I had my first opportunity over the weekend to drive my 2000 XK8 convertible at night. The controls on the steering wheel for cruise control and radio volume were not lighted. Are they designed without a backlight or do I have a problem? Thanks in advance...

 

On my 01 XK8 convertible I have not noticed that the steering wheel controls are lighted, so unless we both have a problem I don't think they are lighted. Are the buttons on the console rear of the shift knob lighted?

 

The steering wheel controls are not backlit. The console buttons are.

 

How many of us are going to look at the thread and think, oh mine must be broken also.....

 

It is what it is... just seems odd to me that with all the amenities Jaguar engineered in this this car, they overlooked something that's common in a base model Ford or Chevrolet.

 

My take, ie the usual contrarian viewpoint.

A driver should not be taking their eyes off the road to manipulate the controls.


That’s why car manufacturers started putting many of the often used controls on the steering wheel, where they could be used without fumbling around on the console area and averting eyes (and attention) off of the road ahead.

Yes, that’s right, controls on the steering wheel began as a safety measure. Designed to:

1) help a driver keep their eyes on the road

2) keep their hands on the steering wheel

3) keep their attention focused ahead, on the road, not on the stereo volume or cruise
control, etc.

One does not need lighting on the steering wheel controls because they are intended to be used without eyesight help; ie, meant to be used by the braille-tactile-memory method.

if a person can’t remember what controls are where on the steering wheel perhaps a good examination before driving is in order.

Z

 

I asked a question about the car, NOT for a lecture about how to drive. Thanks for being of no help whatsoever.

 

My we are thin skinned today !

Not a lecture, a history lesson for the uninformed. If the shoe fits….


Z

 

Not thin skinned at all, but I have better things to do with my time

 

One of the interesting side effects of forums like this, and the internet in general, is if you ask a specific question, you will usually get answers to a question you didn't ask - it goes with the territory.

Now I know you didn't ask this, but in future you could use the forum search function ("Search this forum" on the index page) and find the hundreds of threads that others have asked on the same topic before you. Google is also a good resource, for example "Are the XK8 steering wheel controls lighted" will answer your question in a matter of seconds - but please don't take your eyes off the road while you are doing it.

 

You don't need lights on the steering wheel, it's just a distraction. It's probably why the backlit buttons on the center console arent' blindingly bright like on modern cars. It's annoying to drive at night and have a bunch of lights on inside the car. You can use the controls ont he steering wheel without looking, that is sort of the point.

 

Agreed. The less interior light, the better I like it. My 2013 Outback 3.6R is a superb workhorse of a vehicle for us, but much of the interior lighting is done up in red. Very distracting at night. I think Subaru was attempting to appeal to the kiddie demographic....

 

I asked a simple question about the car and get dumped on by a bunch of self appointed safety experts. I personally wish the controls were lighted and have no problem with being distracted by them on my other cars. Maybe some people can't multitask? I'm also quite familiar with how internet forums work and the search function. What an exciting group it would be if everyone simply did a search and initiated no new conversation. In any case, point taken and I'll leave you "experts" alone to pat each other on the back about how smart you are. I'm out.

 

wow

 

I have to agree somewhat with this sentiment and have found out first hand the hazards of being a newbie on various forums. I have also had the instance of wanting a quick answer without searching through threads or googling and was taken to task by forum old-timers. Hang in there.

 

Ouch!
There are few on this forum who I see claiming to be in-field experts, other than the trained techs who clearly are.

Often, they're members' opinions:- some of which strike a chord with me, some of which don't - but, nevertheless, I do value their input.

It would equally be a dull and boring life if we all agreed on everything.

FWIW, Mrs H's X5 cockpit looks like mission control Houston at night, and I rather like it. Whether the illumination adds or detracts from safety doesn't change my opinion, even if it is demonstrably wrong. And, yes, we do go OT at times: here I do claim to be an expert.

 

That's interesting, because the "Search This Forum" button is hidden away - a lot of people don't realise it's there and how much more useful it is as it only searches this sub forum, compared to the general Search box at the top right which searches the entire website. I'm surprised you knew about it, knew how forums work, yet still posted your question at the known risk of getting a lecture, just to avoid the forum getting boring. I salute you for your sacrifice just to keep the forum exciting. You have gone, but you will not be forgotten by people searching this topic in future.