Hi folks,

I'm trying to repair the telescoping steering wheel in my 1997 XK8. The motor seems to work, when I
push the button in either direction I can hear the motor running but the steering wheel doesn't move.
After reading a few posts regarding this issue I'm thinking it's the plastic toothed strip that sits on the
steering column. I've been looking for a part number but all I can find is JLM012187 which is for the motor.
Does anyone know the part number and/or where I can get one? I've looked at Jagbits, SngBarratt and
Jagpartschicago but I can't find it, probably because i don't know have the part number and my description
"plastic strip with teeth for the telescoping steering wheel" isn't getting me anywhere.

 

I sell the cable here it's metal not plastic;
https://www.jagbits.com/product/JLM12187-CABLE.html

 

Hi Gary,

Thanks for your help. Not knowing the name of the part didn't help any. I've haven't worked on my cars
for 25+ years but I'm really getting into it with my Jag. I've ordered the part and I'm sure you'll be hearing
from me again. Now I just have to figure out how to swap the parts out but I'm sure that there's a thread
about it on the forums.

Thanks again,

Tom

 

Check out part # JLM12187C for Drive Cable - Reach Motor

 

This may give you a start on your repair. There are several good threads on this site- just search "reach repair". I've got the same task to do- just working up the courage and time....

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...repair-185672/

 

Hi David, thanks for the part number. It's on order and should be here next week. I
can't wait to try something else on the old girl. It's not something I really need but
it's something that needs repair and it will bother me until it's fixed. I plan on keeping
the car as long as I can keep her running. I'm not stupid, I'm just stubborn.

Hi Darbysan, thanks for the link. I've had pretty good luck trying some repairs using
the instructions from the good people on this forum but I'm dutch and as my boss says;
wooden shoes, wooden head and wouldn't listen. Since I'm mechanically inept I tend to
follow the instruction to the letter.

 

A cable will do NO GOOD if the plastic teeth in the reach drive are stripped.
The way to tell is to pull/push the column by the steering wheel. If the column can be moved in/out without the motor, your teeth are GONE and a replacement column is in order.

Also (as I have stated before) the new cable might fail AGAIN if the column position sensor is not set correctly.
The drive motor will simply keep trying to drive the column past the mechanical stop point if AUTO is used and the motor does NOT know when to STOP!!!

I would set the column to OFF unless it is recalibrated to ensure that new cable is not damaged like the old one.

bob

 

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your reply and advice. I looked up everything I could find on the
forums before I decided to order the part and saw your replies on most of them.
The steering wheel is all the way down and firmly in place and I can hear the
motor running when I move the switch in either direction. The tilt option seems
to be working fine. I'm going to try to set the sensor so it works but since I'm the
only driver of the car once I have it set to where I like it I am going to turn it off
anyway. Where it is now is okay so if worse comes to worse and I can't get it
done it's not that bad. I've never let fear and common sense hold me back,
no sense starting now. I have a 2 week holiday coming up so I'm going to
give it a try and see what happens, can't go fishing and golfing every day.


.

 

Hi,

I'm going to try to replace the reach cable for the telescopic option on the steering wheel
of my '97 XK8. After reading the excellent write up by Colquan1066 and the great advice of
Motorcarman and others on the forum I'm pretty sure I can get it done. The only question
I have is about the valet option. I don't have the valet key so do I need to reconnect the
wire for it or are other things dependant on it?

Thanks,

Tom

 

Others have disconnected it without issue. Nothing else depends on it. Think of it this way: disconnecting it is the same as just not pushing it - it's an open circuit that the momentary switch closes.

John

 

Today I tried to replace the reach cable in my '97 XK8. I have to admit that it was the most
frustrating 4 hours I've spent since before my divorce. The taking apart and putting back together
the various parts went well thanks to Colquan1066 great write up. The problem was trying to get
the reach cable to go into the lead reach nut. This took over an hour and I'm sure the neighbours
heard a few dutch words they have never heard before, extremely frustrating, but I got it done.
Here's what I found when I took it apart.

All in all it didn't go to bad. Very tight space to work in. I had to get out of the car to change my mind.

 

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply. I thought it didn't matter so I did leave it disconnected.