Passenger Door Open

[dredr62]

Half five this morning and alarm on my XK8 decided time for everyone to get up. Got keys pressed unlock on thob. Alarm off. Hour and half later go outside get in car start engine - message "passenger door open". Open and slam shut but message remains. Drive off message momentarily disappears then reappears with interior lights all on. Stop car, go round to passenger door, engine still running, open door and make mistake of pushing latch over to left causing deadlock to operate with door still open. Manage to unlock and close door but message remains on along with interior lights. Window still dropping as normal to allow entry and exit. Think car is trying to lock door when shut cos can hear clicking but latch isn't actually locking and so message being generated that door still open or at least that's what I think is happening. Any thoughts out there appreciated?

[painter]

dredru, I think there are a few problems with the wiring built in at factory stage. I have recently had the drivers door loom replaced, opened the door 2days ago and the window went down two inches. (and every time I touched the handle another 2 inches). It will still close but back to main dealer for another investigation. The petrol cap release works only when the drivers door is open (and ignition off). If I open the passenger door when drivers door is open I have further probs. with window drop.
Doesn't give a lot of confidence for driving around in winter. It's just as well they look as good as they do, because the build quality is ****.

[D_Doran]

I thought the petrol cap release was only supposed to open with the drivers door open and the ignition off? If it's not meant to operate this way, then it's a common problem which I have also.

[Bassman]

I thought the petrol cap release was only supposed to open with the drivers door open and the ignition off? If it's not meant to operate this way, then it's a common problem which I have also.

Yes mine too also the boot only opens with the doors unlocked when using the dashboard button

[painter]

It is no doubt the case that it is designed not to operate when at *** mph past cornish hedges. My hand book describes operation only when doors 'unlocked' and ignition in position I or II. However for my little lottery muncher it has to be driver's door open and key out of ignition - not quite as described - but admittedly not a problem once you know.

[dredr62]

Mine is the same. Petrol cap release only works with door open and ignition off. Amount of times I've pressed the button before opening the door and walked round to find the bloody thing still closed.

Anyways, took car into local independant who advised that I needed to replace the passenger door latch. Job done and a few days later I press open door button on thob and the internal door handles start clicking open and shut repeatedly for about five cycles. Once in the car and door shut all seems to be ok, ie, doors lock when I drive off, windows lifting and dropping correctly etc. But when I stop and get out the internal handles start dancing again until I shut the door. Back to the garage - "you need a new door latch on the drivers side" - now my patience is being tested.

I don't understand why, having owned the car for 15 months, something suddenly sets the alarm off and I'm now looking at two new door latches which at £160 a pop is beginning to detract from the enjoyment of owning this car. If a new door latch fails to solve the "problem" then maybe it is a wiring issue. At that stage words will need to be had with the garage!!!

[GrandTourer]

I always open the petrol flap with the door closed - the only condition is for the key to be in the ignition in the 'insertion position'.
I can hear the release catch click when I press the flap release button.

[painter]

Grand Tourer,
you have a very cooperative car there

[mike020150]

I know it's a bit late but it sounds as if a trip to an independent who is good at operating diagnostic kit might be more cost effective than changing all the components one by one! Mike.

[dredr62]

Problem appears to have been sorted albeit two new locks later. I know the driver door lock didn't lock for some reason with the key (ok with thob) and so probably need to be replaced in any event; however whether or not this was the root of the problem remains unknown to me. The central locking control module was powered down and re-programmed which may have been all that was required all along ????

[PeterK]

There does seem to be a problem with the door catches or the electrics around it. I had the same door open message on a trip to France, and the passanger window then decided to open and of course the interior lights came on as well. The passanger door catch started dancing all to the astonishment of my wife sitting watching it all happen around her! And that only a month after we had bought the car.......... Previously I had the same alarm go off whilst sitting in my garage. The main dealer suggested that the passanger door catch neede to be replaced and that has now been done under warrrenty. Touch wood no problems since..............

[mike020150]

Unfortunately, there is no doubt that the latches and associated microswitches are a model weakness. Jaguar managed to reduce the costs slightly by moving from only supplying the whole lot as a unit to supplying some parts separately but in the real world (as distinct friom the company car world) it's still not a particularly cheap problem to resolve. Mike.