All,

I recently purchased a 1996 xjr on BAT. It was in very good shape and well taken care off. However I had it shipped directly to my garage for service. They replaced shocks, hoses, belts etc. I stopped by Friday around 430pm hoping it might be ready to pick up. Apparently just before I got there the mechanic re-connected the battery and the engine started! The keys were in his hand. They disconnected the battery and it kept running. As it was late Friday they decided to deal with it Monday. I told them I would post here hoping someone might have seen this before? Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Eddy

 

Never reconnect the battery backwards , ask me how I know

Your XJR uses a different GM transmission than the normally aspirated inline 6 version

This makes a little difference in the almost same starter circuit

Is it a US market car that does not have a chip in the key until 1998 ?

See page 47

www.jagrepair.com/images/AutoRepairPhotos/jagxj1996.pdf

Basically, the BPM provides a ground command to the starter solenoid relay to close

The starter solenoid relay may just be stuck in the closed position

The starter relay can be swapped with a headlight , fog light , or AC that has the same part # on it

The relay base / holder unclips by pressing down and the relay can be stuck in the socket base by a waterproofing o - ring with some penetrating spray to release it

Before the BPM provides this ground command it has to have agreements / enables like a ground path through the ignition switch

The ignition switch connector can be remove easily and if the gets to it the ignition switch can be changed without removing the key barrel so no new key needed

the connector is when you remove the kick panel below the steering column with 5 wires . the connector is clipped straight into the dash framework

See page 17

X300 1996 LWB.pdf (jagrepair.com)

The starter position on the ignition switch is pin 1 to 5 ( black ground wire )

it is a spring loaded momentary switch so it will waver on your meter, but you want to see it remain open on the key relaxed position ( run position 2 )

This position 2 can be seen at the top of page 40 of the wiring guide

The switch removes by a small slotted screwdriver on the ears in the pic below , the slot cut is wide so it can fool you and I think there is loctite on it , don't lose the little set screws

The pic is the starter switch with the short pigtail and switch side connector

 

Thank you Parker! I'll forward this to the mechanics.

 

Sometimes you can just hit the relay and it will go into the open or closed position it is currently commanded to at that moment in time

That would be your easiest try after you hook the battery up

2nd would be swapping the relay

 

Update. Turns out it was some kind of aftermarket alarm or remote start. Something add on. They pulled the in-line fuse from the red wire running in the engine bay and voila, everything works normal. I'll play around tracing that out later. For now I'd just like to drive my "new" car!

Thanks again for the help!

 

If the alarm goes off on you you can tie a string to the # 4 fuse in the trunk for quick shut off of the alarm, The # 1 is the closest to the fuse box terminal post

This powers the original alarm in the car , no telling how they integrated the aftermarket system in the car

On all 4 fuse boxes # 1 - 9 and the remainder are hot at all times directly wired to the battery bypassing inside the box the small king relay attached to the fuse box

Fuse 10 , 12 , 14 , and 16 rely on the king relay to close

This can be seen on page 38 of your wiring guide

The security lock control module must be powered to start the car ( original configuation )

 

Well I might have spoke to soon. I finally got to drive the car today after picking up from the shop. Over 6K! but I did get a lot of stuff done, including preventative maintenance. I drove about 100 miles. I know they messed with the relays like you suggested. They said that didn't fix the problem. Pulling the in line aftermarket fuse fixed the problem. However. When I start the car the headlights are on even when the switch is off. I'm guessing they switched the relays and now the headlight relay is stuck open? I'm going to check this out tomorrow. I found the page showing the locations from the manual you posted.

That being said what a sweet ride. Smooth, quiet, fast. A little shimmy around 80. I'll sort that out. Gets to 100 in a hurry.

 

On the subject of the headlights you can swap them for the X308

The X300 had a poor silvering of the rear reflector dish that no manner of cleaning will correct , the X308 headlights are a world of difference and you can see them at a salvage yard and the price is better than Ebay

Many have done the Mod

I think you need the X308 lense rear mounting bracket as the X300 is a 4 lense mounting post and the X308 is 3 , mine was busted up so not sure as I had to replace mine

And now this and the 2nd video

 

here is a solution for headlight issues if you are up for a big task.....
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-units-255475/

 

canada car?

 

Yes. I understand it was originally a Canada car. Is that why the lights are on?

 

Your Canadian car does have a headlight feature , just woke up but brain still in bed before it wakes up

I think it was an auto on with engine running

 

So there is no "auto" setting on the light switch. Off, parking, on. I'd prefer to be able to turn them off even if the car is running. (Like not blinding restaurant patrons when pulling up to pick up carry out) If it's confirmed canada cars had this "feature", can it be disabled? One wire going to the headlight and tail light relays from ignition? Parker 7 can you point me in the right direction to look in that electric manual you posted?

 

my guess would be that is is not extra wiring as all the wiring in these cars is all the same. (AFAIK)
but it is something in the BCM that sends a signal to the LCM when car is running.
therefore something that could potentially be turned off with access to the dealer level software but likely something that is not configurable as it would have been set up to be that way for compliance with canadian legislation

 

As far as I know the different modules on the X300 series are not programable, so this points to a wiring or jumper pin set for the headlights that are controlled by the BPM to the headlight relays

They may be commanded on by the sunlight sensors on the dash or engine running

The X308 if I recall are commanded by a extra set of sunlight sensors

The other smaller exterior lights are controlled by the exterior light control module ( 2 for the early X300 series )

 

They are not programmable but that just means that one can not change it.
There is a miriad of region specific BCMs some for some euro countries like norway which i know has specific lighting,
Canada has its own specific BCM LNA2500BB017.
which indicates to me it is a feature that is programmed into the BCM for Canada.
the LCM controls the lights but it is the BCM which tells it what to do. Atleast that is how it works for other functions.
for example, hazard light switch connects to the BCM, then goes to the LCM, indicators do the same, headlights also do the same.
you can see the path of the wiring on fig 9.1 and 9.4 to see this.
EG, the BCM sends the signal "headlights on" the LCM then deciphers that and sends the signal to each light to turn on both lowbeams, and the tail lights


each region has its own specific modules that give the different functions as eequired for that region.
with or without transponder, different lighting functions, etc etc.
not programmable just means they are set at factory and that is that. We can’t then change anything
https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.../brand/jaguar/

Atleast thats how i follow it.
with my electrical and computer knowledge.

 

pin FC2 - 6 input into ( Purple / Orange wire ) the Body Processor Module for the headlights labeled headlamp convenience input

This can be seen on top of page 107 of the 96 wiring guide

Note on the bottom of print: Daytime Running Lights - BPM Controlled

For active : ground pulse

Inactive : B +

That signal comes out of the security lock control module on top of page 207

I would put the 2 prints together as a pic but computer is acting up but is still not concrete information to disable the feature

This can be being mixed up as a print error in the headlights flashing on FOB operation as you lock up

 

So what i take from all this is:

that purple wire is present on all cars.
my bpm for example (aus) does nothing with that signal.
canadian spec bpm however gets the signal from that and directs the lcm to turn the lights on.

so, cutting that wire will remove the feature.
but it is not so simple to add the feature to my car.

 

On the breakout sheet before page 107 if you apply B + on the wire it will make it active witch can be done easily

But I would be hesedent to do that

Cutting the wire and removing the signal would do no harm to the BPM and you can splice it back it

 

I would postulate that as the wiring is complete on all cars it always has the signal on any car. It is just the different bpms from different regions that interpret the signal differently.
As that would seem logical.

all wiring harnesses are the same.
So the wiring is complete and the signal is always there.
the reason for different bpms is they are set to do different functions