Hi all,

First post on the XJ8 forum. I wandered over from the XK8 area. I've owned a 1999 XK8 for all of 3 months.

Last week I bought a 2007 XJ8L. I researched this car to death and looked at everything being sold for over a year!

I should have gotten the owners handbook before I started looking as there were a lot of features I did not know about. I downloaded one from "Cootersautomanuals.com".

Anyway I have a switch under the ashtray hatch just in front of the cigar lighter. I have no idea what it's purpose is. It looks factory installed, or nicely installed. I found it turns the radio off when switched on. The cigar lighter fuse was blown when I got the car. Replaced the fuse and the lighter works.

I don't find any reference to it in my downloaded handbook.

I have a couple other issues I will post separately.


Love the car, BRG, XJ8L, with barley interior, 36,000 miles.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Don

 

No switch like that in my 2007 XJ8.

 

That little switch is an after-market addition to control the ejector seat. However, it is linked in with the passenger detector sensors so will only work if you have a passenger sitting in the front seat.

 

What ever you do, "Don't Push It" lol

 

No idea what the point of a sep. button to turn the radio off would be..... since the radio already has its own on/off..... Post a pic!

 

That's probably the switch for Her Majesty's motorcade flashers.

 

I'd bet someone added an aux audio feed - look for an audio or USB jack somewhere - probably in the console.

 

Sorry, it didn't work when my wife was sitting in the seat when I hit the switch!

 

does it have a factory alarm system or an aftermarket? This almost sounds like a valet switch for an alarm...

 

Why would that kill the radio?

 

Could be two reasons...
1) the valet switch doesn't receive the correct code and kills DC/acc power
2) the valet switch is wire incorrectly...

The old Ungo units had toggle two way toggle switches for their valet switches. I saw a few that were wired incorrectly and exhibited similar symptoms.

...just a thought though

 

The car has the factory alarm system.

Don

 

I found that the switch does not kill or mute the radio as I thought previous.

The first time I messed with it I thought it muted or disconnected the radio.
Well, after playing with it, it appears to disconnect the radio antenna! When I first messed with it I thought it muted it. But it must have been on a weak station. On a strong station when the switch is on it weakens the signal so much you can hardly hear it through the static.

So for whatever reason it's taking out the antenna. This may be related to my no phone problem. Previous owner may have wanted less interference with a bluetooth phone.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Don

2007 BRG XJ8L

 

I still think he must have set up an aux feed some way. Since the radio does not have an aux setting, it would have had to be left on to power the preamp and amp, so cutting out the antenna would be the way to stop other signal interference. Have you searched for a small 3.5mm audio jack?