87 XJ6 Headlight Problem

[Michael J.]

Headlights wouldn't come on, but if you pulled the headlight dimmer (turn signal lever) toward you all four would come on.

What I found was the Blue & White wire to the headlight swith had come loose from the soldered connection. Soldered the wire back in place and the problem was resolved.

That was an odd one.

 

[Exotexs]

there ya go...do you know that the Headlight Switch has a Fog (or Spot) Lamp position?? I bet you already found out. Also, the wiring for Front and Rear auxiliary (Fog or Spot) lamps is already there!!

 

[Michael J.]

My car has fog lights, but I find the switch setting, which only allows the fog lights and not headlights is odd, compared to the XJS that I have that allows low beams with the fog lights.

 

[Exotexs]

there's two ways to fix that:

Option 1: add a relay to do that, one with the 30-85-86-87 terminals.

#86 ground
#85 tap in to red/yellow fog lamp wire
#30 12v constant
#87 tap into blue/red low beam wire

all connections can be made at the headlamp relay and fuse box in the engine compartment. Results: turning on the foglamps energizes the relay, which then powers up the low beams. (this tip courtesy of Doug Dwyer).

Option 2: get the European Switch which allows the headlamps On at the same time as the Fog lamps.

I prefer option 2 but getting one is another story, so Option 1 is the quickest.

 

[Michael J.]

Thanks;

I'll try that modification. I'll report back with how it went.

 

[Exotexs]

check out the UK switch and escutcheon picture, (see attached file). I found a NOS and ordered it today! The wires at the back of the switch are located differently at the rubber plug, otherwise it has the same 5 wires and colors, but I just did not want to add another relay and more wires in the engine compartment, I kinda like that switch, it has 4 functions/light combinations! USA switches have only 3.

 

[Michael J.]

Looks like the switch in my 90 XJS

 

[Exotexs]

really? including the same faceplate graphics?

 

[Don_Neff]

Same switch, same graphics as in my 1991 XJ-S, USA spec.

Don

 

[Exotexs]

very interesting...the USA-spec Series 3 XJ-6 and 12 (1980-1987) came with a very limited 3-position switch, (see attached picture) but in the UK they already had the 4-position switches used in the later XJ-S exported to North America. I ordered one of the 4-position switches from the UK not knowing the XJ-S already had them here in the US, but I got a NOS part and the price was very nice. I learn something new everyday.