Hello all,
I am unable to determine what is going on with my wife's XKR. It had been sitting for about 3 weeks connected to a trickle charger. When I got in and put in the key to update the clock, the Nav screen was blank, the radio was working but the rear antennae would not raise. The car started and ran fine however when we got back and removed the ingnition key the chime remained on and the headlights would only go out and chime stop if i switched to auto on the stalk. There were no faults displayed while driving or when i pulled the key out. I tried to run my diagnostic tool and it indicated it could not connect. I looked on the forum and found some issues about grounds, in particular the drivers side wheel arch. I removed it and there ore no ground connections. I have checked every fuse on the car and all are good and did it again with a fuse tester and no issues.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike

 

I would start by checking the little trap door on the ignition switch. It is supposed to let the car "know" if the key is in the ignition. It sometimes gets stuck in the open position and tricks the car into thinking the key is still there. It is typically a $0 fix with graphite or WD40, depending on preference and frequency of wearing light color pants (see graphite mentioned earlier).

Best of luck, keep us posted.

 

Thank you, i will try this later this week . I have CRC Lectra clean that is for cleaning and lubing contacts even with power on and its clear. Will advise how it went.

Mike

 

I would be very cautious about using the CRC Electrical spray cleaner on or around a live circuit.

As mentioned on the label, it is “extremely flammable” (their words). A spark will turn the can and sprayed contents into a blow torch.

Z

 

Thank you Z, much appreciated on the safety concern, however this particular CRC product (Lectra Clean 3000) is designed for live circuits. I will be cautious as I try and clean the ignition switch and report back later this week.
Mike

 

I don’t know that product, I see it’s available from Amazon.

Any idea why it says “not for automotive use” on the front of the can ?

 

Hello Z,
Yes that is it, it can damage plastic and rubber, so you need to be careful on the auto side, I believe that is why they say not to use. I have been using it for 2 years with good results.

Thanks to all who have responded, I feel the issue is a bad ignition switch, as I have found similar issues in different parts of the forum relating to shut down mode not being recognized. The lube did not change anything so i will be changing the switch and will follow up once that has been accomplished.

Mike

 

I recently had to replace the ignition switch in my 1999 Ram. That fixed all of the intermittent electrical problems that I was having with it....

 

You ever seen an ignition switch burst into flames after being sprayed with contact cleaner ? I have .

 

Thanks for the info and advice, hopefully the new ignition switch will cure this and I definitely disconnect power before spraying.

thanks
Mike

 

Let us know what size Torx security bit is required to remove your factory ignition switch. My 1999 Ram required a Torx T-20 security bit....

Good luck and keep us posted....

 

You probably want to start by lubricating the little trap door on the ignition switch, for about $0. This problem has been reported several times. Replacing the entire switch is a lot less common and a lot more involved.

Best of luck, keep us posted.

 

Hi Mike,

Just to chime in on your thread and perhaps expand on the great advice you've received from our esteemed members, CRC Lectra Clean is not a lubricant. It contains more than 90% tetrachloroethylene, the solvent used by commercial dry cleaners to clean clothes.

A better choice for automotive switches and electrical connectors is CRC QD Electronic Cleaner, which is a more complex blend of petroleum distillate- and alcohol-based solvents, formulated to dry quickly (QD = Quick Drying) and be plastic safe.

I am attaching the Material Safety Data Sheets for Lectra Clean and QD Electronic Cleaner for those interested in such things.

As far as lock lubricants go, I used to use graphite because oil can attract dust over time and promote gunk accumulation. Of course, as Mr. Mertz observed, graphite can transfer to your clothing. Some years ago, a pro locksmith told me he uses Tri-Flow Industrial Lubricant, which is Teflon-based and available at many hardware stores. I apply a small amount, insert and withdraw the key, wipe it off, and repeat until the key comes out clean and dry. That leaves just enough Teflon to do the job. Teflon is hydrophobic (it repels water), and dust and debris don't seem to stick to it either.

Cheers,

Don

 

Hi Jon,

I keep sets of 5- and 6-lobe security Torx bits, but my recollection is that the ignition switch on our 2001 XKR is secured with two set screws, and I think I recall that they take a small flat-blade screwdriver, perhaps less than 1/8 inch wide. Here's the diagram from the Workshop Manual:



The screws do not have to be removed, they just need to be retracted far enough for the tabs on the switch to be released so they can slide out of the slots in the key lock barrel housing.

BTW, the X100 and X308 ignition switches are identical, but the harness on the X308 switch is about 6 inches longer, so if you need a switch for your X308, an X100 switch won't work without extending the harness wires, but an X308 switch will work in an X100.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thanks Don and to all,

I have successfully removed the switch as the pic shows just loosened the 2 flat head screws, waiting on the switch. I will take your advice on the lube for sure.

Many thanks,

Mike

 

Hello all,

I am back where I started for the most part.

Here's what I have done:
Lubed lock mechanism
Replaced ignition switch - electrical
Replaced both ignition relay modules
checked every fuse, twice

Here is what is still happening:

Vehicle runs great no issues when driving, the radio will turn on, but the power antenna does not go up. I cannot get the Nav screen to turn on. When I turn off the ignition the park lights will not go off unless I put it into auto mode. The chime now does stop when I pull the key out, before it kept chiming as if the key was still in the ignition switch.
I am at loss as to where to look, any guidance is most appreciated.

Thanks again,
Mike

 

Hi Mike,

Congratulations on at least curing the chime. That was probably the key lock flap that fmertz originally pointed out. Your remaining issues could be related to a wiring problem somewhere, perhaps inside the dash, or they could be unrelated to each other. Considering that possibility:

You can test for power at the antenna motor when the radio is switched on or off. According to the Electrical Guide, the wires at the motor housing are Brown/Green and Green/Black. Connect your voltmeter to the two terminals in the antenna motor harness connector and see if battery voltage appears for a few seconds when the radio is turned on or off (the polarity will change depending on whether the up or down voltage is applied).

Again, you can test for power at the Nav unit. To remove the wood trim, use a plastic trim tool to gently pry out the lower corners, then carefully pull the entire trim piece straight toward the rear of the vehicle. The Nav unit is secured with about four screws. Constant battery power arrives on the Brown/Red wire, ignition switched power arrives on the White/Blue wire, and ground is the black wire connected to IC22-1, which terminates at the ground point BT2AR in the right rear of the trunk.

I assume you are referring to the sidemarker lamps on the front and rear fenders (not the fog lamps)? If so, one possible cause of your symptom could be a faulty stalk lighting switch. Another could be a fault in the Body Processor Module (BPM) or corrosion on its electrical connector bridging two or more pins. Another could be the Red/White wire to the stalk lighting switch shorted to ground.

I'm sure there are many other possibilities, but these are fairly easy ones to test and confirm or rule out.

Cheers,

Don

 

a lot of people just don't like the looks of the extended antenna, myself included. So they just pull the fuse to it, which is what I did as well. That's problematic if you listen to FM radio. But I just listen to music or whateer via bluetooth and my iphone.

so have you checked the antenna fuse, it might be missing.

Z

 

After 40 years as an auto electrician I usually jump in to answer the OP n
but experience has taught me that when loads of people with "limited experience" have given an opinion I am wasting my time.
Rules of Auto electrics.
1/ When operating one circuit causes another to go on or off its an earth fault.
2/ Pick on one item which is no working (the aerial) and fault find that .When you put it right other faults will disappear.
3/ Like it said on the Sun Tester (engine analyser) TEST DONT GUESS .

 

Mike,

You can download the wiring schematics for your car here, courtesy of motorcarman who supplied the file and Gus who hosts the website:

Jaguar X100 Electrical Guide 2001

Cheers,

Don