Flickering headlights lights and dashboard lights
Discussion
The xjr has been going very well, had a bit of work done on it and was very pleased with the results.
However two nights ago there was a problem,the headlights started flickering a little, then the dashboard lights went out and at the same time the headlamps stopped flickering and got really bright. Then the air bag warning light, the loss of traction control warning and the abs light came on. Until the warning lights came on the car was driving properly, but when the warning lights came on the car seemed strange, still revved ok but feeled very sluggish, and felt like it wanted to slow to a halt unless you revved it.
After turning it off for a moment it seems to be ok for a while but the symptoms then come back. It also seemed to be ok on the motorway at a constant speed of about 75 - 80 but as soon as I came off and slowed it started again, I tried to raise the revs again to recreate the motorway conditions but that didn't work. I plan to take the battery off and give it a good recharge and / or swap it for a known good one somebody suggested to check the short lead in the boot from the battery for a good earth
Does anyone else have any ideas or thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Lester
However two nights ago there was a problem,the headlights started flickering a little, then the dashboard lights went out and at the same time the headlamps stopped flickering and got really bright. Then the air bag warning light, the loss of traction control warning and the abs light came on. Until the warning lights came on the car was driving properly, but when the warning lights came on the car seemed strange, still revved ok but feeled very sluggish, and felt like it wanted to slow to a halt unless you revved it.
After turning it off for a moment it seems to be ok for a while but the symptoms then come back. It also seemed to be ok on the motorway at a constant speed of about 75 - 80 but as soon as I came off and slowed it started again, I tried to raise the revs again to recreate the motorway conditions but that didn't work. I plan to take the battery off and give it a good recharge and / or swap it for a known good one somebody suggested to check the short lead in the boot from the battery for a good earth
Does anyone else have any ideas or thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Lester
Just been out and had another look, headlights and dashboard lights still flickering but no warning lights. The dashboard lights flicker as soon as I put the key in the ignition.
It also seems as though there is a " pulsing " on the car which the flickering is synchronised with.
After a while the flickering stopped and so did the pulsing, strange?
Then I restarted and the symptoms returned.
I'm off to change the batteries
It also seems as though there is a " pulsing " on the car which the flickering is synchronised with.
After a while the flickering stopped and so did the pulsing, strange?
Then I restarted and the symptoms returned.
I'm off to change the batteries
Sounds very much like your alternator, if you put a voltmeter on the battery while its running, you`ll probably find its putting out over 15 volts (mine put out nearly 18v!).
It a bit of a pain to change it, you have to remove the drivers front wheel & splash shield to access it (comes out sideways), & on mine (99 XJR) the top mounting bolt ripped a section of thread out of the alloy housing, right in the middle of the bolts thread, you can only turn a ratchet 10 degrees or so by the OS chassis leg, so removing that bolt took at least an hour & left me with blisters on my hand..
Also, be careful of the rigid capillary pipe fixings when doing the belt, they snap off VERY easily (you can thank Ford for them).
It a bit of a pain to change it, you have to remove the drivers front wheel & splash shield to access it (comes out sideways), & on mine (99 XJR) the top mounting bolt ripped a section of thread out of the alloy housing, right in the middle of the bolts thread, you can only turn a ratchet 10 degrees or so by the OS chassis leg, so removing that bolt took at least an hour & left me with blisters on my hand..
Also, be careful of the rigid capillary pipe fixings when doing the belt, they snap off VERY easily (you can thank Ford for them).
I got a low mileage second hand one for £35.
It is a bit of a faf, with things like the pipe clips breaking & me not having the serpentine belt on properly (overlapping the edge of 1 pulley, so got damaged on start up, fitting a replacement belt means removing the supercharger belt on the R`s & there aint a huge amount of room, especially if your trying to avoid snapping the blasted Ford hose clips!), meant it took several days to get it done....
Ironically it was the first thing to go wrong on mine (@114,000m), & its Japanese! (Nipon Denzo). Who said the Japanese are the last word on reliability!
The thing is, because it was putting out way too many volts it can cause other electrical issues, in mine only the heater display bulb burnt out, but my OSF indicator stopped working a couple of months after, it isnt the bulb, I suspect the wiring may have burnt out inside the OSF wing.
Get your voltage checked ASAP before you do other damage!
Heres some pics, the last one is of the 10mm bilt with the alloy housing thread stuck in the thread that made it such a nightmare job:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6816381215_f7f1...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6773483899_9483...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6816380673_c47f...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6816381817_631f...
It is a bit of a faf, with things like the pipe clips breaking & me not having the serpentine belt on properly (overlapping the edge of 1 pulley, so got damaged on start up, fitting a replacement belt means removing the supercharger belt on the R`s & there aint a huge amount of room, especially if your trying to avoid snapping the blasted Ford hose clips!), meant it took several days to get it done....
Ironically it was the first thing to go wrong on mine (@114,000m), & its Japanese! (Nipon Denzo). Who said the Japanese are the last word on reliability!
The thing is, because it was putting out way too many volts it can cause other electrical issues, in mine only the heater display bulb burnt out, but my OSF indicator stopped working a couple of months after, it isnt the bulb, I suspect the wiring may have burnt out inside the OSF wing.
Get your voltage checked ASAP before you do other damage!
Heres some pics, the last one is of the 10mm bilt with the alloy housing thread stuck in the thread that made it such a nightmare job:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6816381215_f7f1...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7017/6773483899_9483...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/6816380673_c47f...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6816381817_631f...
Edited by LondonItalian on Sunday 12th August 16:32
Also worth mentioning, on my CATS equipped car, the suspension firmed up very nicely when it was throwing out 18 volts!
Does anyone know whether theres separate relays for CATS that could do with renewing, or is it all dealt with by the ECU?
I intend to check the wiring & connections in the system as it really did help the suspension.
Does anyone know whether theres separate relays for CATS that could do with renewing, or is it all dealt with by the ECU?
I intend to check the wiring & connections in the system as it really did help the suspension.
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