Today, all of a sudden, I had a flashing warning on the dash indicating a problem with the Adaptive Headlights. The lights appeared to be working fine and the warning eventually went off. I also notice that when turning the engine off, I always hit the lock button on the key fob twice. I used to hear a beep on the second push but that now beeps intermittently. When ever I experience gremlins like this, I start thinking battery. Thoughts?

 

Ah, headLIGHTS. Your Title had me going for a minute.
Anyway, I get that warning maybe twice a year. My foolproof solution... go out and give each headlight a couple medium but firm raps with your hand. Go back and shut down/restart your car. No more light! At least, that's MY experience.

 

I would have assumed you replaced the battery. What is the resting voltage.

 

I had the headlamp warning come up intermittently on mine. It is a known issue. It is mega-annoying because of the distraction when you are driving. It would happen then the next time I drove it it wouldnt, then it was happening a few times a week.

In the end the headlamp module was replaced under warranty which fixed it.

 

Ever since I read Cee Jay's quick fix of smacking the headlights a couple of months ago, I wondered if it really worked. Well, I can attest that I have received the adaptive headlight warning about 3 times over the last couple of months. Each time, I have gotten out of the car, hit the headlight with a flat palm, then locked the car with my key fob, and then restarted the car, and each time the warning has disappeared. If you fail to lock the car first to "reset" the systems, the warning will remain on. I tried without locking and the warning would not clear. After locking, it's gone. Thanks Cee Jay.

 

only worry about the head liner warning when you can't see through the windshield any more, then it's time for a trip to an upholsterer.

 

I've been doing "the smack" for a while as well. Happens every couple of months for me.

 

And has anyone else noticed that ALL FOUR OF US who live with this have 2010 or 2011 XKR's?

 

You don't mention it so out of interest have you tried just locking and unlocking the car as that resets a few systems so it may be a coincidence that you have smacked the headlight?

 

Mine triggers with irritating regularity during the winter months when the lights are being used virtually every trip.


The flashing light on the dash is a real distraction and will most likely be covered with a small piece of black insulating tape this year as the lights seem to effectively work ok. My suspicion is that there's an occasional 'glitch' in one of the headlight assemblies that triggers the error.


Once the error is triggered the error light will not turn off until:


1. You have completed your current journey that triggered the error, and
2. You have then completed another journey after the one that triggered the error without another error being triggered.


So you need at least 1 completely clear cycle of ignition on/off before the light will turn itself off. When you start the car again, the light will have extinguished.


Hence the apparent 'smack the light' process above seeming to work. It's nothing to do with the smack, but all due to the cycling of an ignition on/off with no error.

 

Turning off, turning on, starting, locking, unlocking, letting it sit, cursing and yelling does nothing without the smack. Tried it dozens of times.

 

Interesting thread and thanks for the info. My 2009 XKR does this also and seemingly random. I agree that the light is annoying and distracting. Must remember to give it a smack ! It somtimes comes on when driving and then goes off with no smack, but maybe the potholes do the job for me !

 

Make that FIVE because Falkie's 2009 XKR is a UK model, which is the same as a 2010 US model. Both are the first year of the 5.0L engine.

 

Good point you make there. I reckon Jaguar must know about this and fixed it in later models ?

 

It may be more related to a bad or corroded contact that on the older models like 2010-2011, have more corrosion. A smack every so often may make better contact.

 

This happened to me yesterday, a 2015 XF. I pulled over and shutdown the car, then restarted it and the warning light went away. I still have another 12/12000 left on the warranty. Guess I'll have to see if this starts happening more often.....

 

Update: None, it hasn't happened again... which is OK by me.

 

Mine has happened with some regularity, unfortunately. Sometimes, I can just stop, turn off the car, LOCK the car, and then restart and it goes away. Sometimes, I go out and slap each of the lights, lock the car, and then restart, and all is back to normal. Go figure?

 

Mine occurred again yesterday, first time in probably six months. A whap and it's off again. Maybe for another six months? It sure is irritating when it does happen though.

 

Anyone know if there is a TSB out on this issue?