Hi all, just working through a few issues on my 2003 XKR and now created a new one.
1st I wanted to fix my tilt control for my steering wheel and followed a fantastic post that required flattening a washer in the gear housing. Work great. This is when I also noticed that my telescopic adjustment is also broken. Bigger job for another day. Anyway whilst I had the panel removed I was going to attempt to replace the instrument cluster bulbs. Followed another fantastic post and 30 minutes later I was putting everything back together.
Now this is when I also noticed that the headlamps no longer work. I tested all the fuses and swapped relay 3 & 5 around but no luck. If I move the selector to any position the new dash lights come on and full beam works if I pull the stick towards me. Daytime running lights are on. But no headlamps and also no headlamp indication light on the dash.
All lights and indication lamp were working fine before I removed the cluster. O what have I possibly done. Can't take the car out at night is going to be a problem.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Look for a broken wire in the stalk. It's easy to do when working in the area.

 

Thanks RJ. Will take a look.

 

So after a night's sleep I took another look, and noticed that when the key is in the pre start position all the indication lights come on apart from the green side light indication. I'm sure there would not be 1 bulb dedicated just for the side lights. The cluster was made up of 4 larger bulbs and 4 smaller ones, but spread out in a way that they were not dedicated for individual tasks, if that makes sense.

 

Ditto on the broken wire in the stalk switch. I went through this recently. Same symptoms.

 

3rd ditto. I've posted photos of wire soldered positions for reference. If you fi d a loose wire and need help ask. I'm out of town till late tomorrow.

John

 

Pushed the wrong submit button, lost about 45 minutes of today's failed attempts. Need to regroup and have a beer. Sorry.

 

Ok, thanks for everybody's help so far, I decided that I would go back and look at the last job I had completed before having my, no side light illumination indication light on my dashboard.
I removed the cluster again and shone a flash light into each of the bulb openings and to my surprise none of them make the side light, green panel shine. The four larger bulbs are for the bigger dial illumination and the small ones are for the turn signals high beam blue and trip mileage.
Now I'm new to the car and live in Canada so not entirely sure if I have the correct night time lights on all the time when the car is running. If I turn the key to position 1, I get a small bulb in the top center of my headlamp group that come on. Now if I start the car another two lights come on, round frosted outside lights on each light group. Not sure if the main beam bulb is a two part bulb that would be dipped normal night time lights + high beam.
Anyway if I turn the light control switch from off to either side light or dipped light, the instrument cluster lights up as it's supposed to. If I pull on the stick the full beams operate but will not stay on when I select the correct position.
Cannot get the green light to shine at key test position. It's the only one that doesn't light up.
I removed the lower cover under the steering column and looked closely at the wires coming from the selector switch but every thing looked ok. Tested all the fuses and swapped relay positions in the engine compartment, no joy.
I do like a challenge, but this one is beating me up.
I might of messed up the whole cluster by not disconnectingthe battery when I took it out to replace the instrument bulbs

Hope you all had a nice Easter. Back to work for me. Will continue my challenge when I return home at the weekend.

 

Don't jump to the conclusion that your bulb replacement killed the headlights.

The wires in the stalk switch are not very flexible, and over time can fatigue and break.

Remove the steering column cover to gain visibility into the stalk switch, and then use a strong light to examine the connections.

 

Thanks mhminnich, if when I turn the stalk switch from the off or auto position to side or dipped headlights the instrument cluster lights in the rear of the dash illuminate, would this be a indication that the switch is switching?

 

Here is my switch removed from the car. The blue wire is the one that broke free. It supplied the ground signal to the bcm to command the headlights.

i want to say it shares a lug with the blue/yellow wire, but don't quote me on that. What I can remember is that it was a pain in the butt to solder in, and then broke free on me after I had done it. I went back in a second time and spliced it directly into the blue/yellow wire that was still firmly attached.

 

Thanks, will take a look at the weekend and let you know my progress.

 

Mhminich, great photo thx.

Moosey, if you need to solder these wires, be sure to get hold of a soldering iron with a long thin tip. Typical soldering gun will be very hard to use. If you're lucky you can solder with the stalk in place.

Oh yeah - your life will be much easier if you put rosin for soldering on the terminal first!

John

 

So had time over the weekend to remove the steering wheel and take a good look at the wires soldered to the indicator switch. All look in good condition and solid. I'm sure it's something to do with the cluster itself, as the only thing that doesn't light up when you turn the key to position 2 is the green side light indication. Only thing I can think of trying is to remove the cluster again and see if I can dismantle it to see if I didn't burn a track or something. Will also have to go through the pain of removing the steering wheel again as I put it back on one click to the left and that will frustrate me if I don't fix it.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you say your headlights don't work also? Is it only your cluster lights that you are troubleshooting?

 

When you have a chance could you please tell me what the green side light is? I am sure its obvious but I can't place that term.

Thx, John

 

I'm new to the car so the question of whether the lights work is a good one, the car when running has the outside frosted round bulbs that are on and two very small bulbs at the top of each light group. When ever the key was in the ignition and turned. The green light would come on at the bottom of my speedometer.
Now that light never comes on. Even when you first turn on the ignition and all the lights come one as part of a test. NO Green side light though.
I have full beam when I pull the stick towards me(and blue light comes up) As if I'm flashing somebody, but when the switch is in any of the light on position and I push the stick forwards, I can't get the full beam to work. (No blue light).
Not sure how to proceed?

 

Oh ok Moosey. First the headlight indicator. Several of us, myself included wound up thanking our lucky stars when that bulb burned out or br came inoperative. It always bugged me - way too brite, cant be dimmed, interfered with my night vision. In the end it's up to you.

Now, it sounds like everything is working on your headlight circuit except the above indicator, and the high beams (which should work when either auto or headlights selected and you push turn signal forward.

Does the high beam flash on if you jiggle the indicator? If you fiddle with the headlight position? (those would sequentially indicate loose wire, defective switch). Not sure what else to advise, maybe someone else has an idea? Let me think some more about it.

John

 

Thanks for getting back to me John. Yes it was a pain that the light indicator was showing all the time. It doesn't matter how I jiggle the switch when the lights are in the on or auto position. No full beam. Just if I flash. Not going to loose any sleep over it. Just like every thing to be working correctly.
There plenty of other small things to fix but summer time is here and I'm just going to enjoy it and worry about this in the winter. Thanks again.