Third XK 8 I've owned, only one where there is no key hole on the rear XK8 emblem to open the trunk. I peeled back the rubber inside the 8, just metal behind it. The problem is that the guys at the shop pressed the valet button while it was in for an inspection, and the key fob battery is dead (just 1 key/fob). How in the heck can I get it out of valet mode and open my damn trunk! Thanks for anyone who may be able to help.

 

Also, is it ok to pull the valet switch dash panel off and disconnect the wires leading to the god forsaken valet switch?

 

Jim,
The keyhole is usually between the X and the K, but I just see body colour in there.
The emblem looks very shiny for one that's endured 22 years of polishing - could a PO have put a new one out of position and covered the hole in the rear valance?

See Bob0927's thread:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...48/#post289090

Yes, you could ease out the valet switch and pull the connector.

 

You might find this useful. click me

 

Frank,

If it had an opening for a key to be inserted in I wouldn't have this issue. I may have to start trying to remove the rear seat and top to get to what I assume will be an in the trunk release of some kind. I was hoping that there'd be some way to send a 12 volt charge down an accessible wire to activate the release.

 

In the engine bay there’s a 12V positive battery connection point by the LHS fuse box. Use that and upper strut mount to get power to car. Do not jump start car from this connection though.

That should allow you to just unlock driver’s door and/or turn ignition key, which switches off valet mode so long as you have a black key.

 

Unlocking the driver's door with the black headed key resets the Valet Mode

... and that XK8 badge has been stuck on in the wrong place.

 

Yes. That's what I did!

Can you not just replace the battery in the key fob?

 

The car doesn't need a jump, it starts and runs fine, I've locked and unlocked the drivers door a dozen times. I've ordered a fob battery but don't believe that resets the valet setting. If it doesn't work I'll try prying off the XK8 badge.

 

The fob will cancel the valet setting.

 

You might find this of interest then. I too pondered the Valet Key. Finally worked it out........... Another Click Me

Good luck!

 

Some jerk in Coventry did the same thing to my "97. My Serial Number is around 4500. Probably the same guy did yours. I hope they fired his @ss right before Christmas 1996.

 

Ungn,

Did you remove the emblem to see if the lock mecahnism was under it?

 

Yes, it was there under the X.or K, I don't remember.




I assumed '97's didn't come with a key hole, because everything was all original

Someone sent me a picture of their's, which I digitized and layed over mine and the emblem was off by 1/2".



What sucks is the emblem is plastic, so removing them usually destroys them

 

Hope this helps you. Its taken from the right seam to the actual key hole. 6" inches. May be cheaper and quicker to buy a new logo than mess about anymore.



Now I must go out and fix that scratch just spotted...............

 

If I were you id gently heat the logo with a hairdryer. Make sure you dont damage the paint. You just want to soften the glue behind it. Take a thin string of dental floss and work it behind the logo to free it from the glue. You can wipe away any residue with white spirit or rubbing alcohol.

 

Hello Jimscriv - sorry to post this here, but couldn't find a way to pm you. Did you ever find somebody in NH/MA/VT etc. that had an WDS/ IDS system ?

 

If the battery replacement in the fob doesn't do the trick, I'll try the hair dryer/floss removalmethod. It'll annoy me knowing that the emblem ins in the wrong place now anyways... Effduration, I found a guy in Brookline MA that had the software to communicate and reprogram as factory. Brookline BMW and Jaguar, his name is John and he's forgotten more about Jags than I'll ever know. He could not communicate with the 2000 I'd brought in, says that there is a bad wire/board/component that is preventing it and would have to start replacing things tracing wires etc., and that it was very possible that it'd cost more than the car was worth. I told him that it was a shame to scrap a perfectly good XK8 because it couldn't understand that it wasn't being stolen. He agreed and said come back in a couple weeks, he has one just like it out back that hasn't been started in a couple years, I'll go through it and we can trade titles. Hence I now am working the bugs out of a new to me 97.

 

Success! New batteries in the fob and a bit of swearing trying to reprogram and all is working again! I guess I don't need to pry off the emblem just yet.

 

Don’t delay too long on accessing the key lock to the trunk. S@&t happens when you least expect it.

Besides taking off off the badge isn’t too bad a job - a bit of heat and dental floss.