Hello all,
I'm a new member and just purchased a Jaguar XL8 (2004) and I love it, but for some reason, I can't get the cruise control to work. Everything else works fine. I love the car, can't stay out of it. I have always loved Cadillac's, but I fell in love with this cream puff. Any suggestions? Please tell me it's a simple fix. This car is in such great condition, the chrome toe plates inside the door frame aren't even scratched, but I'm going to need the Cruise control or else I'll be under the jail. HELP!!

 

Thank you for sending me to the right forum to get some information. This is all new to me.

 

First, check the fuses, it shows as a tan 5 amp in F2 of the cabin panel. If the fuse is good (check with a test light or ohm meter-often hard to tell just by looking) then look at the cruise control on/off switch located in the center console and see if the light comes on when pressed? You should see a red lamp illuminate if it is in the on position. If you get no light, you need to determine if it is getting power to the switch. Pretty simple to lift the switch and check with a test light. If you have power, then the switch is defective. If the red lamp comes on, we have to get to more specific pin point testing. As always, start with the basics and let us know if you need more help.

 

Hi Jackieo123,

Welcome to the Jaguar Forums, and congratulations on your nice Jaguar!

I assume InjPerf responded while your message was posted in a different forum.

If your car is a U.S.-specification 2004 XJ8L, it is a long-wheel-base aluminum-bodied four-door sedan, and Jaguar's factory project code for this model was X350. The last six digits of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) probably begins with the letter G.

If this describes your car, then I don't believe you will find a conventional On-Off switch for the cruise control. The system is controlled by the switch on the right side of the steering wheel with buttons for Resume, Set +/-, and Cancel. The system turns on when you press Set or Resume, and will automatically turn off under certain circumstances.

There are numerous possible causes for the cruise control to be inoperative, and the number and types of causes will depend on whether you have the standard cruise system or the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system, which uses Forward Looking Radar to maintain a set distance between your car and the one ahead of you.

If your car is equipped with ACC, there will be an additional toggle switch on the right edge of the steering wheel with arrows indicating that pressing the top end of the toggle switch will set a shorter gap between you and the vehicle ahead, and pressing the lower end will increase the gap.

The cruise control switch is one possible cause of a system malfunction, and you can test its operation with a simple ohmmeter if you are willing to remove it from the steering wheel. But there are several other components involved in the system, including the brake switches, wheel speed sensors, Engine Control Module (ECM), Transmission Control Module (TCM), and, in the case of the ACC system, the Yaw Rate Sensor and ACC module (which are combined in some versions). So beyond testing the cruise switch and brake switches, the the most efficient way to begin the diagnosis will be to have the system scanned for stored Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) related to the cruise system. Unfortunately, some of those codes cannot be read by a standard OBDII scanner - they must be read by a system capable of reading proprietary Jaguar codes. So your choices are to visit a Jaguar dealer service department, find an independent Jaguar mechanic who has the necessary equipment, or purchase the necessary equipment to scan your car at home.

I assume that if your dash had the warning message CRUISE NOT AVAILABLE you would have mentioned it...

One possible cause is low battery voltage. It might be worth checking the battery voltage with the engine not running, then crank the engine and watch how low the voltage sags. Some members have found that a new battery restored their cruise performance, but there's not guarantee, so test your battery first.

Hopefully other members will offer some additional suggestions.

Please keep us informed.

Also, since we're a friendly group, please visit the New Member Area - Intro a MUST - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum and post an introduction so we can learn something about you and your Jag and give you a proper welcome.

Cheers,

Don

 

Hi Jackieo123,

I'm going to start a new thread for you with your questions about the wipers so we can keep this thread focused on the Cruise Control. This helps future readers find relevant threads when they're searching for information on one topic or another.

Look for your new thread shortly.

Cheers,

Don

 

As I remember, I had my fog-lights on once and the cruise control could not be switched on. I thought I had a fault, but when I turned off the foglights, the CC miraculously was reinstated ! It does have a certain logic to it, I think I don't think there's anything in the Owner Manual about this.