Hello folks

I've been working my way through a few little problems on my UK 1998 XJ8. My latest issue is no alarm chirps when locking and unlocking the car. Now, I know I don't 'need' them, and I think I understand that they are illegal in the UK, but I want them. As it stands this is actually my last issue, so it would be nice to have it how I'd like it.

I began looking at this issue because my intelligent sounder burnt out, with a huge plume of smoke, when I replaced fuse three in the larger of the two fuse boxes in the engine compartment. I took mine apart, and clawed out much of the rubber, to release the nicads, and have ordered replacements, which I'm waiting for. In the meantime, I found a really good value replacement, for only £13 on ebay, so I bought that. When I tried it, that didn't chirp either, at which point I discovered, with a little research, that it was probably disabled in software, for my UK model. I didn't try the sounder again, to see if it did actually work, i.e. sounds with the alarm (horns), as I put everything back without a final fit and put the replacement unit back on the workbench, because it hadn't chirped.

Other faults, related to fuse three, had been present for years, and I honestly can't remember if it ever chirped, but I suspect not, based on what I have now read, but I'm fairly sure I now have a working intelligent sounder, based on communication with the ebay seller, who was really excellent, but I definitely had no chirps.

Is this something easy for me to do? Buy a couple of cheap tools, and a lead, and I can program it myself, or is the only realistic way to take it to an independent Jaguar specialist and ask them to enable it for me? If there is something I can buy, can someone explain exactly what I would need, and how I would do it, or is it simply too expensive, for just this one little thing?

Cheers

Sutty

 

To the best of my knowledge, only a Jaguar approved scanner can adjust the “chirps” settings. We have an Autologic that can adjust those settings.

 

Thank you. In which case, what does that mean from a practical point of view? Can I buy one, or is it dealer only? How do you have one, are you a dealer? I'm guessing too expensive anyway, for my simple needs. Would it be fair to say, any reasonable, independent Jaguar dealer would have one of these, or can only main, factory, dealers own them?

 

You can change chirps on off with IDS only. So either buy mongoose/vcm cable and ids software kit. Or go to the dealer.

 

Thank you. I'll take a look at those options.

 

I was looking at IDS choices, and they seem a little expensive, but it might be worth it if I can achieve more than just the one thing.

I inherited the car from my father, so it has been owned by the family for 23 years, since new, and he used to own the older, more square style, (headlamps at least) Jaguar Sovereign, 4.0L, XJ6?, and was always disappointed with his new XJ8, that the windows didn't automatically go up when he locked the car, like his Sovereign used to do. On reading the security handbook, I have discovered that the windows will, and do, close, if I lock the car with the key, and hold it in the locked position for two seconds. I also note that it says, or by holding the red key fob button down, for two seconds (If enabled). This latter function, disappointingly, does not work, is this again something that can be enabled in software, using IDS? I too used to like the windows rolling up, when I locked the car, and I'd like that to operate too, on this one, as the older one used to do.

Came as quite a happy shock, that it was even possible with the key, as I read the handbook. If it could be made possible with the fob, I would be delighted.

Thanks in advance.

Sutty

 

Look for the option GLOBAL OPEN/GLOBAL CLOSE.

 

Thanks, that's an interesting list. Sadly it would appear to not be configurable, via this method, and yet we know that feature is possible, and enabled on some cars. I wonder why they don't allow this configuration via this method?

 

I did set this up when we had X308’s and also on our XK8 all done with a mongoose SDD in dealer options
as it’s a very useful reminder the car is locked, we have a single chirp to lock after pressing the lock button twice and a double chirp for unlocking. And each car I had we had this enabled for our convenience.

Any one with the tools can set this up be it a Jaguar dealer or independent repair shop with IDS or Mongoose.

 

Yes, sorry, I can see that is configurable from the list just posted, and from earlier posts. I was referring to the auto close of windows from the key fob. It works, using the key in the lock, so it didn't seem much of a leap to have that working via software from the fob, which some can make use of, in certain markets, and as referenced in the Security Owners Manual, as available, if enabled.

My fault for switching topics, partway through.