Another issue I discovered after bringing Harlem out of her long hibernation (and having been lent to two different friends before then) is that there is no power going to her radio/cassette/CD system. Nothing shows up on the readout when you push the power knob on, turn it, etc. Pushing the (little blue) CD cartridge eject button on the changer in the boot also doesn't do anything, either. I checked the 10-amp fuse in the left rear heel board (which the User's Guide shows as is the fuse for the "radio/cassette unit" - i.e. head unit) w. my tester, and predictably it was blown. I r/red it, but still nothing (I have not yet gone back to the new fuse to see if it blew as well). btw, there is another fuse shown in the Guide for the "power amp" system, but Harlem has only the basic sound system in her. wth?

I did notice a couple of other things that may be a clue as to why this is happening. One is that the antenna mast somehow got snapped off in the interim (btw, those two friends of mine will NOT be allowed to borrow Harlem ever again). I'm thinking probably they went into an automatic carwash with the radio on, and forgot to turn it off before the washer arm came along (done that myself a couple of times ). I pulled the remainder of the mast up by hand, of which only about 2" or so is left w. the end "cap" missing off of it. I was thinking the reason the remainder of the mast would not extend is b/c the antenna motor fuse blew in the ordeal, but I checked that fuse (5-amp in the boot fuse box, IIRC) and it tests good. I'm thinking now that possibly the two issues are related. I do notice that the X-308s, unlike with their predecessor models, do NOT use a pair of "up" and "down" relays to control the motor/mast (there are no such relays mentioned in the list of relays shown in the User's Guide). Apparently this function is now subsumed inside the radio unit itself, probably in the form of a control module or chip. ? Possible scenario #1 is that when the radio is turned on the signal goes to the antenna to raise it, but if the antenna is jammed up then this physical resistance causes the head unit fuse to blow. Significantly, this happens before the antenna motor fuse gets the chance to overheat and blow as well. That would explain why the former fuse is blown but no the latter. Unfortunately, I have a new replacement mast, but every source I've consulted warns NOT to remove the mast nut and physically pull the mast and cable out, as that can really mess things up inside the motor unit. Let the antenna "go up" and allow it to "spit out" the cable instead. So, I'm in a Catch-22 in that regard. I'm thinking about removing the mast motor fuse and then (if the new head unit fuse is indeed blown) r/r the head unit fuse and giving the radio a go again, and see what happens. Since no power can now go to the antenna motor (b/c the fuse is removed) then if the radio then works and its fuse does not blow then I know that's what's going on.

Possible scenario #2 with the radio issue concerns the control buttons for same. I noticed when I tried to press the buttons along the lower row of the control panel (which ARE for the radio unit) many of them will now not depress at all, almost like they are supposed to be fixed in position like that. I had to try pushing them HARD several times to free them up and get them moving again (and still the last two on the row won't budge, i.e. the "A/T" one and the one next to it). My suspicion is that one of my former friends (one of who has several hyperactive young rugrats, btw) possibly spilled a sticky beverage (e.g. sugary soda) onto the lower control parts of the panel, causing the liquid to flow behind the buttons (that part is slanted downward slightly) and gum things up in there. Although the surface of the buttons was not sticky, this may be b/c they wiped only the outside of them down, which did nothing for the dried mess behind them. Being that the radio was not working anyway at the time, there was no need to use the buttons all that time, which could only make the situation worse. I'm wondering if one of these stuck buttons is what caused the fuse to blow (and why the radio still won't power up, despite the new one). Could one of these buttons "stuck" on cause that issue? I'm going to try to carefully remove the buttons - I think they pop off their "stalks" by using, e.g. a butter knife, under their edges. ? I can then blast the stalks with electrical contact cleaner spray and hopefully get them back to normal operation again.

btw, if you're wondering about the radio security code (which activated b/c I disconnected the battery), I do have it, but it is unrelated to the issue. Obviously, the radio unit needs power for the screen to show "RADIO CODE" for input purposes and to take care of that task (assuming that process works the same way as it does on my XJSes radios). Again, the unit is not even getting power.

Thoughts anyone?

 

Sounds like liquid spilled into the head unit and fried it, and you need to get one of your "friends" to buy you a new or used replacement head unit...

Word of wisdom, a fuse almost never blows because of a fault with the fuse itself.

 

So you don't think the fuse might have "saved the day" by blowing itself instead of the radio unit ?

 

Fellow XJS owner informed me today that the XJS radios do have an "inline fuse" built into them that may be accessed from the back of the unit. Anyone know if the same is true for the X-308 radios? I'm thinking, if so, maybe that fuse blew as well and hence why there is still no power to the unit despite replacing the 10-amp heel board fuse.

 

No fuses here or in line with the wiring

 

Interesting, and thanks for posting that important info. .. This makes me think then an actual component inside the radio must have fried whenever the fluid made its way in there. I did find another used one online @ a good price, and guess I'll get it (they have the security code # for it) and put it in then.

 

btw. since i take it you removed that one, briefly, what are the steps to remove the radio in an X-308? I have done it before with my XJ40s back in the day, and am thinking it is probably pretty much the same procedure. Off the top of my head (and memory), there's (1) putting the shifter in "R" position (2) removing the shift surround (rubber piece) (3) carefully prying the "ski slope" veneer piece up and out of placethe way (4) removing exposed screws holding the unit in place in the opening (taking care not to break any of the black plastic tabs that are a part of same) and then (5) disconnecting the power cord/wiring harness, grounding wire, and antenna coax lead wire from the back of the unit. Is that about right?

 

As you said basically. Shifter bezel off completely, then slope veneer and then radio mounting screws. Then starts the difficult part. Radio surround part that has the screw holes is wider than the ski slope. So it is very tight to pull the radio out. Mounting tabs are the widest part and 20 yo plastic is very brittle. Mine radio surroind had one broken tab. I replaced it with intact one and intact is no more intact..

 

Ugh .. I don't know why Jaguar went with "defective designs" like that in its parts .. It's almost as if they want you to break something when you try to r/r a part (so that you have to buy a new one from them) Same thing for the the switch (and cig. lighter) bezels on the XJSes' center consoles, the door speaker covers on the XJ8/XK8s, etc.