Hey Guys,

This is my first post and before I ask my question...and just wanted to thank all of you for all the help you've been providing peripherally to me as i work to fix issues with my 1971 XJ6. I read my daily digest every morning and continue to stockpile tips for the numerous projects I've been working on with my 9 year old son every weekend. I acquired the nearly all-original car in November of 2012 and am using it as my daily driver.

Here's my current conundrum:

Shortly after i bought the car the power windows began working intermittently. The driver power window worked and continues to work perfectly. The other 3 windows worked perfectly when i bought the car, then began to work ONLY after i would jiggle the driver window a bit every few days...then it became a daily ritual...and now it's incessant and often times the 3 windows do not work at all no matter how much i mess with the driver window.

It seems that the 3 other windows now work upon startup for a few moments...and then all 3 stop (all the while the driver window works perfectly) until the next day?

I've taken the switch panel out of the center console and tightened all the connections to no avail.

I'm now uncertain if perhaps the 3 switches are fried...or if there may be another culprit? Since it seemed for almost a year that i could not get the other 3 windows to work without jiggling the driver window switch i'm thinking it is a gremlin in the wiring somewhere or perhaps someone in the community has shared this experience and perhaps can offer some guidance as to what i might consider?

I would get out there today and deal with it...but i just replaced the mechanical fan over this weekend with an electric fan from v12s and am currently without any need to get back out to the garage. My son is hating on me right now but he'll never need to go to a mechanic when I'm done with him

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

I'm out of my depth here, having no hands on experience with the Ser I cars.

However....

To the best of my knowledge those early cars are wired so that the "other 3" window switches get supply voltage *from* the driver's window switch (as opposed to later cars where the supply voltage is branched upstream of the switches).

If I'm right about that then I suspect that whatever contacts/terminals inside the driver's switch that allow voltage to pass through and on to the other switches is faulty in some way. Dirty, broken, corroded.

If any of the other switches are identical you can try swapping them around to see if the problem changes.

Not sure about the Ser I switches but later switches can be carefully opened up for cleaning....which usually restores life for another 10-15 years.

Someone with Ser I experience might come along and tell us that my entire premise as to the circuit layout is incorrect.

In any case, having 3 windows fail, then operate, then fail again simultaneously certainly suggests a problem well upstream in the circuit.

Cheers
DD

 

Thanks Doug! That makes a lot of sense. I appreciate the idea and i'll be likely switch a couple switches around and see if the situation changes. I've noticed a couple series 1 switches on ebay which i'm thinking about picking up just to add to the pile of parts. I don't think the switches are serviceable or perhaps they are and i've just not been able to identify how (i've not disconnected them from the panel to take a good look)

 

Pyn:

If the Ebay price is reasonable, I'd grab them. never can have too much Jaguar stuff.

That would provide fodder for experimenting without having to take the car apart.

Some bench time and a VOM or test lamp and a power source would teach and an opportunity of working with your nine year old. Work over a tray. Little parts have a habit of disappearing.

Carl

 

Thank you Carl.

What do you guys think about replacing/servicing the Lucas relay?

I've not touched it just yet (never occured to me until i started digging around for the window switches on ebay)

Feels like that might be a culprit but as i mentioned my electrical knowledge involves reading instructions very carefully and plodding ahead with my fingers crossed most of the time.

 

Pyn:

Not a thing wrong with that protocol. Google up on relay and pin identification for a means to test the relay. Not hard when seen in a schematic. Use a power source and a test to bench test one. More learn teach opportunity.

Carl

 

Do the windows go up if you pull it up by hand while using the switch? If this makes the motor run and the window go up, then the first thing I would do is take off the interior panel and lubricate the window track and mechanism. In my experience it is age/dirt induced drag in the system that slowly burns out the motors.

 

Let it be known upon finally getting around to it that Doug's recommendation of switching the window switches has solved the intermittent window function problem.

For future reference if anyone has the same issue...all the center console switches are interchangeable as 4 of the same part. The driver's switch was taken out of the controller position and swapped with a rear window switch. Now all the windows work perfectly. The maddening issue is repaired at a cost to me of about 45 minutes and $0 to get right....my favorite kind of repair!

Thanks guys...i'm sure it's not the last time you will hear from me. I'm going back out to enjoy my Jag now

 

Thanks a bunch my 1971 is doing exactly the same thing I'm going to try this and report back if all is good after !

 

I was having the same intermittent issues. Bought two switches on EBay and replaced two of the defective ones with great results.
As Doug said, I CAREFULLY disassembled the bad switches, cleaned them and cycled through the rest of the switches. All work fine now. Just be careful not to over spread the plastic on disassembly.

 

Can you tell me how the console is removed? Do I have to remove console arm rest box inside? Thanks Dan 575-740-4733

 

Be sure to disconnect the battery while removing the switch panel...

You can remove the panel with the switches by prying out (carefully) the panel that surrounds the switches.

Then remove the five screws holding the switch panel in place... it will then be free to be removed out enough to see the back side.