While I had the dash apart fixing the steering reach motors, I noticed that there were a couple of empty bulb holes in the PCB next to the rotary switch for the headlight mode . Sure enough, next time I was driving in the dark, only "sidelight" was illuminated out of the three options.

Am I crazy, or has a previous owner removed a couple of bulbs from my headlamp switch?

 

I know this is a two year old thread, my apologies. But the question above was something I was curious about as well, and I didn't see an answer posted.

I had posted in another thread asking about the ability to take these panels and their rocker switches apart to reglue the "jewels" in these switches as mine had fallen into the switches.

That thread is here:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...uccess-118392/


While researching this, I noticed that all of the salvage switch panels also only had one bulb fitted, but there are three bulb locations available. You can see this in some attached photos in the thread above.

So, while I didn't think that someone may have taken out the bulbs as the original post suggested, but did wonder:

1) Do the other two locations work if a bulb is fitted and indicate the mode the headlights are set to?
2) If #1= "yes", why did Jaguar decide to not put the other two bulbs in the circuit board?

...and I guess 3) Why not put some bulbs in there for grins


I was thinking about getting a salvage board to see how resilient the switches were to reassembly, so maybe a test is in order with an extra bulb


.

 

Just repaired the switches in mine. Just carefully pop the switch cover off from the top. Super glue the lens back in and carefully snap back together. Just did it so no idea of longevity. As for the bulbs... its seems you have two different boards there? i remember mine looking like the one with one bulb installed. I have had issue finding incandescent bulbs. Leds are all over the web. Little incandescents are hard to come by. Your photo answers one of my own questions. After I closed the housing up i realized I had pulled the little bulbs for trac controls etc from the switches on the right side. But did not remember seeing such bulbs for the headlight switches on the left side. You photo confirms there are not little bulbs in the headlight switches. Just leds to indicate they are on. Jaguars controls decisions escape me.

 

Please do and let us know. My cars, like yours, have only one bulb for the sidelights, but I never thought to try a bulb in the open spots!

 

I installed bulbs in the empty holes on my '95 XJR. They work. I have no idea why they were left blank, so to speak.

I *think* the other side....the cruise control panel...also has an unused bulb hole. Memory is a bit foggy on that one, though.

Aside: If you're driving on a very dark road the glow from the lighting panel will reflect onto the driver's door glass. At a glance it'll trick you into thinking another car is coming up on your left side. A bit startling for a split second!

Cheers
DD

 

Incandescents are out there, too. In an effort to get around Jaguar's stupid-expensive prices for these tiny bulbs ($6-7 each) I bought a slew of 'em online for less than $1 each. As I recall there are three common-ish sizes but I figured out what to buy....and sadly can't remember the details to pass along. It was years ago. Maybe after another cup of coffee....

Anyhow, I had a big problem with matching the color and intensity of the original bulbs used by Jaguar. Grrrr! Very annoying.

In the end (long story) I ended up harvesting extra bulbs from some used control panels

As for the LED types.....tried 'em....way too bright for my eyes. Waste of effort, IMHO.



Cheers
DD

 

That's my plan too, to harvest some used ones as one needs the "base" for the bulb too in order to install them.

Interesting that they work, but Jaguar decided to leave them out.

.

 

I borrowed the bulbs from the overhead console 1234 buttons (unused by me) and fit 3 of them to the unused locations (2 on left and 1 on right). I like it!
The logic of the symbols and controls is confusing, but i think its much better at least to be able to see where the lights and cruise switches are.
Keep in mind that the screws are small torx heads and are finicky to engage correctly.

 

Not if you can stand on your head under the steering wheel and hold your tongue just right.....and have the patience of a saint.

Otherwise, very finicky, yes

Cheers
DD

 

ive never seen so much torx hardware. Did somebody at british leyland design that fastener?

 

Heh, funny....

Well, that's interesting and good news about the other light locations working.

I've seen different versions of the lighting and cruise control boards, some have the extra empty sockets, some don't. I don't know if later versions omitted the empty sockets, or vice-versa.

I haven't gotten into mine yet to see, but will be curious.

Thanks for testing this out.

.

 

So, interestingly on my 97, there are no open/unused bulb holes on the headlight switch board like on some earlier models.


But I also salvaged some bulbs and an older board from a wrecked X300, and tested it out on my car. With the two extra bulbs installed in the open sockets, they do light. But they all three light at the same time when the parking or headlights are on.

That's too bad, and fairly useless.

I was hoping they would light independently indicating parking lights alone (center bulb), and then parking & headlight (bottom bulb), and off (top bulb). The latter would have been particularly nice to provide a light to show where the headlight switch is located in the dark, not that I have trouble finding it, but....

I have to think the board was originally designed to work similarly to how I describe it based on the bulb socket locations and the backlit symbols, but for some reason was never realized. In fact, the older board has a plastic shield that clips around the center bulb to keep its light from bleeding into the other indicators.

Maybe these are something of a holdover from the XJ40 panel, and maybe that used the lights to indicate those states? Don't know.

And again, at least by 97 they finally just eliminated the top and bottom bulb socket entirely.

I haven't opened up the bottom under my cruise control board & odo board, but it will be interesting to see how those lights behave, or if the spare sockets are even there on the 97.

.