after thought. Just my 2 cents.


Update: Alldata says its a 81.00 item but differences in models will vary the cost. Has your headlights been working in auto? If they are then you may have something weird, but I doubt that.

 

Sounds like a thief has been at work; one who has an X350 and needs one or both of the sensors. These things do not just disappear, unless it was at a shop, and it was taken off for an investigation or replacement.

Check your last maintenance/repair invoices !

 

That little device is a "solar sensor" as well as the red flashing LED for the security system. The solar sensor is part of the climate control system, it is used to determine if the car is in direct sunlight, which requires a different level of cooling compared to being "hot" but in the shade or on an overcast day. It's nothing to do with the automatic lights, they are controlled by the light sensor in the rear-view-mirror, at least that's my understanding.

 

And now you have the rest of the story! LOL I was starting to wonder why they where calling it a solar instead of a light sensor. Learn something new everyday.

 

Sneaky little buggars as well adding the tape/whatever that crap is over the hole.

 

well i put my investigating skills to work. I'm sure we all know it was stolen, thats obvious. unfortunately for me it took so long for me to notice. like i said, where i have my radar jammer sitting it blocks the sensor from sight.
@otis you were right about the hole being there. the reason why i said there wasn't a hole is when i tapped the spot its was solid and looking at the pic i posted you can see the texture on the cover, it matches pretty close to the grain on my dash. the pic debunks the cover pretty good, but in person its hard to notice the difference being it sits so far in the dash. also the air vent on the driver side is loose. i assumed thats how the wires were ran and it connecting to the side of the sensors housing. your diagram helped me a lot so thank your for that!
well after a few attempts i managed to pry open the hole with a knife. the thief took some time making this cover. its shaped to fit, and the time to put a leather grain sole to closely match my dash's grain is ridiculous.
earlier this year i had a new head liner installed. my car was with the upholsters for a day and a half. looking at the cover & how it was made i would be a fool to not think i found the source.
i would of noticed something right away if i had some kind of reading displayed or a dummy light on. but everything works fine. i don't get that part???

but now what? with so much of a time lapse I'm sure there is nothing i can do but chalk it up as a loss and buy another.

 

The cost was already listed in post #8.

 

One has just been listed on EBAY:

JAGUAR XJ8 X350 DASH SENSOR 54 MODEL FREE P+P | eBay

 

I'm glad you got to the bottom of this. Yeah I saw the texture in the material that's why I was intrigued by this problem. It takes a lot of nerve to plan this out and actually expect the owner not to notice something different about thier car.

I would still go back to the upholestry shop and raise some hell. Might not get your part but @ least the owner will know something hinky is going on.

BTW is the harness still visible?

 

@otis oh I'm defiantly going monday with the piece to show them. i hope i see a x350/358 in the parking lot, it would validate this so much more. I'm usually a funny sarcastic smart *** kinda guy, which makes it easy for me to cause a scene. of course it will all depend on how they react to this situation. I'm sure they will deny and defend their integrity and i will leave with nothing but only giving them a piece of my mind. but with what i plan on saying will almost be worth it. as far as the harness I'm going to need a mirror to see inside the hole. i sure hope its their.

 

I hear ya. If this where me I don't know if I could walk in there and keep my cool enough to make my point without getting somebody bloody.

30 years ago I had to take a anger management course it was 6 months long. Took me 18 month to get outta that place! I was a fricking mess back in them days.

Back on topic. I know you can find examples of the sensor on line ebay and such. Alldata suggested that more than one exist so I recon vin numbers and the dealer might be your only option.

Good luck!

 

Was it the trim shop ? You say you had your satnav in front, so only noticed it very recently. Might be worth backtracking to when you remember it being there. How long has the satnav been there ?

 

@ fraser i remember when i was there. it was at the upholster shop for 1 & 1/2 day my radar jammer sits in from of the sensor which makes the sensor out of site. on post 13 its elaborated. if you haven't check it out it quite detailed.