jbdpayne

I have been experiencing some issues with my 01 cherokee gauges, and it only seems to do it with this cold weather. Once in a while the first start up of the morning my check gauges light will come on because my volt gauge wont read anything, then a few seconds later picks right up to normal. Well now it is doing the exact same thing with my oil pressure gauge, at first it wont read (and check gauge light comes on) and then it picks right up. What would be causing this?

Sails

Bad grounds possibly, heating up by usage or just temperature completes the circuit.

jbdpayne

thinking bad grounds from the harness?

jbdpayne

Anyone else? It pretty much does it on every cold start up now

Muaddib420

You could try cleaning and reseating the instrument cluster. Its a few screws to remove the center panel and panel around the cluster. Then just pull it off, clean the connections with proper electronic cleaner and reseat.

EagleXJ

^^^Do this. I had a similar problem on mine of the gauges dying on me randomly. I popped the cluster off and used needle nose to twist the connections very slightly to give it contact.

CCKen

Usually when an individual gauge doesn't work or is lazy (like yours) it's the individual gauge at fault.

Before starting your Jeep try doing the Instrument Cluster Actuator Test, paying attention to the Voltmeter and the Oil Pressure gauge to see if they are slow to start. If they are, pull the instrument cluster and check the gauge mounting screws on the printed circuit board for proper tightness. If the mounting screws are tight, replace the instrument cluster.

Instrument Cluster Actuator Test

(1) Begin the test with the ignition switch in the Off position.

(2) Depress the trip odometer reset button.

(3) While holding the trip odometer reset button depressed, turn the ignition switch to the On position, but do not start the engine.

(4) Release the trip odometer reset button.

(5) The gauges should cycle through their ranges, stopping at intermediate readings, going up and going down, at two second intervals. The indicator lamps should cycle on and off.

(6) The instrument cluster will automatically exit the self-diagnostic mode and return to normal operation at the completion of the test, if the ignition switch is turned to the Off position during the test, or if a vehicle speed message indicating that the vehicle is moving is received from the PCM on the CCD data bus during the test.

tssguy123

This post made me realize my FSM isn't for a 96... awesome, lol. I was checking if there was a similar procedure for 96s and the section in my FSM refers to a digital odometer, which 96s don't have...

That, and all of the interior sections show diagrams of the newer interior

CCKen

Where did you get the so called 96 FSM from?

I don't think the 96 has the instrument cluster that will do this. I think the capability started in 97.

tssguy123

lol, pacific coast manuals. Somebody in the reviews said it was a 97 FSM but I didn't believe them... looks like I'm going to have to swap it out for a 95 or something.. should be close enough.

CCKen

That was me. Bought a 96 manual and it turned out to be a 97 manual. Nice manual and I wanted one but WTF, over.

Maybe the only place you can get a genuine 96 FSM is from MOPAR. $80.00 though. I see some rags on ebay for huge dollars!

tssguy123

loool. I think I'll just pick a 95 one up from them... it'd be nice to have the 96, but I can't justify $80... at least, not right now. It might happen eventually. Rofl. Small world, eh?

CCKen

Not to dig at your 96, but the 96 was probably the red headed step child of the entire XJ series. I don't think any system in it matches any other year.

I just got a '95 pdf FSM and it's real nice, but I wouldn't bet a penny that any system in it pertains to the 96. Then again, there might be a few things that only you could determine.

Good luck.

Me right about now = That's Labatt Blue I'm chugging down.

freegdr

Ya gotta take 95 book and 97 book and smash them together ...

tssguy123

I know I know... I figure the main differences in 96 are emissions and airbag. There isn't much to the airbag since it's a self contained mechanical one (scared as hell that it's going to go off on me while I'm off-road)

I mostly want the FSM for torque specs and basic removal/install procedures...