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Jeep Grand Cherokee Electrical Problems
naoredson1
Member Posts: 3
in Jeep
i bought my jeep used two months ago and it has 37000 miles on it. recently, but not consistently all the gauges quit working when you start the vehicle. if i disconnect the battery the problem is fixed until the next time which could be a couple of hours to days later. if anyone has any answers please let me know before i burn it to the ground.........
0
Comments
1) Cruise Control light appears on dash when I press the on button, but it will not engage.
2) Mode control (recirculation, floor, floor/vent, vent, defrost, etc.) does not work but the fan does - all heating or air conditioning comes out of the windshield defrost louver.
I checked the fuses in the cab and under the hood, all tested OK.
I'm going to pick the Jeep up today and if it still doesn't work I'm gonna SCREAM!! Anyone have an Idea as to what could cause all these problems? It seams the dealer is trying to solve each individual problem instead of looking at one cause for all the problems. It has 34,500 miles on it and I'm afraid if this happends again outside the warranty I'm screwed. Also, do I have any legal action I can take to protect me from getting screwed later...ie Magnusson- Moss Warranty Act?? or will they extend my warranty??
Thanks,
To all: Jeep Cherokees & Grand Cherokees are very prone to crappy cable grounds & such can cause all kinds of intermittent wierdness. The rear ground strap from the head to the firewall (driver side) is often broken / left off after service work that might involve getting the motor / head out (or CPS replacement if the mechanic doesn't know the tricks for replacing that).
Battery to ground cable - check it! Positive cable harness - check it! Ground cable mentioned above - check it!
Another thing to check are sensor harness connections - especially on the early / mid-90's models. The get oxidized / corroded and voltages get spotty especially when they get some moisture in them.
Most auto parts stores carry generic, pre-made cables in a variety of lengths. When swapping them out, always opt for a larger gage wire as this was another area the factory saved .01 cents per 10 zillion Jeeps. (Larger gage wire will carry the cranking load with less resistance meaning your battery / charging & starting system will work a little easier.)
To all: Don't use those crappy clamp on battery terminal clamps! They are an corrosion magnet & I've seen more than one that would cause a vehicle to not even start - mimicking a bad battery.
Check the gigantihumungous connector that carries the wiring harness through the firewall. Sounds like it is loose & not making full connection. Almost every circuit you list runs through it directly and the others could be affected by intermittent voltage.
Long shot maybe - but if it's loose, it's a simple fix. (One screw on my much, much older Jeep.)
MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY ALL THE TIME. I'VE TAKEN IT TO A HOST OF
FOLKS INCLUDING THE DEALER AND EVEN THEY CANN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT
THE PROBLEM. IT MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PIGTAIL THAT'S COMING OUT THE BACK END OF THE COIL. HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
when i have a electrical prob the first thing i do is install a new battery if it is older than a year.
bad cell in batt could cause it to stop as jeeps are sticklers for the right batt volts as computers dont like flucuations
-Jeff
The problem: windows, locks, mirrors and auto seat button not working... dome ligths on all the time when I drive... headlights turn on and off when keys are NOT in the ignition and when NOBODY is around.
It's not my battery, it's only 2 months old.
The solution??: After talking to my mechanic it turns out the switch (that controls windows and locks inside the driver door) is not communicating with the body control module. The switch is $202.00 and the BCM is $725.00 brand new + labor. I searched ebay with no luck and finally 40 junk yard calls later I found the switch for $35.00 and the BCM for $150.00. I was also doing some more research on line and someone stated that they changed the BCM first and it didn't do anything, and then they put in a new switch and it worked. Since it's signifigantly cheaper, I will be trying the switch first. I will be getting the switch tomorrow and after I get it on, I'll send another message. But I hope this helps!!
~Amanda
CAN ANYONE HELP???
Thanks,
Anne :lemon:
I'm not ready to fix a wiring harness, though. Did you try the battery? If so, did it work?
Have them check that switch... the wiring harness is bull!! Nothing was wrong with mine... don't believe them if they tell you that... I'm 90% sure for you it's going to be the multifunction switch...
I HOPE THIS HELPS... GOOD LUCK :]
1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee TSI V-8 4X4
The jeep runs great at all speeds, as well as the transmission. It is pretty much sound mechanically. But electrical y it is evil.
The dash gauges do not work. The interior Lights will not go off. The power windows will not work on any door. I had to remove the interior light fuse just to get them to turn off. When you put the fuse back in, the relay clicks repeatedly, then seems to quickly drain the battery. It SEEMS that as long as the fuse is out the battery stays charged.
The radio and fan both work. The power seats work as well. The information center on the upper console and the larger display information center that has a digital picture of the jeep located near the shifter both light up, but display no information (outside temp, compass, etc.), just hyphens. The bottom info center that has a picture of the jeep will not show that a door is ajar when it is.
I have checked all fuses and circuit breakers, but all are good.
I have taken it to two shops that gave up and told me to come pick it up (I figure because they did not want to mess with it). The third shop I took it to told me that the BCM would not communicate. And that I would have to buy a new BCM at the dealership and have the dealership program it to my jeep. I took it to the dealership and had the new BCM installed. They told me that it made no difference and that it was still not communicating. Why would a new BCM not even communicate? The problem must be before the BCM.
The dealership said that they will not do anymore diagnostics on it because it has been gone through by too many other shops. All wires that have been messed with are still in-tact though. I am to the point to where I am willing to dismantle the dash and dig in. But if I could get some ideas on how to go about this, I would be very grateful.
Please note that the lights behind the gauges do work just not the needles themselves.
So after over $1000 of spending I still have the same Jeep I did at the start of all this. I cannot take it to anymore shops as I will probably end up spending all together, more than the Jeep is worth.
Could this be an ECM/PCM issue?
I think the problem with the radio lies in the steering wheel as it has controls on the back of the pillars. The buttons seem like they've been mashed beyond function and don't work when pressed.
As for the gauges, I would *GUESS* there is either an electrical short somewhere throughout the vehicle, or the ignition is bad. I would look for articles or posts on that problem elsewhere. Also, if you can find a Haynes' Manual for you Jeep, I would. I will as soon as I finish this post...Good Luck!
I have been given a list of wires and areas to check that would most likely be the problem for the power outage. So as soon as it quites raining I will be digging in.
I will let you know if I fix it.
Thanks for the tip, maybe this will help.
Oh yeah, and I hate jeeps now. I do love the 318 V-8 thats in it, so much power and wont get stuck anywhere. But I have had two jeeps now with these strange electrical problems. Sad to say, but I am done with Jeeps after this.
All the panel warning lights were intermittently lighting up for a few seconds, then going back off. Thanks to what I've read here, it was easily fixed by cleaning the battery posts and cable terminals and tightening them down well. (2005 Grand Cherokee 3.7L) :shades:
when i have helped anyone with eletrical prob i have then change the battery on any of the newer cars as computers are real touchey on volts (you put a serge protector on your computer in your house to smoth out serges dont you) weak battery will charge in serges computer dont like that
did you manage to fix your problem?
I am having similar problem on my Jeep Grand Cherokee 2000yr. When you open or lock the car the hazardlights dont flash, once inside the lights dont turn off, the windows dont work, the memory seats dont work because it says the belt is on but its not, the belt light stays on.
if you could help me please let me know
thanks