Chick-N-Picker

...possibly.

1989 XJ 4.0 Auto 4x4 112,000 miles.

Try to describe issues as simply as possible.

First since I got the jeep. I only had dash lights at night for a short while. They were always sort of easy to get to go out but could manage to get them back on by wiggling the headlight switch ****.

Then they eventually they went out for good. Fuse blowed. Changed it and turned them on. It would blow immediately everytime. I just drove with no dash lights at night.

Then sometime later on when I would turn the head lights (still no dash lights) my turn signal arrows would be faintly lit up. Either both, or only one. If I turned on my turn signal it sometimes would make the light go away. This became more and more common. Sometimes they are brighter than other times. I have a picture posted below of them when they are bright. Though this is not always the case.

Now just over the past few weeks occasionally when I make a right turn, with the head light switch on or off, the jeep will turn off. It will start back easily. I then tested it by starting it and turning the steering wheel to the right, it didn't turn off but it acted like it wanted to and the lights went a bit dimmer. Then it wouldn't do it again. So it's hit or miss and doesn't always cut off when it does do it. Also the dash lights and turn signals being illumated when the switch is on may not be connected to the right turn issue per say but both may be connected to the column.

Green arrows lit up when head light switch is on. Sometimes clicking the turn signal will make it go oiut or get dimmer. When the turn right issue happens the switch may or may not be on. Depends on if it's night or day.


The first place to start, is I guess the headlight switch and steering column. Mine is one that tilts. So I need to get inside the steering column to look for skinned or melted wires. I am looking around for videos and good write ups. If anybody knows one then let me know. I am also making this thread as a log. Hopefully my explanation made sense, and this has happened over a long peroid of time, just slowly has reached a point that I need to address it if possible.

ajpulley

First, remove every turn and parking bulb and check. Second, start removing and cleaning ALL your grounds on the body and engine bay.

Mechanically, there is very little in the column that interacts with wiring when turning the wheel. Other than the turn signal canceling, the wires therein just sit there.

Oswalla

I would agree with AJ, the wires in column should'nt be touching the steering shaft unless someone routed them wrong which would be difficult to do.

I would get that headlight switch off and open it up. Look for something burnt. If you didn't know the headlight harness wiring upgrade is done to take the load off that headlight switch. It's a GM setup, they get too hot for the load.

I had an odd thing where those turn indicator bulbs would stay lit all the time. That was a flasher on the fuse block.

Oswalla

There is also a known hot spot on the ignition switch thats mounted on the lower steering column, BROWN wire is known to melt at connection.. Inspect that connector and wires disconnected from column.

Oswalla

http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...ck_Rebuild.pdf

Tilt steering column GM/Jeep/ Saginaw. Link above should be what came stock in your Cherokee. It's been my understanding the older Cherokee has many GM parts, the column being one of them.

Oswalla

Here is another link I had saved.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/st...repairs-39494/

Chick-N-Picker

Thank you for all the advice so far. Will br checking them out as soon as possible. Hopefully it is nothing that will burn my jeep down before then.

I also wanted to add that today I was driving, no head light switch on, when I slowed down to make a right turn the battery hand dipped bit then came back up. Sometimes it does this but doesn't cut off.

Couple questions, can any kind of mechanical issue cause this? Like the transmission to motor bolts being loose? Or drive train issues? Something turning and doesn't catch for a second but then does?

Would thay cause it to cut off or have a dip in the battery when turning right at 90 degrees like at a stop? Or does the battery dip indicate a certainty of a wire issue? I'm sure these sound stupid but I have to ask.

ajpulley

See lines 2 and 3 of post #2.

Chick-N-Picker

Cleaned both the grounds today, really good. Then decided to mess with two things.

One: the little switches in the door jam that makes your inside light come on. 1 doesn't work at all, 2 work, and 1 sometimes does and doesn't. Took it it out and didn't see nothing. Just put it back in to mess with it later.

Two: Decided to look up at my turn signal lever wire and just see if I seen anything skinned. Figure it was a long chance considering you can see such a small amount. But look what I found when I pulled back on the lever. A skinned wire that had rubbed against the plastic and was exposed. I iust wrapped electrical tape around it as best as I could for the moment. Turned on my headlights and no more turn signals illuminated. Next to replace the fuse that controls dash lights and see if it fixed that (hopefully). Also not sure if this will help the turning right issue yet. Need to drive it first.

Also how would I would fix that skinned wire properly? It's sort of hard to get to but it has a little bit more slack to work with. Do I need to drop the column or does those plastic pieces pop off to expose the wires.

Chick-N-Picker

I put in a fuse. And I have dash lights again after four and a half years haha. It did not blow immediately, like it was. We'll see if it last.

I have only driven a very short distance and made a couple right turns so not sure if any impact on that issue yet.

But check this out....also I actually crossed to 113,000 miles, it's not 112,000.....

Chick-N-Picker

Ok the turn signal illumination is not completely gone when the headlight switch is on. Sometimes it is but now sometimes one or both will come on very very dimly. If I make it light all the way up then it goes away. Before taping it, it could be dim or all the way bright like the original picture. Guess on to changing the headlight switch, headlights (possible harness upgrade), and then going into the column.

Still has not blown headlight fuse yet.

Oswalla

Ahh yes I forgot about the turn stalk wire rub. I don't know for sure if it will fix your issue but the stalk is fairly easy to change. At least on my non tilt its pretty easy. I attached a string/wire to the lower end of stalk wire, pull old wire up through column. Then reversed, tied string/wire to new wire and pulled down column. Don't pull to fast, feel for resistance or you'll lose your fish wire. Stalk just needs a firm tug out of column.