Flickering Headlights

StevenS · Post by **StevenS** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 5:56 pm

Hello, new to the forum today but hoping for some help with a problem with headlights and display ( sat nav etc ) in the car

My headlights will randomly go off /back on again multiple times - whether they are on or off to start with doesn’t seem to matter. Whilst this is happening the display / head unit in the car loses display - radio continues to play but screen goes blank for a few seconds then comes back. Happens multiple times in a journey and then works fine for a few days

Google suggested replacing headlight stalk which has been done without fixing the problem. Last time out problem was so bad I think the guy in front thought I was flashing my lights at him and I had to pull over

Anyone else seen this and any help to fix ?

Many thanks.

Car is 2015 V6 supercharged coupe.

santoshlv426 · Post by **santoshlv426** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:18 pm

When my interior display blanked it logged a low battery error.
I don't know if the lights were affected. It was day.
See if it logged a fault

GBH · Post by **GBH** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:40 pm

Automatic headlight sensor problem maybe ?
Headlights come on interior, lighting dims , something could be getting confused.
That's a guess.

Cluck · Post by **Cluck** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:39 pm

I would be leaning towards battery, given the other symptoms. The only reason I say that is because when I left my car for a week or two, went for a short (3 mile) drive and then started it up again, the main display was blank. It did this twice. Since I've had the car on a CTEK the problem has not manifested itself again. From reading on here, and the US forum, it seems the modern electronics do need quite some juice to run fully, so a battery below optimum level is bound to cause some weirdness.

StevenS · Post by **StevenS** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:55 pm

Thanks. I will check out both the sensor and the battery. I got a new battery not long ago ( possibly around when the problems started ) but also use the car every day in reasonable runs so battery should be ok - but will definitely check

To me it seems like a loose connection or bad earth of some sort - but almost impossible to trace as everything just plugs in to control boxes etc. And doesn’t seem to be related to bumpy roads. Not sure why the lights and the head unit would be linked either - any suggestions on that ?

Many thanks

NavigatorNI · Post by **NavigatorNI** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:38 pm

This may be a bit obvious, but if the problems started after the new battery was fitted, it may be worth checking to make sure all the connections to the new battery are: a. connected properly and; b. tight.

StevenS · Post by **StevenS** » Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:45 pm

Thanks - yes I have checked what I can. Car has also been in specialist for battery reset and light stalk change. Going to get it back in to see if they can find anything.

Deleted User 1715 · Post by **Deleted User 1715** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 10:49 am

StevenS wrote: ↑Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:45 pm Thanks - yes I have checked what I can. Car has also been in specialist for battery reset and light stalk change. Going to get it back in to see if they can find anything.

I don’t know if this will affect headlights directly but have you checked the main power connection behind the front right wheel, these can corrode badly and cause electrical issues. There is a thread somewhere on here about it. There’s a small black plastic cover over it that unclips. Others on here with better knowledge about it that me who may be able to help. Picture below shows what I’m talking about, rotate 90 degrees to make sense of it! How to get this site to show pictures in portrait has eluded me sorry!

StevenS · Post by **StevenS** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 11:10 am

Thank you. I will check that out today.

StevenS · Post by **StevenS** » Sun Jan 17, 2021 2:05 pm

Located the connection on right front inner wing. Rotate Gus’ photo 90 degrees and it is obvious.

So first observation was that the location for this is very poor. The box on my car (32k miles) was covered in road grit and all sorts ( see picture ). Even getting it open needed a fine brush to shift the dirt out of the clips and once open the box itself was full of crap. Second observation - why do Jaguar leave things like this exposed to the elements with such lightweight wiring getting bombarded by all the UK weather elements

Anyway - connector was badly corroded and surrounded in damp road grit. It is now cleaned up and re connected. First test drive - no flickering ! but it is such a random problem I will ‘wait and see’

The connector box / housing is very poor - no solid seal to it just plastic to plastic with gaps all over to allow the road grit in !!

Flickering Headlights

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