Hi, I'm a new member so sorry if this is old news but I have a problem with my nearside brake bulb.
I have replaced the bulb as a failure error was showing. The bulb is working as a taillight but when the brake is depressed it does not 'brighten' and it still shows a failure error !!!
Any ideas as to what the problem is before I have to take it to the Jaguar garage ... I live in Hong Kong and believe me a Jaguar garage here is ridiculously expensive.

Many thanks

 

What year is your car? I had a similar issue with the brake lights on my '97 XK8. I replaced the ground wire to the circuit board with a heavier gauge wire and now they work fine. Lots of threads here on this issue but I don't know in which years this was a problem.

 

Mike, I thought the same thing as Oz

They made the car with a rear lights ground wire that is too thin. Pull the light pod, find the black ground wire sometimes its a dead giveaway- the wire has obviously started to melt anyone can see it.

How did I fix mine? Soldered a 18guage wire to a ring connector, riveted the ring to the metal ground plane on the board that holds the lights, crimp/soldered a larger ring connector to other end of the wire. Picked a nut protruding back into the trunk in that area, ensured bare metal showed under the nut, put the ring connector on, tightened nut - job finished.

If you don't have a rivet gun you could use a nut and bolt. Just tightened it real good - lots of bumps in its future.

John

 

Hi its a 2007/2008 model

Mike

 

Hi John, many thanks for your rapid reply (and to Oz as well) and the detail of the solution...

So that I understand things, it seems the solution can be done simply by removing the light cluster (which I had to do to change the bulb) and attaching a ground from the light cluster to a bare metal point on the body? Sorry to sound so basic but this is all new to me but I do understand the principle of grounding/earthing.

Mike

 

Yes. I did the same as John described above but I drilled a small hole in the metal plate and used a nut and bolt with a star washer on each side. There's a few nuts near the light panel you can use for the other end. It's a 15 minute job with less than $10 in parts. Mine has held for 3 years now with no problems.

 

HKMike,

You are in the 1996-2006 XK8-XKR File...You need to be in the XK8-XKR 2007 on File.....Some of us, Myself included have never been in an Aluminum Jaguar......Hope you find the answer to your question over there!

Billy Clyde @ Cinco Ranch