I have a problem with my headlights since I put the car back together after painting it.
The small light doesn’t appear to work and the lights are stuck on high beam.
The lights come on with the ignition and the headlight switch doesn’t appear to do anything
The small light has only one wire to it, I haven’t tested it yet but I think it’s the ground (where does the power come from) am I missing a wire?
What is the plug that has nothing plugged into it?
I had it apart for 4 months for painting, and drove it all summer like this, and I can’t remember taking it apart so I don’t know what I’m doing wrong
Thanks for any help

 

For that small light (actually any light) to light up it needs 12v and a ground. If the chassis is not going to ground then one of those two plugs need to be a ground. So yes, a wire is missing. Why do you think that the attached wire is a ground. Hopefully it is not the ground wire. In that case you can run your own ground wire to the other plug if you cant find the wire.
Obviously some wires got damaged since you were preparing to paint your car.
Take your time, look around and you'll find the problem. If you really can't find the trouble then you'll need to do some rewiring.
Good luck

 

Gunner the center post on the light should have a +12 vdc leed to it. Does the little light fit into the euro style light housing?

 

Yes it does
I'm sure it all worked before I disassembled it for paint

 

The lights are probably coming on with the headlights because the headlight relay has gone AWOL or the wing top fuse box has oddly shorted. Unscrew it and have a good clean up.

Question:

Do the headlights come on with the switch if the ignition is NOT turned on? Do the dipped beams work on the stalk also, ignition off? If so the headlight relay itself is OK

Side lights/parking lights
The bullet connector with no wires: one of these should go live when the first click of the headlight switch is turned to (we call them sidelights over this side). This is the wire to connect to the central brass pole of the sidelight. There will be a little piece of loom around somewhere with e round push on connector. If it has gone make something suitable and insulate it carefully.

Greg

 

Thanks Greg


When I get back home I will test your suggestions
Great help

 

I believe the two plugs in last pic are the ground for the park light. It goes on stud on small bulb.

 

Yup, that wire on the sidelight bulb/globe as it is without insolated connectors had better be the earth/ground/negative one (sorry jomo...). Check the 2 bullet connectors for a live/positive when only the side/park light switch is on. But as someone has taken the original quad lights out and fitted the Eurostyle lights, really in North America you don't need that bulb to work as your side/park light is incorporated in the amber indicators. Guess you could put a higher wattage bulb in and use it as backup if the dip/low beam goes out/blows.........
Have you checked how the otherside is wired ??

The headlight is another problem........! As Greg says, the headlight should only work with the ignition on.


Ps, does any one have the wire that has the indicator/sidelight bulb holder to the wiring connector. Should have 3 wires.

 

I guess my eyes are failing me (damn it!) but you are absolutely right that if it is not insulated then it better be the ground wire!

 

I spotted the problem immediately; there's a leaper in place of the growler. The lighting anomalies are completely normal. Carry on.

 

LOL, Thanks for your "help" Flint.
I know it's a Jag and these things are common, but I could have sworn it all worked correct before I disassembled it. :0

 

Thanks Greg,
After some testing, the low beams come on when the ignition switch is turned to first position. The high beams will not turn on when stalk is pulled, the high beam indicator on dash does not light up.

Low beams only will operate when ignition is off and headlight switch is turned to second position (first position running lights do operate). High beams still don't work.

So I guess my biggest problem is I am unable to switch on the high beams.
I did jump the bulbs and the highs do work.

I did also locate 2 short pigtail wires the do plug into the post of the little light that pushes into the headlight case and into one of the 2 unused connectors pictured.
What is the purpose of these dim little lights?

Thanks everyone for you help
Barrie

 

"I did also locate 2 short pigtail wires the do plug into the post of the little light that pushes into the headlight case and into one of the 2 unused connectors pictured.
What is the purpose of these dim little lights?"


I gave you a clue in my post, Barrie.......


"really in North America you don't need that bulb to work as your side/park light is incorporated in the amber indicators"


It is used outside of NA in the Eurostyle headlight as the park/sidelight, in the quad light setup, the outer 5 3/4 " lights have a small hole for this bulb.
A past owner has swopped the quad (4 headlight) setup for a pair of European headlights. If you are really lucky they fitted LHD ones, not UK RHD ones.


In NA, you don't really need it to work, as l said above, yours are in the amber turn signal lights.


As you have just said that you have DRL fitted, then the low/dipped beam will be on when the ignition is on.


Not sure how the Canadian DLR wiring is setup. It involves a few more relays. I'm sure someone has a wiring diagram somewhere....

 

Thanks malc4d, I get it now, running light.....
My euro lights do have a spot for these little "running lights".
So now I'm down to the high beams not working.
If I jump them on the relay they do come on, so either the stalk switch or relay is bad?

Thanks again

 

Or wiring between the same. Or fuse/fuse wiring on the LHS inner wing, or main beam filament in the bulb (unlikely to have two go though!). The headlight relay is in the LHS inner wing behind the headlight nacelle under a black plastic cover that points downwards. Top relay of the three there.

Just another thought, if you have daytime running lights that come on automatically with the ignition, then these may have an inhibitor of some sort to prevent high beams being selected. Maybe there is a switch somewhere to disable the DRL? Or maybe some PO has done something to disable the main beams?
Greg

 

you really have to love Jaguar B/L wiring systems(Lucas)and components etc.

i have a 1982 japanese car and it has NO electrical problems and over 200K miles on it(anybody care to say why)!

simply put UK had used up most of its valuable raw materials and alloys for making war products, and little left over for well made home products, so a simple thing like electrical contacts and connectors(grounds,earth,etc), went to hell quickly!

yes i'm biased, i'm Irish, a love/hate thing, what else is new!

 

Gunner01 Barrie, ....It must be my English english. lol.


NO !! . They are not DLR lights, Those small bulbs are European (non North American) parking/side lights. They use white side lights not amber everywhere else...........


Again...yours are in the AMBER turn signal/indicator lights in the front bumper.

You don't need them, do not connect them and leave them alone.....simples.


I would suggest that you go to an auto electrician to sort your main/high, dip/low beam and DLR problem out. My worth.


http://www.jagrepair.com/images/Elec...Electrical.pdf


DLR Wiring for a 1994, if that helps......


54002d1378730653-day-running-lights-canadian-drl.pdf

 

malc4d, sorry, I did understand what you were referring to, with my poor choice of words I said running, what I should have said was driving........... kiddin.....
Park lights!
My problem is (don't ask my wife about my problems!). When I stripped down my car for paint I also stripped down a parts car, an 85. I have many left over parts, which is not unusual for me.
With your help I now know that all I have to sort is the hi/low beam not switching,but I know now what/how to track it down.
Thanks for the links and your help.

 

Barrie, I cant write as l mean it to be read..... It comes over stronger that l meant it to sound. English humor that only the English seem to understand....Ask my Yank friends in Orlando.


Ps I didn't think that '90 cars had DLR ....didn't that come in later ?

 

Well, Gunner, I do hope you get the lights working. Very nice paint job and I love the small leaper.
Cheers, RagJag