Well i will start here,i have a 97xj6 vdp,long story short , tec. told me i need to have my cluster program ?, not a thing works,unless i wiggle a plug thing under the steering shaft area,under the panel. it starts working ok and will untill turn the switch off, start the car no work, what is this crap ? do i have the cluster reprogram ? or can i do that ? or can i just get a new cluster ? Please Help , i am about pull my hair out,lol Satterfield

 

Hi Satterfield,

Can you please provide more details about what you mean by "not a thing works?" Do you mean the instrument cluster lights do not illuminate and the gauges do not work? It sounds as though you are able to start the engine and drive the car...is that correct?

It would be very helpful if you could identify the plug you are wiggling under the steering column which seems to solve the malfunction, but perhaps you simply need to disconnect the plug and clean the contacts in both halves of the electrical connector with zero-residue electrical contact cleaner (available at most auto parts stores). It sounds as though the connector is not making good electrical contact.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thanks Don, it is the instrument cluster, all gauges and warnings, it started when i was replacing the shifter or J gate and would not start,i worked that out, starts great, i am not sure about the plug under the steering panel,the tec at an IND,said it might needed programming at Jaguar Dealer ,i am a little confused myself, can a cluster be reprogramed ? Satterfield

 

The odometer can be reprogrammed (for example, if the dealer replaces your instrument cluster and needs to set the correct mileage), but I'm not aware of any other programming that can be done to the cluster, so I can't think of a logical reason why the tech made that suggestion.

If you are able to make the cluster work by wiggling the connector, it definitely sounds like an electrical connection problem. I would highly recommend disconnecting the plug you are wiggling, flushing all the contacts in both halves of the connector with contact cleaner spray (protect surrounding surfaces with old towels or garbage bags). Allow to dry for 10 minutes and then reconnect the connector and ensure that it is fully seated and latched.

From the front, the X300 instrument cluster is very similar to the one in our '93 XJ40 - I don't know if the electrical connections on the back are the same, but for what they're worth, below are links to photos of the cluster from our '93 showing the four electrical connectors, two large ones on the back of the cluster, and two smaller ones on short sections of wiring harness:

Welcome to Jag-lovers - Members Photo Viewing Page
Welcome to Jag-lovers - Members Photo Viewing Page

Cheers,

Don

 

The Tec, was not wiggle anything,he unpluged the plug to the cluster and repluged it and it started working , i did the samething and it worked ,with both plugs on the cluster, both sides, when the engine is turned off and restarted it is off again, Satterfield