What is the little light in the "inside" headlight?

The first photo is what my right front headlights look like with the low beams on (the left side is the mirror image of the right side), and the second photo is what the right side looks like with the high beams on.





I've never seen headlights like this before. Is this the way they're supposed to be?

 

Your lights are correct .....It is the "running" light ...... the front marker light.


Years ago Jaguar had a switch so you could use only one side as a parking light -- like MB.

 

Thanks! I feel better now -- seemed weird to me and couldn't find anything by "googling!" and my owner's manual says nothing about it.

 

I think the 'proper' term for the little light inside the high beam area is the "sidelight" if I recall

 

Since it's only illuminated when the lights are on, what does it do?

 

Jaguar refers to the light as a 'pilot lamp'.

The X300 has them in the dip beam lamp assys.

bob gauff

 

OldMike, i appreciate you as a new member, who asks a lot of the same questions which i've contemplated myself. This so-called "marker light" reminds me of the daytime running lights of a few years back-- but you point out that this version only operates when the lights are on. Therefore, i figure it's partly transcontinental mystery. we Yanks just don't fathom part of the British psyche. Similar to the cheek-kiss greeting in some cultures (France). The only logical reason i can see, it that this small marker light will show up IF YOUR OUTSIDE (dim) BEAM IS INOPERABLE /burned out /broken. so if you (or i) meet an oncoming car at night on a 2-lane road, and one of our low-beams is "out", the oncoming driver will know they are meeting an automobile-- and not a motorcycle.

 

The Side light is simply the British term for Parking Lamps. They are just dimmer lights to illuminate the vehicle at night whilst on the public road. They are also used when the weather goes dull or clouds over.

 

Hello, new to the form, usually im on the ls1/lt1 forms. I have a question on the parking lamp/side lamp whatever the term you choose, on how to remove the bulb i want to upgrade it with LEDs, but i broke the clip a lil on one side so i just stopped finished the other lights, but was curious if there is an easy way to remove the lamp from behind in the socket. Now i have all new lights and ugly yellow parking lamps..

 

Im with Foolicooli on LED conversion... I'd like to swap out the "running/parking" bulbs with LED lights... Same for side markers (orange) and turn signals... Anybody done this??? What codes/PN should I be looking for?

 

Australian X308 (mine) these are called Parking Lights.Both front little globes (upgraded to LED) come on as do the tail lights. I use these as well as the lower "fog" lights (upgraded to HID) as day time highway running lights as the car is Black. Both outside headlights are Low Beam (upgraded to HID) and stay on when the High Beam inner lights are on (of course HID too) With all six running HID the roadside trees tend to ignite. Looks to me you have a Low Beam globe gone in that headlight Oldmike. Neil.

 

Historically, I've always thought that the brighter but still dim pilot lamp was originated during war times when European cars were operated at night so they could barely be seen but still offer some safety to other motorists but would not call attention during an air-raid.

The American answer to this was to add covers over their vehicle headlights to cut most of the light output to avoid being seen by enemy aircraft.

-David

 

I wondered what those small lights were too. How do the LED lights look? What's that mod cost on an XJ8?

Aside from kicking *** and winning, I thought the American answer was to recess the headlights, which is still done in every single American military vehicle to this day. Americans did put top covers on their motorcycle headlights.

 

Neil - what do you mean that it looks like I have a low beam globe gone? The upper photo shows my low beams, the lower one shows my high beams. i.e. when my high beams are one, all four headlights illuminate, but when the low beams are on, only the outer lights are lit plus the little pilot/parking light in the inside globe. Is that not the way it's supposed to me? Does seem a little weird to me, that's one reason I brought this up in the first place. Thanks for any input you might have.

Mike

 

Do your lenses have a really thick, clear plastic adhered to them? I assume this is preventative rock chip maintenance. Was this an option from the dealer? Mine have yellowed a little over the years. Would a heat gun take this stuff off without leaving an adhesive residue? Are their kits available to replace the existing set?

 

My lenses don't appear to have any protective covering on them.

 

Right, I'm not going to argue about WW2 politics, I haven't the time today, however in Britain we had covers that fitted over the lamps and allowed a slit of light to shine through. As can be seen in "Ice Cold in Alex". As far as the British Army's vehicle black out policy went, we had the differential light which is still used today.

My Granddad was a Royal Engineer during WW2 and explained to me in great detail how the convoys were able to move around in the dark behind enemy lines.

 

"Does seem a little weird to me". It's a Jaguar..lots of things seem a little weird! Thats why we love 'em.
You are right. I was looking at the top Pic thinking that was the L/H/S and lower as the R/H/S. Looking as I should have done they are of course both left..so all is as it should be..for a jag! Sorry about that. As for the LED "upgrade" for the Mechelement it is small change and a few minutes to do the "parking lights" I used eBay! ($2 AUD = about 1 1/2 pounds. Or a glass of beer) And they look fantastic! (put LED's in the number plate lights too)

 

Thanks for the update -- I feel better now! Love this car!

 

Cool. My grandfathers were in WWII as well. They very rarely spoke of the war.

Thanks. Did the LEDs happen to have the integral PCB or is the Jaguar's electrical system already set for LEDs? Pics?