I am having trouble figuring out how to get into and change the illumination light bulbs behind the switches where the heater controls etc are in the center console. anyone with any suggestions?

 

To get at them you need to dismantle your gear selector 'ski slope'

There's a video on youtube XK8 but it's the same process using key cards to lift the gear surround and removal of the ski slope wood surround, once they're out of the way it's unscrewing the heater control.

The bulbs are T5/T10 style I seem to remember, twist lock. Jaguar are expensive, there are many led upgrades, but it can be fiddly.

led conversion including stereo...

 

I just changed mine all using Jaguar units I believe I have the part numbers on a package at home if you like I can post it when I get there keep in mind. Inside that heater control unit there are many different types of bulbs. The bottons for seat heaters, door lock, valet, and traction control have one, then there is a non blue one for the hazards. If you pull open the back of the climate control portion I believe there is three more in there (larger that the ones for the buttons).

 

Also videos on how to remove it all show that you have to take the console out I didn't take mine out was no problem didn't have to force anything at all. Went very smooth, just got the ski slope out and then unbolted the radio and climate controls and unplugged them and they came out.

 

BMC could you please post the bulb numbers when you have the chance, also Sean your car seems to have a lot more illumination then my car

 

Safi will so as soon as I'm home this evening believe Sean is showing an LED conversion.

 

That's how I did mine-quite easy. I ordered a job lot of 50 tiny 'grain of wheat' 12v bulbs off ebay from China for £7 GBP. Took the old bulb holder out from behind the heater control panel, removed the tiny blue 'condom' rubber cover from the bulb, unwrapped the 2 wires to remove the bulb & then put a new bulb in, wrapped the wires & re-assembled.

Worked a treat & the light level is the same as the old bulbs

49 spare bulbs now, so anyone in the UK who may need some-just PM me & send an SAE

 

The ones from behind the console on my car were soldered to the holder, the door switch pack bulbs have two little wires on them that push are wrapped around but the console ones were different.

 

Have you got bulbs out? do you mean switches aren't lit?

My car's totally led, since it's a keeper I don't want to keep changing bulbs with this upgrade it's fit and forget, run cooler without voltage drain of incandescent, brighter and forever. The dull glow is quaint, but we're in the 21st century

 

Sean, your entire J-Shifter is lit, where only the selected gear in my car is lit

 

Safi, let me introduce you to my masterpiece...

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...30/#post531164

There are two bulbs which backlight the shifter assembly.

Good luck!

Ian

 

excellent write up, im actually really eager to get all these bulbs changed out, but first order is to get my car back on the road, i still need to record another video for Sean of my engine knock

Sean you said you replaced all the bulbs in your car to LED? did you do the tail lights as well? if so what kind of bulbs did you use to give off the proper brightness?

 

Sean, I love that electric blue, sadly I don't really
have the skills to take apart every lit panel in my
car. (Maybe I should say time, too...) But that looks
like a proper job! I'd love to have that in my XJR.

No more worries about burned out bulbs. Plus they
look really nice with that dark interior, very modern.
I'm not sure if they would compliment my walnut and
oatmeal leather, but if things start to burn out I might
have to ask you for details on how to do it!

Ian

 

the heater control and seat warmer buttons etc are the lights that need to be changed not the gear selector

 

haha we got carried away with Sean's lights, did you still need help with your repair?

 

Call your local Jag dealer Roy the part number you need is a LNA 5180 DA those are the blue covered lights for the seat warmer, traction control, door lock, and valet buttons. The hazard one is different, does not have a blue cover.

 

yes, i still don't know how to get to the center lights

 

have you disassembled anything yet? as Sean said, you need to remove the ski slope piece of wood, here is a video of a guy removing the gear shift surround in his XK8.

once you removed the ski slope piece of wood, i believe you need to remove the radio first (make sure you have your radio key card handy, otherwise take a picture of the back), after the radio is removed, then you can remove the heater controls. after the heater controls are off, you will see where the light bulbs are, they will look like the bases of the light bulb in Seans picture above. hope i could help, report back any further questions you may have

 

Roy once you get it apart there are I believe 3 screws that hold on a cover that will give you access to the center lights that are for the climate control unit. I have a spare unit off the car if I get a moment tonight I'll try to take a picture and show you or maybe even a video for you. May be later this weekend for the video if you still need help.

 

I have just replaced the bulbs in all the interior of an XKR, the J shift was a problem but hope the photos shows how to do it, the part number of the bulbs are in the photos, I have also replaced the bulbs in the S and Cruise switch and you can see the results int he photo, I have enclose a photo of the bulb for the low light on the speedo, as I had to change it, so took a photo, you only have to undo the red bracket and twist it away to give access, I hope this helps anyone and would send more photos if anyone wants them, do not forget to put the blue condoms one before rebuilding the assembly, I am talking from experience, lucky, I check the unit before rebuilding complete parts.
Sorry it is in photobucket, but not sure how to show here, maybe someone can help me, as its nicer to see the photos