Two apparently unconnected electrical failures recently.

My windscreen washers stopped working a couple of weeks ago. There is no noise coming from the pump when I press the washer switch, though the headlight washers continue to work fine. I'm thinking it's a dead pump, but I would have thought the headlight washers operate from the same pump, no?

Last night my horn died. It was strange as it just whimpered when I pressed the steering wheel and now sounds like a high-pitched groan when depressed. As there is some faint noise coming from it, I'm assuming the relay and fuses are OK. Could it be the module itself?

Is there any chance the two faults be connected in some strange way? I saw from the owner's manual that the horn and washers are controlled by separate fuses but two electrical failures in the space of a couple of weeks seems strange.

Any thoughts?

 

now that's weird...subscribed for an education

 

I need to know what year car we are talking about. Also will need an e-mail address to send you a circuit oneline for the car. Send it to me using your Private Mail option

 

Thanks, Gus. It's a 2001 XK8 Coupé.

 

I am sending you an electrical diagram for the 2001 xk8 on your e-mail. I continued to look for a reason that would connect the two and it goes back to the body processor and for now I would not be looking in that direction until you have a need to. As for the horn you may want to check all your connections and relays first. If I recall you have 2 horns and if both are at the same sound level it is a good indication it is up stream and could be the relay.

As for the washer it sounds like it could be the relay and may be worth checking first. I found this and thought it might help. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/s...dshield+washer

 

Many thanks for your help, Gus. The other post on the subject seems to provide clues, as do your wiring diagrams. My interior lights are also working, so I can rule out the fuse. I believe the washer pumps are both very reliable, so I suspect a faulty relay.

I will need to investigate the horn issue a bit more as there is only a very faint high-pitched noise coming from the horn, and it doesn't sound healthy - more like a whimper!

 

The early cars had a lot of horns replaced but haven't heard much about that in the past several years.

 

Finally got around to dropping the car into the Jag garage. They confirmed that both problems are unrelated - a new low-tone horn is needed and a new windsreeen washer pump also required. The latter failure is unusual apparently.

I have since developed a transmission whine which they told me to ignore unless it affects the quality of the gear change. These cars are high-maintenance for sure!

 

My 99 xk8 has gone through two replacement horns. When the horn went out the first time i only replaced the horn on drivers side, did not know there were two (when i took the horn apart i found it had water in it). Where the horns are mounted you can ingest water into them if going through a deep puddle) after installing the horn it worked fine later it just stopped working. Changed the relay and nothing. I bought two new horns and installed them. After installation they worked fine. A week or so later i went to sound the horn and nothing. Any ideas?

 

Maybe you're shorting the horns. Check the wiring for grounds before reinstallation of another horn. Don't think they're fused...if not, add an inline fuse to save them next time, maybe? Not a horn expert, that's a topic we don't often get to read about.