2003 XK8, Have an issue with my headlights. I don't drive at night much so not sure how long this has been an issue.

The dip beams do not come on at all, the high beams will only come on if I hold the stalk forward.

In both auto (in low light) on just on positions on the stalk the dash indicator comes on indicating the lights are on, All front and rear running lights work as the should. Turn signals work correctly. Dash lights dim as they would normally when the headlights are on. If I turn the lights off and its dark then the headlights off warning comes on the dash.

When I pull the stalk forward the high beam indicator comes on and the high beam lights come on. When I push the stalk toward the dash to lock the high beams on nothing happens, no high beam indictor or high beam lights.

I checked all fuses, checked and moved around the headlight relays, no change. I can feel the high beam relay click and the high beams come on when I pull the stalk forward. No relay click when I turn the lights on for the dip beams.

Also did a hard reset.

I was under the dash yesterday repairing a tile steering wheel motor issue.

Any suggestions?

 

I wonder if you may have disturbed the wiring to the lighting stalk?

There's one part of the switch that informs the BPM that you have requested dip beam. If that signal isn't received then (I'm making an assumption here) you won't get main beam either - whether manually or in 'Auto' mode. It's a blue/white connection between switch and BPM - these wires appear to have a habit of fracturing in use anyway.

2003 JTIS appears to have the captions for side/dip/auto out of sequence

HTH

 

I have the exact same problem, and have done the same steps as you.

Now that the weather it's finally cooler, I plan to pull the steering wheel so I can remove and inspect the stalk switch. I've seen a couple posts suggesting that the switch wiring breaks loose.

For now I've been jumping the low beam relay for night driving. Inconvenient, but functional.

 

Jandreu, mminich,

if: low headlights selected, can you turn on fog lights? Probably not. Happened to me = loose wire at turn signal junction.

its easy to pull steering wheel. Pia is the upper steering wheel shroud.

if faced with " where does this wire connect?" When you get into the turn signal circuit board let me /us know. I've got a spare turn signal assembly for reference.

Wire is easy solder, would be good to have a soldering iron with long thin probe.

John

 

Just re-read your note James. If the dimmed dash lights work, the fog will turn on too (only referring to front. Rear goes on with lights off). I'd still go to look at the wire junctions/circuit board at bottom of turn signal. Its a lot easier to get to than you'd think.

A couple of thoughts for the both of you:

turn auto retract off on tilt switch or you'll be chasing your tail every time you connect/disconnect battery.

Trouble finding the 3 screws holding the upper shroud on? Memory tells me you get to see where they connect with steering wheel off. IOW remove the steering wheel for a view of the connection spots (you'll want the battery disconnected before you stick a screwdriver in there anyway). This will make sense when you try to find the 3 screws from below. . .

Yes you need the upper shroud removed to get to the circuit board.

Warning: you have to pull the steering wheel off a few inches to feed the wires through it from the shaft to release and remove the steering wheel. Let me tie this together - If you just remove the 15mm bolt that holds the steering wheel on and pull back to remove it - you'll find it needs a good tug to release and you will never be able to reverse your momentum before the 2 wires that come through the bottom center of the steering wheel get stressed. They will bang into the little hole they must slip through and the weight/momentum will give them a good tug. Best case it'll scare the hell out of you, worst case you damage the connector. So just keep this in mind.

Note where the longer wire for the air bag connector clips into place. You want to reuse this clip so the air bag seats nicely after reassembly.

Thats all I can think of now.

John

 

Thanks all, will be digging into this in the next few days and report back.

 

I don't believe you need to pull the steering wheel to get to the lighting wires. Can't recall if I re-attached any front lights, but I certainly did the rears.

You most certainly will need this: http://www.jagrepair.com/images/Auto.../jagxk2003.pdf . Just identify the correct color wires and follow them until you find the problem (assuming you inadvertently dislodged a wire when working under the dash). Edit: It's figure 09.1, lower left, ''LIGHTING STALK" and likely the blue wire, which connects at a junction to an orange wire...Mind you, I've never actually been under a 2003 dash...just using the schematic. Follow my mysterious path at your own peril.

Regarding lining up the steering column shroud, on my '97, I used several linked tie-wraps (a long one will do if you have it) to hold the top and bottom back in place so I could run the screws back in. Can't speak to your 2003, but don't imagine it will be much different.

Good luck.

 

Truck Graphics, let me explain. I was referring to the wire connections on the circiut board at the base of the turn signal. I focused here because I've seen several instances where one of the poorly attached wires came loose causing this exact problem once, loss of auto headlights once, loss of display management button another time.

you certainly need to pull the wheel and the lower & upper cowls to get to the connections on the circuit board. Once you have the wheel off you need to unscrew 2 torx screws holding the turn signal arm and it's circuit board in place. It pulls out in the direction towards the rear seat (IOW it goes though the steering wheel area.)

To your point, I bet you're right. One could get access to the wires without pulling the steering wheel, just not going to get to that suspect circuit board connections.

I remember once suggesting that one needn't remove the upper cowl to get there ( wish I recalled which post that was I'd correct it) but my very recent job working in there showed me that's wrong.

for the guys doing the job:
You can have the steering wheel off in about 10 minutes. Its just 3 bolts and the 2 torx screws.
Just ask if you don't feel like reinventing the wheel on that job.

the lower cowl comes off without needing to remove the lower valance panel. 5 minutes

the upper cowl is a PITA. 3 screws phillips head. Unfortunately the metal they use here is soft, the heads may be distorted from the initial installation. I had to use 2 different kinds of screwdrivers to get them going. Probably the longest part of the job. I'll post a photo of the screw locations as soon as my phone is charged.

John

 

Here is a birds eye view of where the 3 screws holding the upper cowl are located. Hope it helps you nail your Dead Reckoning from below. The screw size for upper and lower cowl is 4mm. If I were you I'd buy a few before you start the job.

I've got a spare turn signal steering wheel assembly in my shop - If you want to see a photo of the circuit board I described, just ask.

John

 

 

Good catch!

John

 

Well done....

 

well done indeed - I have marked the thread as resolved