OK, so here's a problem/XK8 quirk I've yet to see on this forum; or at least I couldn't find it using the Search page.

When I open the boot (trunk) of my 2000 XK8 convertible, the twin boot interior lights do not turn on . . . unless I wait a few, long minutes. Then they suddenly, magically turn on without so much as a never-mind.

Probably the electrical switch for the lamps is dirty, or just sleepy (the car basically sat in a heated, carpeted garage for nearly six years before we bought it in early June) and needs to be cleaned. Presumably it's located somewhere around the latching mechanism at the bottom exterior boot panel, under all that plastic trim.

Anyone else had this problem? If so, did you have to remove the plastic latch/bottom boot trim or did you perhaps squirt some contact cleaner in a strategic, but secret spot?

 

My trunk lights don't even come on. All the other interior lights work. One of these days I'll get around to replacing the micro switch in the trunk. But for now, that project is low on the list.

 

I think that just cleaning and manipulating the switch sometimes brings a more consistent positive result from it.
Brian

 

I have also been living without boot lights. Now that I have the boot trims out for pressure relief installation, I thought I would get the lights working as well. I have located the switch and can hear the switch clicking when actated, but no power. Everything else on the ckt works.
What function does the diode serve?

2000 XK8
TCAP

 

My boot light didn't work at all when I bought the car. This turned out to be the microswitch itself. The lock has a 'spin-dial" that rotates and gets thicker as it does. When doing so it depreses the microswitch plunger. I took it apart and tried to fix it..there are 3 terminal, only 2 are used so I moved the wire to the middle terminal. Well turns out the rotation didn't depress the plunger enough in the middle position....so I gave up and got a new switch; about $30 from Gaudin plus shipping. Works fine now.

Remove the rear cover (pry out little push in fasteners) and you can see the switch on the left of the lock assembly. It has tabs that hold the switch in small slots, just pry it off, it may damage the tabs but if replacing the switch it doesn't matter. For the cost of the switch it really isn't worth trying to fix it.

 

Unpugged the swtch and stuck a bent paper clip in the diode side of the plug. Lights came on and the trunk open message finally made an appearance. Part number, LNC6242AC is the permanent fix. With shipping, about $50 fom Gaudin.
Still don't know what purpose the diode serves.

T

 

My issue is similar.

I always suspected that the boot light operation was influenced by the daylight sensor and the courtesy light timer. In theory (and in the spirit of overengineering) there is no need for the boot light to come in in the daylight.

The key to my thinking is the interior courtesy lights. They don't always come on when I unlock the door during the day, but always at night and they are timed.

The long wait for the boot light has always been suspicious to me - there's no reason for it but it's a pretty reliable occurance. Maybe the boot light is hooked into the courtesy light circuitry.

Perhaps the wait is related to the door courtesy light timer being activated but not calling for light, then, when it times out, it recognizes that the boot is open and turns on the light. It's about the right length of time.

Some systematic door and boot slamming could work this all out if it's true.

 

Interesting idea, Scott.

I think we should consult the electrical schematic for the MY2000 XK8 to see if it's so.

 

Became intrigued by the thinking that the luggage lights were influenced by night and day. Opened the boot in the garage and looked at the lights, backed out and looked again. Sadly, the brightness of the day precluded a definitive evaluation. Closed the lid without latching and walked onto the course to hit a few ***** and try to think this through. It hit me about 20 minutes into the exercise. After looking at the way the switch and latch interact, the follow is evident; the lights come on when the boot is unlatched rather than when the boot cover is lifted. That being so, if you were to leave the boot unlatched and forget about it, the lights would remain on until they drained the battery unless there was some other influence to turn them off and that would be the interior light circuit. When I returned home, I lifted the boot lid and the lights were off. They remained off until the boot was latched, then unlatched again thereby resetting the circuit. I think it reasonable to assume the luggage compartment lights act the same as the interior lights.

 

Fact: When the trunk is open and the boot lights are off, they will come on when the alarm goes on.

The car was locked when I opened the trunk with the key fob. After a few minutes the "countdown ticks" started. Before I could unlock the doors with the fob the alarm went off. I happened to be looking at the trunk lights at that moment and they came on simultaneously with the alarm.

Separately, after messing with the interior lights and watching the boot lights I can't the pattern I expected. In fact, I can't get the boot lights on at all except by accident.

Logic tells me there must be a pattern, we just have to get the right set of circumstances lined up to make it appear.

 

I think I know the cause...the switch IN the latch, is sticking. It eventually will release, and at that time, will trigger a voltage drain, one that is significant enough to trigger the alarm on the car. Same as if the convertible top is down, and car is locked. You can't open the glovebox w/o setting off the alarm...for the same reason, the switch being opened for the light tells the security system there are hands where they shouldn't be.

My advice, which isn't worth alot actually...but then again, won't cost you anything either. Get to the latch from within the boot, and use some electrical contact cleaner on the switch, and exercise it over and over. If that doesn't work, the switch is perhaps so used, it doesn't make good contact to close the circuit when the latch is closed with the boot, and could go off again if it opens (even though the boot is shut!). Make sense?

 

It's the easy, low cost, solution and should be the first thing done. I'll get to it after I figure out my rich running condition.

What is it with Jaguar and switches, anyway. I read in Hemmings that in order to keep costs down on the old XKE they used the least expensive switchgear possible, some of which just wasn't up to the job. 50 years later you'd think that wasn't the case.