I have no clue how these work??? Is it automatic? Time to time when I get in the car I can hear them I think. How do they work, can I control them? Can't say I have seen them actually move but I know I have heard motors from that general area working.

 

Common problem, pretty easy to fix:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...rest-fix-9622/

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...est-faq-69635/

 

how do I know one or both is not working. How do they work? What tells it to move up and down?

 

There is a switch on the side of the seat with the rest of the controls.

They will also move to the lowest position when you unlock the seat back and tilt it forward.

 

ok, I will mess with them later and see what they do.

 

Posted a similar item on the head rests and operation yesterday. See it below. Several replies and help full info. Video in the library for this repair and also a TSB for procedure. The center switch on side of seat operates my head rests on the 2003 I have.

 

First of all--read the manual and if you don't have one then download one. The headrests basically work by a switch at the side of the seat (both driver and passenger) and also automatically go down when you swing the seatback forward (to allow for clearance) but then go automatically up again when the seatback returns to normal.

If there is no movement but you hear the motor, then you need to do the cable fix (see the DIY sticky threads).

Doug

 

my pass side is just noisy motor. Drivers side went up and down a few times then stayed stuck down. So I have motors working but nothing else.

 

Follow the videos on the forum, I used the tubes cut from the cheap paint brushes and the shrink wrap. I cut out 14mm, and they work fabulously. I don't know how I would handle this car without this forum.

 

Would not have bought a second (first one sold years ago) XK8 if not for this place. The stuff I have done to the cooling system would have cost prob over a grand, the fuel rail, hell Jag does not have those parts. In all I have about 500 in parts and repaired parts and my labor. If I had let jag or any other shop do what I have done I would be into about 3k easy.

 

The factory TSB indicates a 12mm cut of hsg., but several have taken a 14mm cut. Are there any problems with taking the extra 2 mm cut? Does the the extra 2 mm give extra engagement?

 

any pictures of this stuff in the seat that needs fixed?

 

I wouldn't think a couple of millimeters one way or another would make that much difference (that's what she said

But the other route to try if you don't like cutting the housing is to try and find a longer cable. I think others here have done that by going to shops that sell speedometer cables.

Doug

 

There was a guy who used to hang around the forum (Steve Hannes) who helped me out when I first did this with a very nice write up and photos. I took those and assembled them into a pdf and it includes photos of what you find when you strip back the seat cover. I thought I had uploaded that years ago into the DIY/FAQ section and it might still be there somewhere. If not send me a PM and I can email the pdf to you.

Update--actually you can find it here at post #1
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...air-faq-25335/


Doug

 

thanks for the link. Great write up, seem pretty easy.

 

The fix itself is pretty easy but get decent heatshrink so that you don't have to do it again (like I had to do). The "toughest" part is figuring out how to uncouple the seatback finisher--one piece of fabric connects to the other via a plastic tongue-and-groove type of gizmo. Once you find it and take a close look you will figure out how to undo. But reconnecting is tricky--you have to sort of fold one piece under the other but you will figure this out as well.

Good luck and Happy New Year.

Doug

 

Based on what I read here I took out 14mm. And put 2 pieces of shrink wrap over the 2 inch piece of cheap paint brush handle tube, works great.

 

I previously wrote in on this subject. I chose to have a local speedo repair shop make me inner cables that were longer, rather than cut the original cable housings and heat shrinking, etc. Doing it this way ensures NO possiblilty of the cut housing later coming apart. It's a no-brainer. Just slide in the replacement cables. Done. Forever. Exact measurements are in the previous threads on this subject.... or i can go look the length up again for you.