Hi, i have just purchased a 1998 xk 8 coupe.
The remote control works only from certain positions outside the car.
(i have replaced the batteries without succes)
The lights switch on fine, but locking and unlocking doors not so good.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Cheers, Peter.(Australia)

 

Peter,

The early XK8's had remotes with carbon impregnated buttons. Later ones had separate microswitches. On a '98 you'll probably have the early carbon type.

Both types are prone to wear but the early carbon ones are more troublesome. Eventually the carbon wears and makes irregular and eventually no contact. The Lights button is likely to still be reliable because it gets used less thas the Lock / Unlock buttons.

Other than buying a new remote from Jaguar (very expensive), sourcing a replacement on eBay (much less expensive), there's a number of fixes been reported successfully to renew the carbon using conductive paint. Here's an example of the product:

CaiKote

If you get no further, posting this question directly on the XK8/XKR 1006 - 2006 section will get a wider response.

Graham

 

The problem might be the Battery but as you said that you had just changed the battery so no need to go for testing of the battery. As you mentioned that the remote control works only from certain positions outside the car, then I can say that it might be the problem of radio transmitter. The frequency of transmitter might be changed. So it's better to change the frequency to the original one.

 

[quote=jmarshall;500680]The problem might be the Battery but as you said that you had just changed the battery so no need to go for testing of the battery. As you mentioned that the remote control works only from certain positions outside the car, then I can say that it might be the problem of radio transmitter. The frequency of transmitter might be changed. So it's better to change the frequency to the original one.[/

thanks for that, i opened the transmittor and it is the one with carbon tips, obviously worn and contacts dirty.
cleaned with alcohol, but not much better.
will try to get some calkote as suggested.
thanks for all the advice, peter.

 

Virgo, how did you go with this? I have same problem.

Cheers

 

i bought locally some silver repair kit for printed circuit boards.
not successful.
bid on a remote on e-bay and am waiting to receive that unit.
sorry not very helpfull is it.
cheers, peet.

 

Hi, I had the same problem after changing the battery in the remote, as I had pressed the button before putting the battery's in so I had to reprogram them both, then they would not work. After reprograming a few times and still not working except for the lights I cleaned the remote circuit board with alcohol wipes and cleaned the oil from under the rubber buttons and now both work fine after reprograming again. I was at the point of paying for a replacement on ebay but elected not to as I could have purchased a dud unit.

 

I have had this happen a few times now and when it does, just yesterday, I clean the circuit board contacts and the buttons with an alcohol wipe and then I rub a No2 pencil on a nail file and rub the graphite filings on the buttons. This works for 6 - 8 mos cheaper than a new remote. the buttons are wearing down so i have to press a little harder to make contact, but it works.

 

Having the same issues with my remote. Will only work close to the drivers door. Will try some of the suggestions and post back (Car away getting new tensioners and water pump)

 

I had this problem and found the solution was to rub contacts and buttons with an erasor ( rubber ) now mine operates from 20/30 yards i also did the same with an extra one purchased from EBay as it would not program untill i cleaned it in this manner....