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Jeep Grand Cherokee Electrical Problems

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Comments

  • pad89pad89 Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2010
    I have own my 2006 Jeep (used bought 2006) for 4 yeras now..but about a month ago it has been having a starting problem..On two occasion, like in the moring, it was not able to start. So, i had the repairer did tune-up. But, it didn't correct the problem...It wont start in the morning, then later like before noon it will start...But the real problem occured, when i drove from Maryland to North Carolina. I was able to drive safely to my destination...but the next morning, i was unable to start the jeep. i tried starting the jeep many times and it wont start.. And, this when on til a week. The jeep wont start...I took it to a really good repairer and he said the eletrical system was the problem....I really need some help if this is true
  • jeepssuckjeepssuck Member Posts: 10
    Check to see if you have a diagnostic code. Use the "turn the key in the ignition 3x" trick to find the code. Disconnect & reconnect the battery to see if it makes a difference.

    Could be something as simple as a faulty sensor. Check through this forum & C-Net forums to find similar symptoms. And...if you take the vehicle to a mechanic, attempt to find one that has much experience working on Jeeps (and I'm not talking about a mechanic at a dealership".
  • divadee1divadee1 Member Posts: 1
    Hi everyone,

    I am hoping that you all can help me out with this issue. This morning I went to start my 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It stalled at first (which it does sometimes). Then I heard what sounded like a thump. When I tried to start it again, nothing. No power to the instrument panel, radio, not even the dinging sound when the key is put in. There is no power to windows, doors or seat either. When I tried it again, the key ding sound came back for a minute and there was a noise coming from the CD player.

    I have been having intermittent issues with my Jeep Grand Cherokee for the last year or so:

    Moonroof will not open

    Passenger side windows and doors would work intermittenly ( I found that unlocking and locking the doors multiple times got them to work eventually)

    The driver side door would only lock manually.

    A/C worked intermittenly (and would only blow warm air)

    Please any suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated!
  • tuggajbtuggajb Member Posts: 646
    how old is the battery? if older than 2 years change that first as that is the cheapest thing you can do could be low cell that is going out
  • freesoul87freesoul87 Member Posts: 2
    My windows won't operate, my doors will not lock from the driver side when driver door is shut. even when the door is ope now, I have to literally mess with the wire boot and stretch it out before anything even works. Now it doesn't matter how much I mess with the boot, the windows won't operate AND the doors will not lock when I try to use the driver side lock. When I use my remote to unlock or lock the doors, all doors will lock/unlock except for the driver side.
  • tuggajbtuggajb Member Posts: 646
    broken wire in the boot that you was moving a round find it repair troubles gone
  • freesoul87freesoul87 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks, I will definitely look into that tomorrow and let everyone on here know what happens.
  • architectkmparchitectkmp Member Posts: 16
    edited August 2010
    Update 2010-08-30 19:53

    Hello again. I am here with good news (but with an "asterisk" *).

    As of this week I can report that , so far,
    my electrical problem
    " Re: 2006 GCL Typical Electrical Issues - Electrical Problem with Dash Cluster" has been solved (*).

    After many components being replaced and, with 20/20 hindsight, we now know that some of them were probably OK, but it was difficult to know at that time.

    * Front Control Module
    * Steering Control Module
    * Shift Control Module
    * Ignition Power Module
    * Ignition Switch (2x)
    * Fuse Block


    The last effort by the "team" looking into this problem was the big one:
    the wiring harness.

    The team included:

    Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealer (local) --- Service Director
    Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealer (local) --- Senior Electrical Technician
    Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealer (local) --- Service Adviser
    Chrysler / Jeep (Detroit corporate) --- Customer Service Representative
    Chrysler / Jeep (Detroit corporate) --- 5 star Engineering Support
    and lastly... --- myself

    After all the above components being replaced and the same initial electrical problem still there, it was obvious (to me anyway) that we never found the source of the original problem. All the previous repair efforts have to be credited to a best educated guess. So, the last attempt at repair was to replace two (2) wiring harnesses: one forward of the firewall and the other in the cabin.

    NOTE: it took considerable effort to persuade the Jeep Corporation to replace these components. Many phone calls were made and a lot of coordination and frankly many hours of normal business day working hours were needed to accomplish this. Many thanks to my company for being so tolerant of this saga as we called it. Some things just can’t be accomplished nights and weekends.

    So… the two harnesses were replaced and now after a few days, (queue the heavenly chorus) and so far, no problems are occurring. Though, the final verdict is not in yet, it seems to be fixed. I told the dealership service department, that I will be closely monitoring this and it is not over till, quite frankly, many months of good performance.

    Bottom line today: FIXED BUT NOT CASE CLOSED

    An observation just after repair is that I think my Jeep GC is running better and smoother than when I purchased it from the Jeep dealer (used with 29k). I am now over 80k and the last few days I feel that the Jeep is running so much better and that I am now thinking that this electrical problem was there from date of purchase and just took a little time to reveal itself. If the problem was there at the beginning it makes me wonder whether the original owner noticed the irregularities and just maybe wanted to trade it in. Mechanical problems are one thing but electrical problems are and can be a nightmare.

    If anyone out there is having similar electrical problems and it is pointing at "this module" or "that module", and they are replaced and the problem still occurs... then go straight to the wiring harness, albeit not an inexpensive way, but it may just solve the problem(s).

    Regards
    keith
  • gfhazegfhaze Member Posts: 1
    Bought mine used in 03' with about 30 K on it, everything seemed fine until the last 3 years. First after an oil change neither the mechanic nor I were able to reset the on-board PC so no matter what, I always got the error message after starting telling me to perform service as though I was due for another oil change, hit reset every day. I tried adjusting mileage in between to no avail.
    Then slowly but surely additional electrical situations crept up. About a year ago I had to go to town for a meeting, shut off my Jeep all was normal went inside, when I came out Jeep was totally dead it seems that the radiator fan came on and stayed on killing my relatively new battery. I was towed and advised that a module had activated, locked on & died.
    A bit after that I experienced very erratic behavior from my fuel gauge. While driving it would go from full to empty and other destinations in between. This lasted for about a week and then my gas needle never rose from empty again. My mechanic said my fuel pump in the tank was failing I would hear a loud noise and the old Jeep would die!
    Still running having to make sure to fill tank to full and use trip meter for about 330 or so miles till next fill up, and remembering to reset the trip meter. Glad I live in the sticks always keep extra gas in the back, more danger for a rear end collision!
    I am hoping for the fuel tank/fuel pump recall to at least resolve that issue, then I will have to shell out for the module repair and hope for the best!
    Funny, in spite of all the crap I do still love my Jeep! :-()
  • jeep99bummedjeep99bummed Member Posts: 1
    About a month ago my odometer digital display and my radio display would blink at the same time and I would hear a loud Pop in my car stereo speakers. Now my RPM and MPH guages have been going crazy and this morning they stopped working during my drive into work. The other gauges seem to be fine. Sometimes when I start my car, I hear a clicking motor turning noise that I believe is related to the guages and the car may not immediately turn over and start but if I wait a few minutes it will then start. What is my problem? Do i need to start with replacing the fuses? or will that be a waste of time? Should I see if my husband will replace the ECIU or PCU?
  • jeepssuckjeepssuck Member Posts: 10
    Sounds like this may be the issue that many of us experience with the BCM. That would explain the malfunction of the gauges & the clicking noise. The BCM should be located inside under the dash, near the glove box. On many of the older Jeeps, the contacts of the BCM corrode over time. The fix is to: 1) disconnect the battery (2) Find and unplug the BCM, (3) clean the contacts on the BCM thoroughly (4) re-plug and connect battery.

    Realize that disconnecting the battery essentially "re-boots" the electrical system, so the gauges will initially look fine. If the issue doesn't re-occur in a period of 7 to 10 days, then you've solved your problem.

    One final thing. Never, EVER take a Jeep to a Jeep dealer for repairs such as this. You'll end up paying hundreds, if not thousands without the problem being solved. Think that they will return your money if their work doesn't solve the problem? We both know the answer to that.
  • barryzbarryz Member Posts: 43
    Another thing to that is simple to check, make sure the battery is putting out at least 13.8 volts, if your battery is near 3 years old it may be getting weak. You can take it to any good parts store, Auto Zone or others will check battery voltage with engine running for free. If your battery has 14volts or higher you can rule battery out, but if anyone trys to tell you its 12.9 but its ok, don't listen, replace battery. If battery is ok, then clean contacts on ecu and bcu as the other person replied. More often than not, low voltage or dirty contacts on connecters is culprit, not the actual expensive control units. Avoid dealership. Call around to local owner run repair shops and interview them about knowledge of jeep grand cherokee. A garage unwilling to talk to you is to be avoided, it may take some searching to find that knowledgeable honest mechanic, but once you find him, establish a relationship, let him do your oil changes instead of dealer or quick lube joint, then he will be there for you when you need him. Join AAA auto club, it's cheaper than a single tow. When my battery died because i ignored symptoms like yours, they came to my location and sold and installed new battery on the spot. Once you fix, please post here what fixed it to help others, please.
  • igozoomzoomigozoomzoom Member Posts: 801
    I have a '95 JGC Laredo with a couple of electrical/electronic issues that I'm hoping are related-

    1) The radio display is on but there is no sound coming from any speaker. It has the optional Infinity Gold system with the Amp under the back seat. The stereo had worked intermittently for about two years until about six months ago. It hasn't made a sound since then...

    2) Trip Computer in Overhead Console- The display doesn't come on when the car is started. Usually it will 'wake up' anywhere from 5-15 minutes after starting/driving it. A few times it hasn't come on at all, even after an hour or more. When it does come on, it works fine as it always has.

    3) The Vehicle Info Center (behind the shifter, under the HVAC controls) it shows the vehicle graphic and alerts for Door Ajar, Lamp Failure, Fluids Low, etc. Lately, it just flashes with the time (which shows at 12:00 all the time). It worked fine until the last couple of months....

    Any ideas on my electronic gremlins? Could it be as simple as a fuse or two? Or maybe a big fuse in the Power Distribution Center (under the hood)?

    Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I'm trying to get it ready to sell and I want to fix these problems first if I can.

    THANKS!
    2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT
  • ryelenikryelenik Member Posts: 8
    I have a 94 Jeep GCL and have the same problems. It seems another thing stops working about every month. What I need to know is what ecu and bcu are? I guess I'm ignorant. Thanks. Bobby.
  • igozoomzoomigozoomzoom Member Posts: 801
    I can answer half of your question- ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit (or Electric Control Unit, according to some). I've also seen it referred to as the Electric/Electronic Control Module, Power Control Module and Power Control Unit. My '95 JGC has a "Power Distribution Center" under the hood (with fuses)....I think they're all the same thing??? Someone please correct me if I'm mistaken...

    I hadn't ever heard BCU before, but I did a search and it seems there is a "Body Control Module"...perhaps someone can enlighten both of us on what that is!? =)
    2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT
  • thweattjthweattj Member Posts: 2
    Did you ever figure this out???

    I have a problem where in the morning, "sometimes", I turn the key and it doesn't start..no noise..if I keep holding the key it might start.. if I release the key, don't want to break it...and try again..it often starts up. It eventually starts and I find it strange that I hold the key for a while and it starts.. like 20 secs.. This is random, not all the time but when the engine is warm, I haven't noticed this problem.

    Well a few weeks ago, I had the power to the engine shut off, then turn on in about 20 seconds with power returning I could drive without to much problem. Well yesterday, I had this same problem happen three times. The first time, I pulled in a gas station and shut the car off and turned it back on. The second time, I was on the free way and the car slowed down but in about 20 secs, power came back and I got out of there.. then about 5 miles later, I lost power again and pulled off the express way, it never returned, so I stopped shut off the car, turned on the key and it started again and I drove home.

    Anyone had this type of problem? Like to hear your solution, write me at jtflex02 at yahoo too ...
  • thweattjthweattj Member Posts: 2
    I have a problem where in the morning, "sometimes", I turn the key and it doesn't start..no noise..if I keep holding the key it might start.. if I release the key, don't want to break it...and try again..it often starts up. It eventually starts but I find it strange that I hold the key for a while to get it to start.... like 20 secs.. or turn it a few times. This is random, not all the time but when the engine is warm, I haven't noticed this problem.

    Well a few weeks ago, I had the power to the engine shut off while I was driving, then in about 20 seconds the power returned and I could drive again. The radio and lights were on just the engine when dead. Well yesterday, I had this same problem happen three times. The first time, I pulled in a gas station and shut the car off and turned it back on. The second time, I was on the free way and the car slowed down but in about 20 secs, power came back and I got out of there.. then about 5 miles later, I lost power again and pulled off the express way, it never returned, so I stopped shut off the car, turned on the key and it started again and I drove home. I got a notification to look at my gauges and I also noticed the sentry key light light, everything else looked normal.

    Anyone had this type of problem? Like to hear your solution, please write me at jtflex02 at yahoo, as well as on here.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
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  • busyben1980busyben1980 Member Posts: 1
    I'm sort of having the same problem,where i just change my fuel pump,spark plugs and wires ,distributor,ignition management switch,ignition coil and now my 1996 Grand jeep cherokee seems like the battery is dead now. When i tried to get a jump it still won't charge so what do you think is the problem????? Please help!!
  • napagirlnapagirl Member Posts: 6
    1 wk ago: put key in ignition, turned on. All warning lights on dash started flashing wildly and beeping. Car turned on fine. Was left with engine light on and airbag light on. During drive home, AC stopped working, all gauges/displays went to zero, u-connect bluetooth stopped working, no signals, no brake lights (found out later). Windows and radio continued to work. Never lost power steering or brakes. Car started with no problems at home.. but all failures still the same. Battery load tested at parts store- fine. Advised to replace alternator- did that (although did not test old one). Car ran fine over weekend- drove over 500miles on a trip. NO PROBLEMS. Assumed problem was alternator. Drove car to work tuesday. No problems for most of the drive. When almost to work, was talking on the phone via the UConnect device, and it started switching back and forth from radio to phone conversation by itself. Started car at lunch, there was NO A/C, gauges at zero, uconnect does not work, no signals/brake lights. Took car home carefully. Advised by dealer to clean 2 grounds nearest battery on firewall, pulled out relays and most of fuses- all looked good. Still all gauges at zero, A/c not working (while car running, while doing the above). Then, started it up a few minutes after, and everything ok, except engine light on. Took to dealer who read the following codes, but could not reproduce the faults. Dealer states: "Unable to duplicate customer concern at inspection. Diagnosis found multi fault codes present for communication failures- 2 relevant: B212D (ignition run only input circuit open) and B2100 (ignition run/start input circuit low). Found several tech bulletins that apply to concern - suspect possible intermittent failure of either ignition switch and/or junction block (under dash, driver side). Also recommend u-connect module replacement as it is intermittent/irratic." I paid for the diagnosis and took car home. Unhooked battery, clearing engine light (resetting computer), and U-connect works perfectly (as it has for the entire time before these electronic issues, and as I told them it would if they reset computer). Car is acting fine- u-connect great, but worried about commuting with signal/light failures occuring. The only difference that occurred was that the two times before the failure, a short commute of ~25 miles was done in a very hilly area with lots of back and forth steering/downshifting into second. Also a different key used than with the ~500 mile trip two days before. Thinking of switching out the ignition switch, since problem happened initially with ignition, and "cured" problem with ignition yesterday. I do NOT believe the u-connect module is defective at all. I am not trusting the dealer at present, with a quote approching $1500. Opinions???
  • jebhabjebhab Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2010
    Bought used with under 80,000 mi. Now has 86,000 mi. Ran great untill weather got hot. This summer it started acting up. All my electrical stuff flat lined! Jeep keeps running but ac, windows, computers, radio, all gages went out. It happens randomly. Most times they come back on without me doing anything. Only once has the jeep died when this happened and one time on starting it wouldnt keep running. I can disconnect the battery and it all goes back to normal for awhile. I had a real bad spell with it and then it got some better. I love my jeep and dont want to get rid of it but while driving home one night my headlights went out!! Very scary!! I am wondering until I get the problem fixed would it work if instead of using the auto setting for my headlights I actually turned it to the on position? Would they still go out if it "flatlines" again? Also its not giving any codes. The only other problem I am having is that I have to refill my overflow for my coolent pretty regular. I get the low coolent notice if I forget to check it myself. Please HELP! Thank You Heather
  • barryzbarryz Member Posts: 43
    edited September 2010
    1999 jeep grand cherokee laredo 6 cyl. This just started, when i turn off key, remove key, open door, interior lights turn on as they should, but when i leave vehicle and shut door, interior lights don't dim and go dark after a short while as they used to, remain on. Also if i exit vehicle and click the remote to lock, doors do lock and parking lights flash as i programmed, but the interior lights do not turn off and the red alarm set light on dash does not come on and start flashing. Luckily i can set interior lights to not light on door open by putting dash dimmer on stalk to the complete off position, so i am ok for now, but i would like to get the alarm to set and the interior lights to work as they should, any suggestions as to what and where controls this?
  • jeepgirl52jeepgirl52 Member Posts: 6
    I have read as many emails as my work time will allow. I have had this problem of and on for years and the dealerships have not fixed it. My entire console lights up, with a clicking noise, and then turns off. Every warning symbol lights up and then the whole thing goes blank. This continues for miles. All the gauges go crazy, the speedometer goes down to zero, my headlights click on/off. I took the car to a mechanic who said to go back to the dealership. Since the dealership I previously used frustrates the heel out of me, I am going to a new one this weekend. Any ideas what this could be? Also, I was under warranty when this issue surfaced a few years back. I am no longer under warranty, but, since they did not fix the problem, is there any recourse from Chrysler? Thanks!
  • joe3djoe3d Member Posts: 21
    I saw this problem in May. It happened several times on one 2 hour trip. I brought it to the dealership figuring they might have the inside scoop on it. They checked it for faults and found none. I changed the battery and thought that solved the problem. .....until now (Sept). I saw it again twice last weekend. All the lights on the dash light up and then disappear. Not sure swhat to do next. The engine seems fine. Perplexed, Joe D
  • 4x4street4x4street Member Posts: 1
    What you describe sounds like a problem with the Bus System on your car. The Bus System is how the different modules (computers) on your car communicate with each other. If one of these computers is sending invalid information to your instrument cluster, which is also a computer, the cluster will not be able to interpret this information and will also start sending out false information. Your cluster will go crazy.
    Some times finding a problem with the Bus System is very time consuming. It could be an internal problem in one of the computers or it could be a wiring problem.
    If you have your receipts from when you first started having this problem and it was never fixed correctly Chrysler may honor the warranty. Also the dealer will have copies of any warranty work that was done to your car.
    If you don't get satisfaction from the dealer, you might try chrysler customer service.
    4x4street
  • joe3djoe3d Member Posts: 21
    It makes sense what you are saying these dashboard electrical problems are caused by a computer problem. This seems like the type of problem that will take many visits to the mechanic and lots time to have fixed. My 2005 JGC ran great for the first 50k. It still has a nice ride by this electrical problem could be an un-ending issue.
    It's too bad because the new 2011 JGC looks awesome but I would now be wary of buying another JCG. Thanks, Joe D
  • architectkmparchitectkmp Member Posts: 16
    Hello

    The symptoms you state are very similar to what i went through with my 2006 GCJ-L. After the dealer replaced many components on BUS Can-C it then came down to the wiring harness. alot of modules that were replaced prior to finally replacing the wiring harness were probably Ok but it was not easy to know at that time.

    From all the threads I have seen on this site and others i would venture to tell you... ITS THE HARNESS But I reserve the right to be completely wrong,

    Since my harness has been replaced, at 85k miles I believe my Jeep is running better than when I bought it used from dealer at 29k miles..

    it is my suspicion, now with 20/20 hindsight that the original owner may have experienced the same problem I had (sporadic dash cluster / gauges, etc), and said ... electrical problems - time to trade it in...

    These electrical modules at $400+ and 500+ a pop are an expensive way to go the route of " let's try this and see if it works"

    see my earlier posts for more info

    best regards
    please keep us posted on your progress

    Keith
    Architect
  • vrw112671vrw112671 Member Posts: 1
    Where do I start! Just tonight, drove jeep, parked and went in somewhere, came out 45 min later only to start it up and it would not turn on. Thought it was the battery and a friend who is a mechanic tried jumping it but that was not it. Everything would turn on, lights, dash, radio, windows up and down, it just would not turn on. Thinking it is something electrical for sure and stressing like crazy!!!! I have had this car since 15K and don't drive it everyday, really baby it! Anyone with some ideas? Don't need to spend more than I have to but it looks like by what everyone is saying, I just need to get rid of it. Not alternator. Not battery since everything comes on. Please, Please imput. Thanks...Much appreciated!!!!
  • markster0markster0 Member Posts: 6
    any luck finding the problem. I'm having similar, cranks & no start problems
  • glenhiersglenhiers Member Posts: 2
    lights are flashing as if someone hit the panic button engine rotates but doesnt fire doesnt get any fuel in the intake found some wires that were melted together seperated them and taped them up and still no change guessing the pcm must be bad dont know and dont know how to check it and dont know how to find one
    any imformation would be greatly appreciated thanks
  • markster0markster0 Member Posts: 6
    Lights flashing is vehicle anti theft system. Use key in door lock to reset system to stop lights. Tons of problems with security on jeep.
    I have 1995 GC linited w/ V8. Same no start condition right now. No power to fuel pump. Trying to trace power from pump backwards to Bat. Will keep you posted. Where did you find melted wires? What engin? V8 or I6?
  • markster0markster0 Member Posts: 6
    You can get a PCM on ebay for 189. Very easy to install a new one. Seller will program it specifically for you vehicle. I am still going to try and find the problem before I spen the money on a new PCM
  • emilyl83emilyl83 Member Posts: 1
    Hi all-
    I have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it has been having what I think are electrical issues. About a year ago the lights would flicker on the dash and radio/clock intermittently. It wasn't a big issue, just annoying. Nothing else was affected...gauges and everything worked fine. It has been doing this on and off for a year, but today driving into work it started up again but the emergency brake light flickered too. Then it happened again but stayed on for a few seconds...and so did the ALB warning light. When this happened all of the dash lights turned off and I heard a pop in the radio speakers and the radio went off. Then it all went back to normal! This happened 2 more times on my 20 minute commute. I don't know if this is a dealer issue or if it's something I may be able to handle on my own (like if it's with the battery or something). The battery has been replaced recently but I have always had an issue with corrosion on one of the connectors. Could this be it? Just a bad connection? I'm just worried this may be effecting my outside lights, but really there isn't any way to tell since it happens so infrequently.
    Any advice is greatly appreciated.
    Thank you!
  • jeepgirl52jeepgirl52 Member Posts: 6
    Luckily (I hope) my electrical issue did not impact my engine or radio. I did sense that the vents were not working properly at the time that my dash was lighting up like a Christmas tree. The check engine light was looked into and they said I had a faulty chip in one of my keys. It was like the engine thought the car was being tampered with. It also showed that the fuel gauge was not indicating the proper levels. I took it in to a dealer over the weekend and they said they have seen this before and we replaced the ignition switch- $440 bucks! This morning, on my 120 mile commute, I had no problems whatsoever. Now, do I trust that this is fixed? No! Once you have a problem like this, you feel like your car is no longer dependable. I will keep my eye on this and let you all know if this situation occurs again. Since I have two keys, I started using the "good" key as well.
  • jeepers19jeepers19 Member Posts: 13
    emilyl83, I too have a 2005 JGG and about two months ago it started acting crazy, the wipers would come on and off on their own, the dash lights would flicker, the AC would quit working intermitently, it would shift roughly in and out of MDS, etc...After many trips to the dealership and them telling me "we couldn't replicate the problem so we can't fix it", I finally started doing some research on my own. Most websites led me to believe that it is most likely the PCM (also called ECM) card. But I decided to start with the easy fix first, unplug the negative battery cable for 20 minutes to let the PCM card reset. I did this a month ago and my Jeep has been running like brand new since. If this doesn't do it, then look into replacing the ignition switch but don't pay $450 for the dealership to do it. It's really simple to do it yourself for $45.
  • mickyb1mickyb1 Member Posts: 4
    i have owned a Grand Cherokee Stealth edition ( UK Spec ) since 2003 and the one piece of advice i would give to a prosective owner is....Do not touch a grand Cherokee with a barge pole unless u a re well into aut electrics....The car supplied WILL fail electronicaly within 3 months of delivery and the dealership will deny any knowledge of problem even if we all know whats wrong.
  • jeepers19jeepers19 Member Posts: 13
    I hear you mickyb1, as much as I love my JCG, I kick myself for trading in my Nissan Pathfinder for this electrical nightmare I own now. And the more I read in this forum about the other quality and reliability issues people are having with their relatively new JGC's, I am really disappointed in the products being put out by Chrysler these days. And I don't know if the rest of you encounter the same problem, but in my city, I really can't trust the Jeep dealership to correctly diagnose and fix my vehicle, they are pretty useless.
  • jeepssuckjeepssuck Member Posts: 10
    I agree with you. I'd never purchase another Chrysler product, and when I owned my JCG, I would NEVER, EVER bring it to a dealership for maintenance or repairs.
  • igozoomzoomigozoomzoom Member Posts: 801
    The Grand Cherokee has gone downhill with each new generation. The 1st gen (93-98) had their share of problems, some powertrain combinations more than others. But my parents bought a '95 Laredo 2WD new in 12/94 and it's still going strong with over 210,000 miles on it! It has the bullet-proof 4.0L Inline-6 (as long as you keep oil in it) and the engine/tranny have never had any major repairs. I bought it from them several years ago because I hated to see it go, so it's my weekend/Home Depot/hauling vehicle. The paint is shot and it has some minor electrical issues, mainly the radio doesn't work for months, then it will suddenly start working when I flip the headlights on/off or hit a button the overhead console...but then it goes out again in a day or a week and nothing will get it to work until the next time it spontaneously repairs itself!?!?

    It's a crying shame that the 2nd gen (99-04) had so many problems, because they are still some of the best looking SUVs ever made, IMHO. I'd love to have an '04-'05 Overland with the HO 4.7L V8...but I know it would be a money pit, to say the least.

    I have a friend who drives a 2008 Limited 4x4 that she bought new for over $42k! In the first two years and 42k miles, it had the transmission replaced, multiple components of the Quadra-Drive system replaced, an oil leak that took several service visits to finally fix, leaky radiator replaced, a fuel pump and several more minor issues. It also has a few intermittent electrical gremlins, including interior lights that fail to work at all sometimes and refuse to go off at other times! And the rear tailgate warning light comes on all the time, even when it is securely closed.

    I started with working with her last year, so I didn't know her when she bought it. Otherwise, I would have tried to steer her in another direction! Or at least filed for Lemon Law protection, but it was too late by the time I met her.

    The 2011 looks amazing and they keep talking about it being the highest quality vehicle they've ever built. That may be true, but for those of us who have seen what they've been building for the last few decades, why give them another chance and take the risk???
    2015.5 Volvo S60 T6 Drive-E Platinum, 2012 Mazda CX-9 GT
  • officerreyesofficerreyes Member Posts: 1
    LEFT TURN SIGNAL DO NOT WORK, IT ONLY WORKS WITH EMERGENCY FLASHERS WHEN ENGAGED. I REPLACED THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH WHICH CONTROLS THE H/L AND TURN SIGNALS WITH EMERGENCY FLASHER. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED, PLEASE IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM PLEASE ADVISE.
  • tuggajbtuggajb Member Posts: 646
    cheack and replace bulb holder as they deteriorate with age
  • psujeeperpsujeeper Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2010
    So two days a go i went to start my car and it didn't turn over the 1st time. So i tried again it started up fine, or i thought it did. After backing out of my parking spot i tried to turn on my left turn signal and found that it was not working. So I tried the right and that one was dead too. The flashers work but the neither of the turn signals, left or right work. So trying to fix it the fast way i unplugged the battery because that usually fixes almost everything in a Jeep. Well it didn't work. After reconnecting the battery I noticed that now my fan for the AC/heat unit is not working along with the lights in the Treble Mid and Bass and the AC button light when pressed in will not light up. I checked most of my fuses and they are all good. Whats weird is that they are all on different circuits, i think. What did i fry and what can i do to fix this issue with out paying out the [non-permissible content removed]. :sick:
  • erkanerkan Member Posts: 5
    Out of the blue, my 2001 Grand Cherokee 4.0L will start then shut-off: It's accompanied by code P1686 No SKIM bus. This explains the shut-off part but none of the gauges work either. I've seen this same problem posted in other forums with many suggestions but no one with the exact symptoms as mine posted what finally fixed their problem. Battery & connections look OK. Any suggestions?
  • bee007bee007 Member Posts: 12
    I have a 2000 grand cherokee limited that is doing the exact same things, the gauges dont work , it starts and runs 2 to 4 seconds and shuts off, also all the
    warning lights are lit up. Were you able to find out what it is and did you haveit fixed

    Thanks Brian
  • erkanerkan Member Posts: 5
    Bad wording in original post. I didn't mean that the Jeep starts by itself & then shuts-off. I meant that the problem started all of a sudden last week. When I turn the key, the engine cranks & starts fine but the SKIM (Sentry Key Immobilizer Module)--the anti-theft feature built into the iginition key system--kicks in & shuts off the engine. Check Engine Light comes on & throws a P1868 (No SKIM bus) code. If it was the key or the SKIM itself, why would the gauges go out also? In other posts people have reported replacing the PCM &/or BCM without luck, which I'm afraid my local dealer might try to do.
  • barryzbarryz Member Posts: 43
    When i had a starting problen a year ago, i researched the sentry key system, because i thought maybe it was my problem. It was not, but i learned a lot about it. First of all, do you have 2 keys? If so try the other one, if it works, then the other sentry key has bit the dust. If both do not work and both seem to have same symptoms, then it is quite possibly the module under the sterering wheel cover attached to back of ignition switch which reads the sentry key and if it gets signal from sentry key, then sends a signal to pcm allowing start up to complete with no shutdown. If it is this unit bad, unfortunuately just replacing it is no help, for after replacement a DEALER (I HATE THAT) must then program both the unit and you keys.Make sure you give dealer both keys, as both have to be reprogrammed to the unit, if only one is done, the other will not work. So you will be paying for the part, diagnosis, labor and reprogramming keys. If one of your keys still works and you don't care about replacing other, fine, but if its a bad sentry key you want replaced, you must still take to dealer, and dealer must then program the new key AND the old key so they match. If he does not program both, again only the newly programmed one will work. I have a 99 JGC with 165,000 miles, keys have not failed, but if one of my keys failed, when i replaced it, i would not buy one, i would buy 2, and let dealer program the 2 new ones and the still working old one, so if at some point old age kills the still working old one i will be good to go. Bypassing the module will not work, computer needs a valid signal from it to allow starting. But before you go to dealer if both keys do not work, loosen the covers on ignition asnd steering wheel, make sure wires coming in module and leaving module are not broken or pinched, but that is not likely the problem unless a short time before fail you had been working under there and pulled a wire out yourself or caused a problem in closing it up and pinching wires, not a likely fail. Dealer must have vehicle and all keys when programming is done. From what i have read it is more likely module has failed than a key, but if one key works its the module. If you only have one key, then you will not know if its bad key or bad module until dealer tells you.Try disconnecting battery for 10 minutes, reconnecting. If that clears the problem, then its not key or module, but some other sensor or wire, and problem will come back. If that clears problem, though, it will tell you to perhaps save the expense of replacing module and/or keys. Call local dealers, maybe one offers to send a mechanic out to replace module and reprogram keys without towing in to dealer, he can bring the handheld rteprogrammer with him. if you are in Autu club, decision is easy, get a free tow. I tried to join AAA when i had a fail, but they make you wait a week after you join to get a tow, to avoid freeloaders, but if you can put vehicle aside for a week, its a good deal, tow will cost the same or more, and you will be eligable for future tows free.
  • erkanerkan Member Posts: 5
    THanks for the info but if it's the key or SKIM module, why would the gauges also not work?
  • barryzbarryz Member Posts: 43
    Since the computer is being told that there is not a valid smart key module signal, it is trying to protect your vehicle from theft, and everything is shutting down. Gauge readings depend on computer signals which they will not get valid signals if computer thinks car is being stolen. A weak battery that needs replacement can cause gauges to go hawywire as computer will not function properly at low voltage. If battery is less than slightly over 13vdc under load of starting it is weak. good batteries are around 13.5 - 14 vdc. I had gauges go crazy whwn my battery was old for the month before it finally died, but there was no skim code, you probably have a problem in that system, logically. You did not mention trying your other key or if you have one. My knowledge of this system is just through online research when i was troubleshooting me bad crank position sensor, which lit up my smart key light but all the other symptoms are different. If your car starts for a few seconds, its a classic sentry key or module sympton, especially with that code.
  • smudger003smudger003 Member Posts: 1
    I accidently activated the immobilser within the Stereo of my 1996 Grand Cherokee 4.0 petrol automatic - and now dont know of how to start car, as the immobiliser has kicked in and accidently activated it through the radio/stereo, when I was pressing various buttons, please can you help me.

    Regards

    Steve
  • allflusteredallflustered Member Posts: 1
    Hi folks, new on here. I have a 2007 grand cherokee crd owned since new, failed its first mot due to the rear fog lights not working. The log books vague, doesn't even tell you which fuse is for the rear fog lights. Have had an auto electrician on it but can't find the problem. The only other info is I have had a tow bar fitted a couple of years ago and last year noticed the fog lights on caravan not working, but silly me never checked since last year and have not used the caravan since. Any help would be appreciated as I have only a couple of days left on the free retest.
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