1997 XK8 no brake lights! (fixed)
 

Hello all,

With the nicer weather (where I am) it was time to get the Jag out and fix some issues.

The biggest one is that I have no brake lights. I know that they worked when I purchased the car but currently they do not work. I did change the turn signal/headlight switch because it was faulty. Only the headlights would work and none of the park lights or taillights. The used switch I purchased fixed those issues but then I noticed that the brake lights were not working anymore.

I took it to my mechanic friend and he tested the brake switch and he determined that it is good. All the fuses are good too. Could it be the bulb failure module? Or the used turn signal switch? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Have you tried different bulbs to eliminate that possibility?

No, but I inspected the ones in the taillights and they looked ok. I'd be shocked if all 3 bulbs were bad when they were all working fine last year.

By 'all three bulbs' I'm guessing you mean that the high-level stop lamp isn't illuminating either?

If that's the case, then check relay #5 in the trunk fuse box as it's the common feed here. The third brake light isn't fed from the Lamp Control Module so you can ignore this for the moment (although you may have more than one issue). It's fed by a separate fuse - #8 5A - also in the trunk fuse box.

HTH,
Mike

Brian, check your ground wire. Several threads on putting a heavy duty ground wire back there. It's right on the end of the connector, see if the black wire is melted.


Wayne

Mike,

I checked and guess what, that relay was missing! My technician friend who is working on the car had an extra relay and now the brake lights work! Thank you so much!!! :icon_drink:

Good news :)

Relay missing? You've got some pretty enterprising mice living in your garage. Most of 'em just make nests in your airbox or chew through wires.

Picking up on Wayne's suggestion: while you're in maintenance mode, worth doing the extra ground mod - at the very least, check the rear light cluster connectors are clean. Jaguar cheapskated on them.

M

This isn't something that evaporates, if it worked last year then not this spring, someone removed it. Same guys have the spare ?

Is that possible? I noticed some rodent damage on the engine bay lining. The previous owner lived out in the country and I believe he kept it outside.

After I test drove the car last year I was watching the owner drive away and I saw brake lights. Maybe he removed the relay? He was not honest about the condition of the car to me. But I am still very happy with my purchase. The technician who is working on the car is my bff so he wouldn't jerk me around.

Sorry, Brian - my warped sense of humour, I'm afraid. I just had this mental picture of a team of mice running an auto-parts store out of your garage... :icon_crackup:

I doubt if they've eaten their way through a relay, but they can do quite a lot of damage in their quest for nesting materials.
We live out in the sticks too but the four cats tend to make this a non-problem.

Now where did I put my Medicine...

Mike