1990 Jaguar Sovereign : Water Leak and Faulty Climate Panel

After purchasing several climate panels from eBay which didn’t work, I was a bit frustrated. My latest purchase was a rebuilt panel which came with a guarantee. But even that one didn’t do any more than the previous ones. When you turn the fan switch, all the lights on the panel come on but nothing happens. What’s the deal? So, at our church’s Wednesday evening prayer meeting, I sheepishly asked that the people pray for me to figure it out. I think God may have answered our prayers.

Not knowing what to do, I went back to the Jaguar Forums and began searching through the various XJ40 problems. I read everything no matter what the topic. In fact, I even read about an owner whose feet got wet whenever he went through a car wash! Wait a minute! That happened to me last week. The more I read, the more this seemed to be a part of the problem. Here’s what he said:

Didn’t see this one coming. Took the car (which I love BTW) through a touch less car wash and my left foot got soaked with water afterwards. Seemed to come out faster as I turned to the right. I’ve washed it with a hose before, but no water leaks at all. The car wash had an undercarriage wash and was a standard touch less water jet set-up. Cleaned out the duck bill and it was working alright, now it is flowing much better. The water seems to be collecting in a black plastic A/C box under the steering column, then slowly dripping out. I think it may be entering through the space near the front driver’s side windshield and quarter panel, but just a guess.
—Water coming from dash after car wash

Other commentators said it could be (1) the sunroof drains (already cleared mine Monday evening), (2) the windshield lower seal (haven’t checked yet), or (3) the duckbill. Update: I thought that the duck bill was the plastic piece (see picture) near the bottom of the windshield where air enters the car. But the duck bill is actually a rubber hose attached to the bottom of the windshield wiper motor case in the engine compartment. When it is clogged, water has nowhere else to go but into the heater fan and eventually your feet. And if, as the writer states, the water is collecting in my AC box (whatever that is), that may be why my climate panel isn’t working. Make sense? We shall see.