Hi Everyone, Just joined as I have also just bought an XJS Convertible. Didn't think I would need help so quickly but I do. I bought the car in the UK and had it shipped to Oman last month. When it was collected from the previous owner the battery was flat. Obviously ditto when it arrived in Muscat. Used jump leads and immediately the horn sounded and wouldn't stop until it was disconnected. Drove it to a garage and bought a heavy-duty battery. Drove it several times over the next 2 days but then had to return to the UK for 2 weeks. Got back yesterday and the new battery appears to be flat - all the usual symptoms. Anyone got any ideas what's wrong? The car is a 1996 Celebration, originally a US car, imported into the UK in 2010. I've got what appears to be all the maintenance records including the bills and there doesn't appear to be any history of this problem.

 

The electrical systems are hard on the battery and tend to drain them if left for even a short time. Two weeks is enough time for this to happen. My 94 still has its original owners manual and other factory papers with it, including a page that states "CAUTION: To prevent a dead battery, disconnect prior to leaving the vehicle parked for extended periods". Myself and other forum members have installed solar battery chargers to compensate for the small steady drain. I'm not sure if Jaguar fixed this by 96 but from your story it sounds like a possible cause.

 

Thanks for that. I am about to go away again for 3 weeks so I'll take your advice and disconnect the 'new' battery. However, in the long term I'll buy a solar charger, if I can out here. At least there's no shortage of sun!

 

Welcome to the Forum. I've moved your thread to the XJS section.
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Have your wives drive it from time to time, while you are gone.

 

Mine sat for several months and didn't drain the battery at all. I wouldn't think the span of a few weeks would be enough to kill the battery. A bad diode in the alternator can do this. It will still charge when driving but will slowly drain when the engine is shut off.

 

Worth checking that the boot interior light does actually go out when you shut the boot. Common cause of XJS flat battery, along with alarm systems draining it!

Welcome to the elite

Greg

 

When I bought my '89 Convertible XJS last year, the battery went dead often, and one problem was when I parked it with the top up, I simply kept the cover laying semi-flat across the storage box. -The courtesy light on the passenger(right) side behind the seat was a rocker, being off in the center position, but stayed on if the light itself was rocked up or down. and of course, if the top cover hit or laid onto this light, rocked it down and was covered by the cover.....overnight dead battery. A couple months later, it began going dead again, and I found the power antenna was shorting out, also killing the battery when left parked overnight.