I've had my glove box completely out of the car more than once, and I found no stray wires under the dash or any provision for a light in the box liner.

As you can see, my glove box has a panel in the very back (factory made) that gives access to an electrical connection. There are even directions in the ROM how to remove it to get to that connection.

I didn't even know lighted glove boxes existed until I took apart the Rhonda '83, which box liner I brought home, Including the light and wiring.


I got this liner because I thought it might be good to have a lighted glove box, but now I would have to take too much other stuff out to find where the wires are hidden. Besides that, it's not as nice as Nix's, and it seems to me it would only be something else to go wrong. But I have it in case I change my mind.
(';')

 

interesting, take some pictures, never seen that configuration before.

yes, the turn-on-exterior-lights-first is a Jaguar habit since the 1950's, some have rewired the light to come on whenever you open the glovebox door, apparently Jaguar thought one does not need a glovebox light during the day, to save on electricity you know.

 

LnrB

you can just run 2 new wires from the glovebox light to any always-on fuse
in the fuse box.

 

Here is my setup.

 

had never seen that glovebox lamp before, must be either 1985 Vanden Plas only, or California only equipment, assuming your car was originally sold in California.

I have friends in Tennessee and Florida with 1985-86-87 XJ-6 and I assumed their glovebox lamps are the same as in my '84. (unless Jaguar changed them for the 1985 model year, since I normally do not open other people's gloveboxes).

 

I have the same lamp, 1986 Vanden Plas.

 

My regular '85 has that glovebox light. Was probably either changed for '85 or a dealer option.

 

I found this in the part catalog!

 

looks like they deleted the separate switch and lamp after 1984 model year, the lamps you show have a built-in switch and light bulb all in one assembly.

 

I think my 83 has a glove compartment lamp. I rarely look in there. Last was a few days ago, to place my DMV 16 registration in my document package. It didn't come on?


But, Jaguar has a protocol of lamp lighting. some require ignition on and others main lamps on. Quite logical, as I see it.


So, if I were to install one or repower an existing unit, I'd go to a nearby white wire.


I am not going to do it. No benefit to me.


However, it would illuminate the mirror for miladies war paint.... My dear departed loved it....


Carl

 

Carl,
for the glovebox light to come on in your '83, the headlight switch needs to be ON in at least the parking lights position. It's like that in all Jaguars since the 1950's.

 

I agree with Carl. If I wire up a light in my glove box, it will come on whenever the battery is in the car. That black flocking is a total Light Sucker! It's darker than the inside of a cow in that glove box! If I need something in there, I don't want to have to grab a flashlight, thus having only one hand to dig around.
(';')

 

[QUOTE=LnrB;1346717 That black flocking is a total Light Sucker!(';')[/QUOTE]

that black flocking has also been like that in all Jaguars since the 1950's.

by the way, I applied aluminum sticky tape to the walls of the Map Light bulb holder and by golly it improved the light output by about twice!

 

Hey guys, newbie here. After read all this thread I decided to upgrade the bulb for the opticell with an LED which improved the lighting overall. But I was not happy with the headlight switch and ignition lighting. The problem is both of these switches are the farthest from the opticell. So I decided to add another opticell under the dash to light these two switches using another LED bulb. I add two to the headlights and one to the ignition. Still trying to figure out how to add a second one to the ignition switch. Here are the results.

 

that's a good idea,

if you noticed, there are optic cables that shine green, and others that shine white, regadless if you snap them into the green or white holes of the opticell;

I used the white-light ones for the lights switch, and one for the ignition switch. The green cables light is too subtle for both the lights and ignition.

Also you need to find the shortest possible cables from the opticell to the switches. The shorter the cables, the more direct the light. There are 30" cables, and 44" cables. Also I think there is a 24" cable.

 

Thanks Jose, I did use the shortest green cable lights for the switches. I'll try the white ones tonight and post photos of the results.

 

Good Job!
(';')