I had a weird DRL issue this weekend. I always keep the lights on my US-spec X308 VDP set to AUTO. I went to a Brit car show with a buddy out of town. Upon returning to his house, I parked the car in his drive, turned it off, and went inside the schmooze for an hour or so before leaving. It was a lovely, sunny Spring day.

Upon exiting his house I noticed the little DRL bulbs on. Fearing a battery drain, I cranked the car, let it run a bit, I cycled the lighting switch while asking my friend to tell me if the DRLs were on. Nope, they were off. And since then the situation has not recurred that I am aware.

What’s gives? I can’t figure why those lights were on with the ignition off on a sunny day. I’ve looked at the manual for the car and I’m not getting much help.

Thanks in advance, fellow Jag lovers/sufferers!

 

Sounds like a loose wire (or moisture) in the multifunction switch.

 

It could be the body processor, which is behind the glovebox. Sometimes moisture can
collect there and cause corrosion that can cause that issue.

 

Did you leave the key in the ignition?

 

I didn't know any US spec x308 even had DRLs. Is it just the little 194 bulbs in the lower part of the high beams?

My 01 XJR does not have DRLs...or if it does, they do not work.

 

Don't know if any connection to your issue, but my rear running ligts stay on for a some time after exit car. Doesn't matter if locked or not. Must be at a lower voltage because only see at night.

 

Just to hopefully close this out without yet having found a cause or having the issue repeat itself:

No, the key was not in the ignition.

yes, at least this 2003 VDP has DRL per picture at the end of the post. I don’t know whether this is generic to VDPs and not other models. Beats me!

yes, the DRL bulb is a little one through what looks like a cut-out in the lower portion of the inboard high beams per the photo below.

I put the key in position II this afternoon and set the switch to headlights: the sidelights, low beams and the running light bulbs were lit. With the switch on AUTO, in bright sunlight, there were absolutely no lights on.

I do appreciate the various paths to explore should this gremlin have the audacity to rear its ugly head again. I’m also going to play around with the back of the mirror sensitivity adjustment on when lights come on automatically … but that doesn’t get to the issue of where the heck the electricity came from to light up the little darlin’s.

Thanks again to all.

Eliot

 

The small bulbs in the 'main-beam' lamps are called PILOT LIGHTS (they are powered with the side lamps) and they are different from the X300.

The X300 sedan has them in the 'dip-beam' headlamps.

 

Eliot, setting aside that these bulbs were on at some point when they should not have been, can you confirm that you've ever had DRLs on your car? As Motorcarman noted above, those bulbs only come on with the side marker lights (and are thus also on when the main beams are on). If its a US spec x308 I don't think you have DRLs at all.

I'm wondering if there's any chance when you parked at your friend's house, if you maybe hit the light switch and turned it over to the side marker setting, which would also turn on the pilot lights. Just a thought.

 

Yes, it is so. However a person who desires to make them into DRLs can do so just by disconnecting
the current wiring, and running new wires to the fuse box. I really haven't had a good enough reason to
do that, however some forum members might.

 

The ONLY time I saw U.S. DRL is when the car had a MAPLE LEAF CANADA emblem on the door under the VIN plate.
The car always had a HEATED WINDSCREEN (cold weather package) and came from an auction from NY or Chicago.

The DTR CANNOT be disabled when the car is switched on. The ACTUAL headlamps are activated, NOT just the 'pilot-lamps'.

 

My first X308 was set up that way: it was built for the Canadian market and was only used by corporate Execs for auto shows in Ottawa, Windsor, and Toronto and transport between Detroit and Chicago. Dealer in Tysons Corner bought it at a corporate auction and I got it with only 1600 miles and fifteen months, trading in an S-Type. It was anthracite, with the cold weather package. Regretted trading it -- almost immediately -- although I really liked the LR3 (one of the very first sold in US).

 

As Motorcarman has now educated me, these must be “pilot” lights as they only come on with the sidelights, i.e. in the headlight or parking/sidelight position on the stalk. So I clearly used the wrong terminology. It’s a little weird that they remain on even when you have the high beams engaged, or at least did so when I just went through the various switch and beam positions.

I am close to absolutely sure I had the keys out of the ignition parked at my buddy’s house because my habit is to never, ever leave them in the ignition. I had to go back in the house to find my wallet and keys before investigating this. All that said, I have zero recollection of whether the sidelights were on when I first spotted this anomaly, but I don’t think so, and I cannot be certain, but Ithought the switch was in the AUTO position as I had no reason to have moved it..

Since it has not recurred, I will not lose sleep over the oddity …. Until the next time! It’s just another thing to watch for on the beast.

Eliot

 

Nah it's perfectly normal they stay on.

The sidelight circuit runs the rear lights, dash lighting etc too so stays on all the time any choice of headlight is on too.

 

And think it like so when you lost suddenly both headlights during night driving. You do not see but you are seen.