Engine compartment fuse 3 blowing

phanc60844 · November 26, 2015

Hi all,

just putting the interior back after welding in new floor plates in m 1998 XK8. I tried all of the switches to make sure everything was working then I found out that both sets of fogs, headlamp leveling and traction off button not working. After some checking I found that F3 had blown in the engine fuse box. According to the wiring diagram that feeds 2 relay coils, heater pump relay and front fog relay, headlamp leveling switch and motors, and the active alarm sounder. I've removed both relays to tak that out of the equation and it still blows. On further inspection of the fuse box, I noticed a strong wiff off electrical death (you know the one I mean!) So I removed and stripped the fuse box, not as bad as it seems providing you make a note of the fuse sizes and locations, the four connectors to the box are colour coded and handed s you cant !Removed! them up. The only thing I could see was that the circuit board was in 2 pieces hard soldered together with an insulator between. Got my meter out and I couldn't find anything wrong with it , other than that strong wiff. So this morning I restocked my supply of fuses and refitted the fuse box only to find that everything seems to work, good must annoying at the same time! So the question I have is, are do the fuse boxes on your cars have the same wiff -is this normal? and also, where is the active alarm sounder? would I actually have one? I 've checked on other threads and it seems like this is a good place to resume fault finding if it comes back.

Thanks in anticipation

Paul

Nige005 · November 26, 2015

Can't help with the Fusebox, never had it apart, sorry.

Re the Alarn Sounder. When I've accidentally set my Alarm off it seems to me that it is the normal horn that goes off and on and off etc. Do Jaguar consider that an Alarm Sounder ?

Might have to look at the Fusebox, do you mean the one on the right looking from the front ? The Heater on mine does not get very hot, fairly warm, but not toasty hot. I s'pose a possible reason for this would be the Heater Pump not running, hmmmmmm.

At any rate, glad that everything is back to normal operation for you.

phanc60844 · November 26, 2015

Hi,

No , the drawing shows the normal LH and RH horns and another which apparently has some nicads built in that charge from F3. This allows the sounder to still operate if someone disconnects the battery, however, after 17 years, I would say the nicads are shot and it has been said on some forums that they cause the F3 fuse to blow regularly

Nige005 · November 27, 2015

Hi,
No , the drawing shows the normal LH and RH horns and another which apparently has some nicads built in that charge from F3. This allows the sounder to still operate if someone disconnects the battery, however, after 17 years, I would say the nicads are shot and it has been said on some forums that they cause the F3 fuse to blow regularly

That makes sense - in every way. Thanks for the info.