HELP 1998 XJ8 Console Illumination. With headlamps on. If I move stalk to high beam most times center console lights go off. They will only come on if I turn headlamps and park lights off. If I then turn lights on again console usually illuminates. Console lights fail sometimes of their own accord with headlamps on but moving to high beam most times triggers the problem. In what order should I dismantle the car to find source of this annoying problem?

 

http://www.jagrepair.com/images/Auto.../jagxj1998.pdf

See page 60

Does it accure as you have the override selected ?

Notice the ground in the area

 

LP is the lord of schematics lol.

 

Probably have a broken wire in the multiswitch. Using the electrical handbook LP posted, you need to pull the air bag, the steering wheel and check out the small wires running to the correct posts. One is probably loose and needs to be resoldered.

Lots of posts on removing the air bag and steering wheel with tons of photos. A resoldering takes three or four hands, however. I used medical suture clamps and a needle style soldering iron.

 

Thank you Lady Penelope for the diagrams (the problem occurs with or without the override selected) and thank you Jhartz for suggesting where to look next. Sorry for being slow to reply but I've had time out to replace the battery. Winter seems to have done it in but the new battery has made no difference to the problem. Will report back after the weekend when I've had time to investigate further. Cheers and regards from Down Under. David Murch

 

Now fixed. No broken wires on back of combination stalk. Replaced stalk - what a mission and all now works - probably wires broken inside stalk. Thanks for every bodies helpful suggestions David Murch