PLEASE INFORM ME IF I POSTED IN WRONG PLACE... I own a 2004 XJ8... The Windshiled Wipers started acting erratic last summer... coming on when not rainy. That happened every once in a while... now we're in our Rainy season (summer in Florida) and the Wipers will not come on using the rotorary selector on stick (or whatever it's called)... none of the 3 positions turn on the blades... However if I push the "Wash Button", then they come on 2 wipes... followed several seconds with a 3rd wipe. Lastly, when I pull the stick back (intermittent) the work...I tried replacing the fuse... WHAT A BITCH THAT WAS... THE GUY THAT DESIGNED THAT LOCATION FOR A FUSE BOX SHOULD BE FLOGGED 99 LASHES... What nightmare is awaiting me? I luckily don't drive much... but I do need the wipers functions properly... really afraid to take to dealer... i'm living on Social Security... no raise in 5 years!

 

Ooops.... the fuse was NOT blown... so that's was not any part of my dilemma

 

I think I saw that this had happened to somebody on the forum, and it required having the dealer installing a new wiper switch/stalk.

 

You mention using the rotary part of the switch. That controls the time of delay in intermittent position. The wipers are activated by pushing up the stock from the off position. The lowest position is "off" up one from there is intermittent then low speed and finally high speed. Hope this helps. George.

 

Ditto what gdcont says. The Jag WS Wiper sw system is trickie.

 

Given that the OP said that none of the "3 positions" worked, I don't think he's talking about the intermittent time adjustment gizmo/slider/twisty thing. It sounds like something has failed.

It is pretty common, as occasionally my intermittent wipes will stop in the middle of the dang windscreen!

 

I have had ( as have many here) spastic moves with the wipers while in the rain sensor position but the other positions have always worked ok.
I did have your exact problem with a a later model Ford and ended up replacing the whole column arm with switch which I picked up from a scrap yard.

 

Thanks to all you who repled... I found another place on JagFourms that is/was devoted to Windscreen Wiper Blade control problems... I love this site... I learned a couple things:
1. There are two places where Wiper Function fuses reside (weird), one under the hood F#26 and the other in the cabin, #F1. The latter is in the worse location one could put it... You've gotta be a contortionist to service this fuse box... SHAME ON JAGUAR!
2. There are two Relays behind the driver's side headlight... They are the most likely culprets for wiper dilemmas... It is/was suggested that I swap the two.... since the relays have the propensity to burnout... (will do and report succss in a few hours)
3. Jaguar has a more costly replacement relay(2004 xj8) #LJA6707AA, Jag PN O2C234433... and Ford has the same relay for (as claimed in Forum post) $7.00... Sweet... here is that PN V231136-A1-X64 or 5MT14B192 DA (both are stamped on the relay).

One comment asked what did the other realy control, it remains ambiguous to me, one suggested it was for the highspeed wiper function. Maybe the Jag Expert could elaborate here. Nevertheless, I'll switch the relays if a couple hours and see what happens. I have a good feeling this will fix the problem, since other have concurred... Stay tuned... I'll post results... Cheers

 

and that was too hot to work on the car....... ;=(

 

Well... Bummer news...after i located the relays inside the fuse box, i switched the two lja6707aa and no change with the wiper...
The info i got about the relays being behind the driver's headlamps was incorrect, if you have a left hand drive...but in england that would be correct... So 'let it be known' those relays are inside the fuse box. Since i had no luck in swapping the two, and it's highly unlikely they both are bad... I guess the problem has to be with the stalk control switch, which controls 4 positions: A=off, b=intermitent delay (controls the 6 position colar switch and the automatic mode), c=low wiper speed, d=high wiper speed... I'll check the jagfourm to see if i can find r&r info for the column stalk... Cheerio... The beat goes on...

 

Thanks for following up. Keep us posted as I think my Jaguar will eventually have the same problem!

 

Sadly, I could not find any JaguarForums info on R & R of the Wiper stalk control (switch?)... I'm afraid to start something I can't finish. How does one deduce the root problem? The Fuses are OK, the Relay swap didn't imporve the situation... What would prevent the 'normal' blade functions to operate and yet the manual (pull back on the stalk) works, along with the 'Windscreen Wash' mode. Seems quite an odd set of circumstances I got working here... ALL comments/suggestions welcome... 2004 XJ8 NE Florida

 

Still think it is the wiper switch.

 

Is there an easy way to verify it's the switch? Seems to me I would have to remove the mechanism and test for 'opens circuits', by using a volt meter. It sure would be nice if there was an easier way to verify the integrity of the switch. I don't have any documentation on removing the hardware from the steering column and I have found none on JaguarFourms... Thank God it's not raining.... ;=)

 

I have gone the path that you have.
I honestly believe it is the switch in the stalk, might be worth seeing if you can find one from a scrap yard; I bet that Jaguar used that stalk switch on a few models at the same time.

 

Here ya go...item 13.
this is at Jaguarparts.com
To be honest that is a lot less than I expected it to cost, just shows how erratic Jag Parts are on prices.
I paid more than that for the one on my Tbird.
Hope this helps :

List Price : $138.33
Your Price : $117.58 Quantity:

 

Well, you know that Jaguar parts are just the same ones as a Ford Contour... right?

 

The mystery deepens: Jag is parked out front, Hard Rain begins to fall. Windows are cracked a little. I run outside, jump in, put key in the ignition (to let up the windows) and as soon as I turned on the ignition, the bloody wipers started thrashing back and forth... I was amazed... I tried all 3 positions High, Low, intermittent... The Automatic took over when it was POURING DOWN. Later, when I left for the store, it was a light rain, but the wipers wouldn't come back on. They haven't worked since. So weird. I'm wondering about the "sensivity setting" for Automatic mode. I read somewhere in JaguarFourms that it was adjustable. I felt behind the RV Mirror, no adjustments. Weird; they worked in hard rain, not in light. Any Houdini's out there?

 

did you install a new switch yet?

 

I haven't installed a new switch because I'm not convinced that is the problem (since the wipers started working when a heavy rain fell). I want to be 100% sure the switch is bad before I replace it... like the old adage goes "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I wish I understood how the "Automatic" mode functioned (schematically) so I could debug the root cause of my problem. I'm not up for swapping everything out till I have success...
Thanks for the inquiry