1999 Jaguar XK8
Reach Motor Replacement

The Reach Motor is the motorized device that retracts and telescopes the steering wheel. There is another motor that tilts the steering wheel, too. The motor controls have a couple functions. The car remembers your personal setting in two memories for tilt and reach by pushing either #1 or #2 on the door panel when the key is inserted. Removing the key returns the steering wheel up and retracts when the Auto On/Off switch is selected On. When the Auto On/Off switch is Off the driver can set reach and tilt to the settings that are most confortable while driving. The Reach Motor limit sensor/switch is apparently prone to failure moving the steering wheel beyond the end of travel destroying the Reach Cable. The repair therefore will be to replace the motor and the cable. The motor has a limiter as part of its circuitry. The cable is a wire wound approximately six inches long. (Photo_1)

Lets assume you have a replacement Reach Motor and Reach Cable in hand. The Reach Cable goes into the Reach Motor’s tube portion of the black plastic part attached to the Reach Motor. The other end sticks out about an eighth of an inch though the white part of the motor. This will leave about two/three inches to go into the steering wheel’s worm gear.

NOTICE: Part of this repair procedure involves removing the steering wheel and Air Bag. The battery must be disconnected at least 30 minutes or longer before disconnecting the Drivers Air Bag. This is to ensure there are no stray voltages that could trigger activating the air bag. Bang!

1. The Reach Motor may have retracted the steering column and jammed against the dash and is probably spinning freely.
2. Before disconnecting the Battery lower the steering column to provide as much space below the dash as possible.
3. Disconnect the battery at this time.
4. Remove two screws located at the bottom side of the steering wheel cowling. (Photo_2)
5. It is not necessary to remove the top of the cowling. The three screws that anchor this part are difficult to get back into place.
6. There are two controls for the steering control and the rheostat for diming the instrument panel on the bottom cowling. Pull the dimmer knob and pull the electrical connector from the back of the Auto on/off switch. Unscrew the Philips head screw to remove the dimmer. The Auto On/Off device pops out by pushing outward – spring clips hold it in place. But leave in in the cowling after disconnecting the cable. Set the cowling aside. Let the dimmer switch drop. It is light enough to dangle without damage. (Photo_3 Photo_4)
7. Unscrew the two hex head screws that hold the lower large cowling in place. There are two devices connected to this cowling for climate control. Unplug the one on the right and pop out of the one on the left. Set the lower cowling aside. This is quite large and will be in your way. Let the plug and sensor fall. These are light and won’t be damaged. (Photo_2)
8. Assuming its been at least 30 minutes after disconnecting the battery remove the air bag by using 4mm Allen wrench. My particular car you can insert the key and turn the wheel 90 degrees either way to access the Allen head screws openings for the Allen head screws. The screws will stay in the steering wheel. (Photo_5)
9. Disconnect the Air Bag connector and the radio and cruise control connector and set the Air Bag aside.
10. Set the wheel to straight ahead - level. Mark an index line at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock on the jam bolt, washer steering wheel (although the washer may move when tightening) indicating the location of the steering wheel to the spline and will also aid in torqueing of the bolt. (Photo_6)
11. Once the steering wheel is ready to pull mark the spleen and Steering Wheel. Feed the Air Bag and audio and cruise control connector through the opening in the steering wheel. Set the steering wheel aside.
12. Optional Step: Remove two small screws that hold the wood-dash in place. Disconnect the trip assembly. Carefully pull out.
13. Optional Step: Pull straight out the right side triangular wood-dash. Its Held in my pressure fit mollies.
14. Optional Step: Disconnect the two long electrical connectors from under the instrument panel. Unscrew the four hex head screws that hold the instrument panel and remove. There is foam on top of the instrument panel that is probably all but gone. If is has don’t get is on the face of the instrument panel. Set it aside. (Photo_7
15. At this point you’re ready to gain access to the Reach Motor assembly.
16. Remove two bolts at the base in the steering column accessible in the foot well just above the brake. The bolt is a stud bolt with a securing bolt and a #8 spline at the top. (Photo_8)
17. Underneath the metal housing at the base of the wood dash there are Allen head screws – inaccessible and almost invisible. These will stay in place. There are two 13mm nuts on the opposite side of the metal housing attached to the Allen head screws. These two bolts hold the steering column up and in place. (Photo_9)
18. Remove the two nuts. Once off carefully pull the steering column toward the rear of the car and the steering column will drop about three inches falling on the dash frame. The steering column now has lateral movement left and right a several inches. (Photo_10)
19. The Reach Motor is on top of the steering column help in place with a black plastic clip. (Photo_11)
20. Disconnect the yellow Reach Motor cable and the white tilt motor cable located on the right side back behind the bulkhead where the main bolts were removed. The Reach Motor is held in place by the large black plastic part that will unclip at its base when wedged apart by a screwdriver or the like to pop it loose. (Photo_12)
21. Carefully pull the motor out and any remaining damaged Reach Cable. The Reach Cable may be in several pieces. Get the entire residue out to avoid short circuits or inadvertent jamming.
22. Inspecting the new Reach Cable you’ll notice each end is squared and will fit into the motor and worm gear sockets you can only feel not see.
23. Read all remaining steps before doing the next procedures.
24. Installing the new Reach Motor is critical. Fitting the Reach Motor with the Reach Cable inserted into the worm gear must be done carefully not to damage the spring windings on the Reach Cable ends. Once inserted into the Reach Motor and the plastic clip snapped in place the Reach Motor must be operated manually. Make sure the Auto On/Off switch is OFF. Be careful not to over stress the Reach Cable It will bend a bit without damage. The square ends of the cable must stay intact. Take care not to damage them. Reconnect the yellow and white motor cables. (Photo_13)
25. Reassemble the dash and instruments if you opted to remove them.
26. Connect the Auto On/Off switch and dimmer switch. Make sure it is in OFF position.
27. Install the Steering Wheel – it should not have moved. Orient the steering wheel and the Jam bolt torqueing to the previous index marks.
28. Carefully feed the Air Bag and Audio and Cruise control cables through the access hole and connect the Audio and Cruise control cable.
29. Install the Air Bag and connect the Air Bag cable.
30. Turn the wheel each way to install the Allen head screws.
31. Connect the battery.
32. Insert the ignition key to ON - position number three. Four is Start.
33. The steering wheel may move to the memory Number 1 was last programed.
34. Ensuring the Auto On/Off switch is in the OFF position pulsate the toggle to activate the Reach Motor. If the old motor failed in the retracted position (up to the dash) toggle the Reach Motor to the telescoping (out) position. Keep it in the OFF position to do this. Make sure the motor operates freely. Assuming it does at this point. Now we’ll adjust the motor to stop at the fully retracted position.
35. Toggle the Auto On/Off switch (still in the Off position to the fully retracted position until it stops.
36. Now remove the Reach Motor by unclipping the black plastic clip. Make sure the Reach Cable is dislodged from the Reach Motor or Worm gear. Be careful not to over stress the Reach Cable It will bend a bit without damage. Again, the square ends of the cable must stay intact. Take care not to damage them.
37. With the Reach Cable still dislodged so the Reach Motor can run freely. Now place the Auto On/Off switch in the Auto position. Remove the key. The motor will spin and continue to spin to the fully retracted automatic stop position.
38. The Reach Motor can be reinstalled carefully by reinserting the Reach Cable ends into the Reach Motor and steering column worm gear. Take time to finesse the Reach Cable into place seating with out forcing.
39. Once the Reach Motor is in place the steering tilt and telescoping operation can be tested.
40. Insert the ignition key to ON. The motors should move to a stored memory. – up or down – in or out. Remove the key and the steering and tilt should go to the rest position. Reach Motor travels to the dash and tilt rests up position.
41. Reassemble the Foot Well bolts and the bolts behind the dash housing. The steering column should be solid.
42. Reassemble the large cowling and connect the climate control devices.
43. Reassemble the small cowling making sure the ignition, wipers and turn signal dust cover are inside the cowling. Also the larger rubber dust spacer is in place.
44. Now that you spend $60.00 to over $200.00 for the Reach Motor, $65.00 plus for the Reach Cable and several hours on your side and back and it’s working properly leave it in the OFF position and adjust manually as needed. Or set up the memory #1 and #2 to retract, tilt up and push back the seat. I use #2 to give me the most room to get in and out.

I hope this is will help some one who wants their XK 8 working properly.

 

Jesus thats waaay too much work

 

Tell me about it! I appreciate you reading my post. Sometime you never know...
This was my second attempt to replace the motor. First attempt I messed up the Reach Cable. I researched again how to get the motor and cable up in there. I found a few posts but not how to overcome the space limitation behind the Reach Motor. And if you drop the Steering Column or not. There is really nothing about how of if to drop the steering column. So my desertation is what I figured out the best way for me. Some say to remove the seat for easier access underneath. Also you might beable to leave the steering wheel in place but for a person my size the wheel needed to go. Thanks Brutal!!

Now I would like a little more help about my leaking low pressure end of my power steering lines. You said in a post to just cut where the connector joins just under the air filter box and use a hose clamp to reseal. I can do that if that's what you mean. A little more detail would be good for me. Let me know,
thanks again!!

 

Ill get back to you got work right now

 

Terry, Great description. Folks have been trying to figure this out for a long time. Great to have it all in 1 place now.

John

 

Terry I never remove the steering wheel, just lower knee bolster under column, column shroud, and the 2 upper bolts holding the column. drop it down and using something long to pry the black plastic clamp that holds the motor in place pop it off the column. and since the cable drive is normally what breaks gets the piece out of the gear drive in the column.
On install pull the cable out of the motor and insert in column then work the motor onto the cable. The fun part is getting the new motor to snap down on the column. youll notice a slot on each side of the black plastic holder with a notch in the middle. this has to fit into the recesses on the column. once you get it operate it in and out to make sure works correctly and reinstall everything

 

Excellent! Experience is the best teacher. Your details add the couple steps I glossed over and should have included. I.e. The details about the black plastic motor holder and how it fits.
I think anyone who desides to attempt this repair has enough information to go about it with some confidence!
thanks!

 

Need to move this to the DIY sticky

 

+1on the diy sticky