Hello All,
This if for those whom might be new to Classic Jaguar ownership and DIY maintence and repairs. I've owned and worked on british cars since 1976, so I feel that I've experienced quite the gambit of quirky issues to sort out.

I acquired a 1982 Jag XJ6 as my own in January of this year, we have had this car in our family since new, in recent years it has not been driven much and the though general condition was good, the old gal needed a lot of attention.

As mentioned countless times by the Forums' Veteran Contributors - a Simple Solution - to a sudden issue, especially related to electrical, is almost always the correct approach. For myself, in the past 48 hours, I've corrected a couple of electrical annoyances using this method, one that had just happend and the other that was an ongoing rub.

Just Happened: when openning the left rear door the interior lights would not come on, they would come on when the other three doors were opened. Odd because about six months ago I had replaced that door jam switch with a brand new one. I tried spraying electrical contact cleaner on it while working the switch, no lights. I happend to have a spare new switch (because I had purchased four, just in case) popped in a spare new one, bingo the lights now come on! Point is that just becasue you use a new component, that doesn't guarentee that it is good or will last as long as the original one did (42 years). Over the years I have had similar experiences with owning Triumphs, and MGs and sometimes new components can be bad right out of the box.

The Rub: Left Front Side Marker and Parking Light would not come on since I took possetion of the car. I had replaced that Side Marker Light Unit which was very poor condition with a NOS unit and replaced all the fuses in all the fuse boxes, as well as all the exterior and interior bulbs, every light worked, but not the darned Left Front Side Marker and Parking Light! Ahhh says my brain - Simple Stuff First - I repalced the new fuse with a differnt new fuse, bingo the lights now come on!

Now celebrating the Simple Stuff Fixes with coffee and planning my attack on revamping the fuel system next - Cheers!

 

many times the best new part is a used part.

 

Yet more good guidence from a Veteran Member - thx Jose!

 

Hello, Chuck,
In the last 11 years I've owned this car I can't think how many times I put in a "new part" that didn't work.
SO annoying!
So I always pick up a hand full.
Good Job getting to the bottom of those items!
(';')

 

Is there power to the switch if removed from the door frame? Does the flow of power stop on the output terminal when the button is depressed?

 

if the plunger is kept depressed, (pushed IN), there is no power to the interior lights, they remain OFF.
​

 

Hello James,
The first new switch had gone bad, quit functioning, which stuff tends to do, the second new switch is fine.
I did not dissect the new switch that had given up the ghost, power is there and power was there, thanks for your interest though!