2012 XKR : Odd LED. Comes on with brake light
 

Just picked my car up, absolutely delighted. Just noticed that there is a small red LED smack in the middle and in front of the dash board, behind the steering wheel. Comes on when with the brake light - it's really annoying. Looks stock but can't imagine it is or why it would be there.

Anyone got this in there car? Any thoughts why on earth there is a LED that comes on when you hit the break?

Cheers.

Looks like you have my twin car. As for the LED I don't have that in my car unless I'm not looking in the right place. If you can take a picture but I don't know of this feature unless it's required in Europe or the UK.
Cheers

This is the little bugger.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...06ce5a875c.jpg

Nope , don't have that in my car and I would say it is an add on of some kind . Maybe it was for the previous driver to tell if the brake lights were working. I would ask the previous owner or the dealer that sold you the car why it is there and what did it do. Does it light or flash after you lock the car. Is it some kind of anti theft add on feature. Just my thoughts.

Since it is associated with the brake pedal, is it possible the PO installed it to indicate positive pedal compression when starting the car?

Just had a look and it's not flashing or on with the car being locked so doesn't appear alarm related.

@pwpacp I think you're right - but I can't image why you would do that?

It is something I thought about once on my 1st XK as I found the start sequence was kind of wonky. Pushing start first then pressing the brake the pedal would sometimes not build enough brake pressure on a switch to intiate engine start. After reading several posts on this forum, I found that changing the sequence to pedal then button resolved the issue thus negating the need for a visual indicator.

Maybe someones wife drove with her foot on the brake and the add on light was a reminder to keep off it?

Not sure of the value and if it's of no value to you, remove it or push it under the dash panel and plug the hole with a small with a cap.

Also, this is your new baby. You need to post pics in a separate thread, or we will all assume you don't really have a Jag and you just downloaded a pic from the internet:icon_drink:

Congrats on the new Jag and welcome!

I think you have it bass ackwards. Press the START button first, then tap the brake pedal. See my post #104: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...r-91426/page6/ Lots of other threads on this.

@Stuart, Yup you're correct! It is Start button then Brake pedal.....the wife's Lincoln is just the opposite which makes it confusing. Hope that doesn't trip up the OP.

Thanks all. Adding removal of bizarre interior brake light to this list.

@Sean W - will post some pics soon. It's been pouring with rain all day and even though the car looks great in the wet I don't hold up much hope for my phone surviving the downpour while i snap it.

You certainly do things differently in the US of A.

Attachment 209650

Graham

So in other words, when in doubt, read the manual? Hehe

While the manual is text book while the forum offers advice from member's real life situations. Both are of great value.

Graham,

Yes, I know what the Owner's Handbook says, but that's not what my Service Advisor told me to do when my XKR wouldn't start while I was in my car and speaking with him after my car was serviced. He explained that I must have inadvertently pumped the brake pedal and to get it to start I had to "stand" on that pedal with extreme force to get it to start. To prevent this from happening again, he recommended pressing the START button first.

My car starts much faster, with just a tap on the brake pedal, when I press the START button first. Try it and see for yourself.

See my post #104: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...r-91426/page6/

Cheers :icon_toast:

Stuart

P.S. With my method, my car starts fast. By the book, it starts half- fast.

YES - I'm not disagreeing. I know it starts like that and why it does .........

Attachment 209740

Is there some kind of car starting Olympics in your neighbourhood?

The limiting factor on my departure time is waiting the several seconds for the gates opening and not shaving a tenth or so off the engine firing time.

Graham

Pressing the start button wakes up the car. When the brake pedal is pushed first the car's systems are coming online while the starter motor is cranking. I've found I get less dumb stuff happening if I let the car wake up a second with the button before trying to crank it over with the brake pedal. It also seems to start faster.

No. You apply brake pressure then press the start button. Common practice.

Both ways work.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...2415f2e1fb.jpg

Yes, common practice, but doesn't make it the best method.
My Lexus will only start with the brake-before-button method (dim-wits),
but my XK starts more reliably with the button-before-brake method.

If you think about it logic says you hit the brake and press the start would be the way the system was designed. By hitting the button 1st if you don't tap the brake quick enough the system goes into the Acc. mode turning on the infotainment and instruments. My Lexus does the same . Now being I check the oil 1st I hit the start button and do the oil check. Then step on the brake and hit the start . Now with my truck you just turn and let go of the key and it starts. No need to hit the brake. Just my observation.

It's going from bad to worse. You're checking the oil level on a COLD engine!

Attachment 209798

Now I understand why there's so much trouble over warranty in the US of A. Nobody takes any notice of the manufacturer's guidance. :icon_lol:

Graham

Not to worry Graham as I had correlated the normal warm oil check with the cold check. No appreciable difference so going either way is OK. As to the manual I had read it after the 1st month of ownership and now I go to the maintenance manual for any other info. I do check after a 5 hour run during a trip but never seen the indicator move yet.

Given Jaguar's record on the accuracy of instruments and gauges, I'm tempted to drain it to check!

That being said, neither of my XK8's (a 4.0 and a 4.2) or my earlier 4.2 XK used any significant oil between changes.

Graham

All I wanted to do was pass along the advice that my Service Advisor gave me after I depressed the brake pedal and then pressed the start button and my XKR wouldn't start. I thought his advice, which I knew was the opposite of what is in the Owner's Handbook, might be helpful to others. I never expected any controversy over his advice.

Pressing the start button first, while not mentioned in the Owner's Handbook, does no harm. I prefer it since both my XKR and XJ start easier with less cranking with just a tap on the brake pedal. And, Graham, I'm not in a race to get started; by starting faster I meant that my XKR and XJ both start with less cranking; tap the brake and they start almost instantaneously. That's less wear and tear on the starter motor and is why I've been doing it for years.

Perhaps the Owner's Handbook should be revised.

This is the internet. Controversy is what we do.


:D

I thought the car woke up when you unlocked it, either with the smartkey or by pulling the door handle. That causes the touchscreen to illuminate before either the start button or the brake pedal are depressed.

Ha! And I thought that's what Republicans and Democrats do. What do I know? :icon_shrug:

interesting, i've actually started it both ways. didnt make a difference in start times or start speeds.

the bigger issue i have with the starter is that you have to press and hold. on all other non jag cars ive owned, a slight tap on the button (and foot on brake) was more than enough to crank