Thanks for the feedback, guys....

What diameter of marine-grade heat-shrink tubing is appropriate to make the new cable sheath? I'm not familiar with this material, and I assume it is sold in different sizes. Please enlighten me....

 

There happens to be a boating store near me (for some odd reason that I cannot understand). Anyway, I bought an assortment of sizes starting with 1/4" diameter (I think) and going up a size or two. The stuff was heavier than what they sold in Radio Shack and Home Depot and the inside is coated with some adhesive. What also finally worked for me (after 2 times that ended up working only for a while) was to use a decent heatshrink gizmo rather than the soldering iron I was trying to use. I bought one of those cheap heat things that work by using a cigarette lighter--it was maybe $10 at Fry's). I couldn't see spending $40 or more on a proper heat gun that I would use maybe once or twice.


Doug

 

Thanks to everyone who has contributed here. Great video, Sam - so much more instructive than just reading the TSB and looking at the sketchy drawings....

With the apparent tendency for this contraption to fail multiple times after repairs, if I can get it working again using the heat-shrink tubing approach I'm going to lower the headrest all the way down and instruct my wife to never move that headrest again, nor should she allow any of her passengers to move it. I know she'll be fine with that solution....

 

I took the passenger seat out of the car late this afternoon and brought it in the house next to my computer to watch Sam's video while doing the cable repair because at 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds, there is no friggin' way I can fit into the car's pretend back seat with the passenger seat still attached to the floorboard....

I shortened the cable sheath by 12 mm as instructed, then used a four-inch section of 3/8-inch diameter marine-grade heat-shrink tubing with built-in inner adhesive to make the repair. Heated it with a lighter just as Sam did. I wound up removing both T-25 screws holding the cable bracket in place so I could more accurately line up the square end of the cable and insert it all the way down into the motor. As expected, my huge hands made it difficult to put those two screws back in place, line them up through all the parts, and get the assembly screwed back together properly. I finally managed to do so after 10 or 15 minutes of trying. A short Torx drive handle is far better than a long Torx drive handle for this part of the operation....

Just got the seat leather and fabric buttoned back up - it looks normal again. But it's too dark outside now to attempt to mount the seat back into the car, so I'll wait for daylight tomorrow before finishing the job and then seeing if the headrest will indeed respond to the motor and crank itself back down all the way to the top of the seat as desired....

 

Hey Jon,

Way to go! The part that stumped me (and others) quite a number of times was the plastic contraption that connects the seat back finisher. I guess it is easier to figure this out with the seat removed from the car.

I trust that once you get everything back in and hooked up you will have a headrest that performs as intended.

Doug

 

Doug,

I believe it is well worth the extra time and effort to remove the seat for this repair. With the seat out, you can rotate it and flip it over to better see and access the tricky J-channel that holds the leather and fabric together as you described. It would be impossible for me to successfully complete this repair with the seat still in the car....

When the sun gets fully up in a little while, I'll re-install the seat and see if the headrest now responds to the motor....

 

Done! The seat is in, the passenger headrest has full functionality, and down it stays for the rest of the time we own the car. I have enough heat-shrink tubing remaining to do the job on the drivers headrest if/when it fails. If my wife will just leave it in the full-down position, I may never have to mess with it....

Thanks again to one and all for your kind assistance. My wallet loves these $5 repairs, and I would not be able to do that without your help....

 

Hey Jon, There is generally no reason to move the headrest around once you find where you want it. But even my first couple of "shoddy" fixes lasted a while. Ever since I did a better fix with the heavy duty adhesive shrink tube I occasionally operate the headrest just to check and things are still holding. So I think you don't need to fear the occasional adjustment if you choose to do so. Doug

 

I just removed the seat to do this fix. Does any one have any info on how long the drive cable should be after the fix? I just measured mine befoe I cut the cable sheath and have 31mm of the inner cable sticking out. If I follow the fix and cut 12mm from the cable sheath that would give me 43mm sticking out that goes into the motor assy. Does that sound right?

wcnesta

 

Never measured it but it sounds about right. If it is too long it is not properly seated in the mechanism. I have done 4 of these and 12mm worked every time.

 

I just finished repairing the airbag code 22 problem and fixed the headrest problem. I pulled the driver seat out of the car to do this and find that is the easyest way to work on these problems. Four tork t-40 screws and two connectors and the seat is out. cutting the headrest cable was easy and installing the shrink wrap was not to bad. I had to take out both screws from the drive motor as the cable would not line up when trying to reinsert it. It is nice to have the head rest work. I will do the driver side when I get ambitious again. The airbag code 22 was a loose connection somewhere in the seat. I think it was the hall effect connector as it appeared loose.

 

Where do you get the marine shrink wrap? There are no marine stores near me.

 

Try here Store Locator#

 

Hi guys

I just did one seat on my XKR and have three more to do. After doing the procedure of cutting the cable sheath and shorting it by 12mm, it occurred to me that there has to be an easier way to do this. I think I have it figured out and will try my procedure on my next seat. If it works, you will not have to cut the cable and not have to deal with shrink tubing. I plan to do the passenger side on my XKR soon and will post the results.

wcnesta

 

Please don't confuse folks by saying that you "cut the cable". If you indeed cut that cable, you will be in a world of hurt. You remove about 12 mm of CABLE SHEATH, not the metal cable itself....

I'm curious about what type of fix you have in mind that may be easier. This marine-quality heat-shrink tubing fix is very inexpensive and fairly easy to do once you have the seat out of the car....

 

Actually, the easiest "fix" would be knowing whether or not Jaguar ever provided a replacement sheath that was the correct length to begin with. If such a replacement is available, it would be the best solution versus the cutting and splicing method.

Doug

 

Doug,

I know of at least two proper fixes that Jaguar will NOT be offering to us XK8 owners:

1) Correct-length headrest cable sheaths.

2) Industrial-strength convertible top hydraulic hoses and fittings.

 

Doug

 

I just finished the passenger seat on my XKR and found that my theory about doing the job without cutting the cable sheath will not work. I assumed that the cable was slipping down into the motor, but just the opposite is happening. The cable is being pushed up to the headrest drive assy and after a while it will disengage from the drive motor. When I took apart the cable holder I disconnected the motor and saw that the cable was out of the drive motor. You would figure that gravity would cause the cable to go down toward the motor and not up, but I guess the cable windings act as a screw when it is activated and once it screws out of the motor it will not slip back into the square grove on the motor. I have two more seats to do on my XK8 and will be done.

wcnesta

 

I have just finished fixing the seats on both of my Jags, and I modified the procedure a bit...I cut off the end with the metal ferrule, cut out the cable that was locked inside, and then filed the sharp crimps that held the cable inside the metal ferrule. I found that this is approximately the correct length of shortening the cable. Finally, I sprayed the inside of the sleeve, and the cable end with locktite spray adhesive, and reattached the cable to the ferrule. I also screwed 2 small screws where the crimp used to be, and I am not having to face a separated cable if the shrink tubing breaks. I am hoping that the cable will stay in the metal ferrule, and so far, it seems to be working great...