So I took out the radio to find out the serial number as the dealer who sold the car originally does not have any data on the cars before 2008, they lost the database or something like that as they told me...

Impossible to contact the first owner to know if there was any memory of the code for reasons that are beyond the scope of this post.

With the serial number of the radio I was able to find the radio code on one of those internet sites that tell you the radio code with the S/N (worked to my surprise!). Will note it down on the manual for the next owner if I ever sell the car.

At the same time I was doing this, I took the chance to fix something that was bothering me since I bought the car (I'm the 2nd owner): the AC panel was flimsy on the left side and everytime I push the ON/OFF button, the panel would wiggle.

In case you don't know, and I hope this can be useful for somebody, the bolts to the right and left of the radio/AC panel pass first through the radio hole and then through the AC hole to fix them to the console.

It seems like somebody had been tinkering with the radio in the past, since the plastic bracket to the left with the hole on the AC panel was broken, I heard it falling as soon as I removed the bolt. Fortunately, whoever broke it put it in back place, but since it was not fixed anymore to the AC panel, it did not press against the panel and therefore the wiggle.

Also, on the other side of the panel, the plastic bracket on the radio panel was also broken, and again, whoever broke it had the manners to keep it in place at least. The radio though was not wiggling, even with the bracket lost.

Here in the pictures you can see first the plastic bracket on the radio side (this is the good side, not the broken one) and in the second picture, I circled in red the "repair" I did with Loctite to fix the bracket to the AC panel.

I tried to also glue the bracket of the radio side, but putting again the radio in place is very difficult because the leather surround "presses" against the radio brackets, so the risk of damaging them is high. So, the one glued fell again.

Long story short, be very careful when removing the radio, as the brackets will be on the way and you can damage them.

At least the AC panel is now not moving anymore and the radio works again!

 

Yeah, this has been an issue for a couple decades now. Sun dried plastics are the curse of these cars. Be sure to put light pressure forward on the wood trim rim from the end closest to you to seat cleanly around the radio and climate controls. This pressure also assists the mounting screws to not absorb all the weight and isolates any movement. When you apply this pressure use a plastic body panel tool, but first loosely put on the nuts for the shifter trim ring. Then apply the pressure and just using your fingers, take a socket to snug the nuts down. Then you can put in the rear screws by hand as well and this should help prevent breakage. It also cleans and tightens up the finish for that area.

I literally just installed another new head unit tonight is why I remember how to do that. I so love this Pioneer over that frickin' Clarion I couldn't stand anymore.

 

Yeah those mounts are damaged on mine too, but once in place it's all solid so I've not sorted it.

If you take it all out & search for plastic codes (I forget the correct term) which are odd symbols on the moulding you can buy special glues to fix them. I've had to do with on stupidly expensive bits of plastic for motorbikes & now have a brush on primer for superglue to stick some of them that superglue doesn't normally work on.

 

I saw in your thread something about a radio code that internet providers can use. Please tell me more about this. My wife would like to be able to connect her phone to her 2003 XJ8.

 

I believe the phone is only functional with the Jaguar Motorola one which works on 2G. You can do a search, I used... X308 phone

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-phone-113103/

Here's an old post but with the last post from just last year.... https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...rchid=15575371

 

I have 3 of the old Motorla TIMEPORT phones.
One in my wife's 2000 XKR, one in a parts car and one I rescued from the dumpster discarded at the dealer several decades ago.

I asked my wife if I could remove the phone from the console cubby and she wanted it left there AS ORIGINAL!!!!!!!!!!!!(I was not going to argue, it is HER CAR)

They are cool little Jaguar 'flip-phones' but electronically worthless.

 

I’m always grateful when the radio code is written on the glovebox door as the manuals can go missing. The XJR I have now, has it written on the glovebox interior and the car didn’t come with the manual. The ‘01 XJR I sold, still had the manual and radio ID card, but I wrote it on the door anyway.

 

When I performed PDIs at the dealer, I sometimes 'faintly scratched' the 4 digit radio code into the left rear corner of the OPEN BONNET. (the underside)

I worked near the dealer repair shop phone on the wall and I would usually answer it if I was not under a car. One day I answered the phone to a question from another repair shop wanting to know if I could provide a radio code.

I told them that they needed to speak to a service advisor because they had access to that info.
Then I said "wait, look under the bonnet in the left rear corner for 4 digits scratched into the paint".

He thanked me and hung up. He called back a few minutes later and was ecstatic. THAT WAS THE CODE!!!!!!!!!

I told him sometimes we did that when the car was new before it was sold.

 

One would think that the code would be affixed to the radio itself from
the factory.

 

Why?
They only have codes to make it unusable if stolen from the car, no point having a code at all if it’s on the radio!

 

Kinda like etching the combination on the outside of the safe you keep your valuables in?

 

And, if on the radio itself, you'd have to remove the radio whenever the battery was reconnected to unlock it...

 

If some stole it they would simply enter the code and then a code would be a stupid idea.
The reason codes were implemented was to deter theft.

 

Haha...It never even occurred to me that someone would want to steal
one of THESE radios. I thought the codes were there for completely
different reasons.

 

If you want bluetooth connectivity to the original Jag stereo, which I think is what you're asking then try here.

https://www.discountcarstereo.com/bt...ategory_id=431

That might not be the right module as they offer a few options.

I've got the one for just media streaming (no calls) & works great as well as being easy to fit.

 

Keep in mind, when these radios were made, they were advanced tech. An Alpine head unit with a Jag only Motorola phone, integrated disc navigation (only separate gps units back then like Earthmate), multi disc CD, cassette (this was a bit old even then) and interfaced amp. These were the cats meow of their day (pun intended).

Compare it to today and these seem like going from AM to FM to satellite radio.

 

Hi, with the radio serial number, there are some websites that tell you the radio code. No idea how they get it. I think the one I used is https://www.freecarradiocodes.com/jaguar-radio-codes, but there could be other ones out there. The one I used was free.