WMayo

I have a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. I just bought it last year, it has 144,000 miles on it. A few months ago it started dying frequently - replaced the crankcase sensor and that fixed it, no problems since. Yesterday I drove from Houston to Lafayette, about 235 miles. Had no issues, other than cruise control stopped working during trip - wouldn't shut off, and wouldn't set. When I got to Lafayette, I stopped at hotel office, registered, then re-started car and parked at my room. This morning when I got it in, it cranks, but then shuts off after about 20 seconds. No gauges or instruments work - no RPM, no Fuel Gauge, etc. Window's don't work. Mirrors, power locks do. Key Fob unlocks every door EXCEPT the driver's door. I had accidentally hit the panic button on the key fob this morning, just before getting in it. So, thinking I have a security system problem, I've tried every reset method I can find, including disconnecting the battery. I don't have my code reader with me, and can't take the vehicle anywhere because it won't run. I'm searching the internet, but every potential solution that I find that I'm capable of trying hasn't worked.

As of right now, I'm stranded in Lafayette, 4 hours from home. ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Noah911

You've checked for codes already on/off with the key three times? Is that possible to check right now?

Noah911

I don't know what you've tried.. Did you manually lock all doors from the inside except for the drivers door, close the drivers door, lock the drivers door with the key, wait a minute, unlock the drivers side door with the key yet?

Did you try manually locking all of doors from the inside, close all of the doors, lock the final door from the outside with the key, go to the back tail liftgate and turn the key in it back and forth from lock to unlock yet?

This is a trick that works on a lot of vehicles with anti-theft engaged sometimes, to try... Take the wire off the battery, insert key and turn to on position, attach wire to battery, and it'll maybe start. It is worth trying this trick out if you haven't.

Noah911

In all seriousness. How are your battery terminals? Are they older? I am sure you have them tight right now, since you were undoing and redoing them. They really need to be in good condition, and a good battery charge condition too.

The connections at your PCM... Undo them and reseat them back together a few times it could help. If they are not proper and clean, they can cause skim problems here. Move and wiggle them around. Reconnect them a few times over again to clean the contact points here at the PCM some may help.

The skim module may have gone bad? Undoing and reconnecting it a few times may help if it is because of an improper connection...

Believe it or not, all of your major electrical connections, fuse boxes, grounds, battery terminals... If they are not proper, they can do this, what you are experiencing.

It sounds like this issue was creaping up on you maybe, with how you described the leading up to this happening now parts...

Is your security key light illuminated?

rappncraknmakn23

I had a similar issue but not as in detailed and this infact fixed my car randomly turning off

WMayo

I don't have a code reader, so can't check the codes

WMayo

There is no key lock on the vehicle except the Driver's door - none on passenger side, none on tail / lift gate. I'll try this process a bit later, though. Thanks for the reply!

Noah911

I was asking if you have turned the key from off to run and back, three times.. leaving it in run on final time. To try and display any codes that way? If present, they would show up in sequence, at your odometer mileage display.

WMayo

I tried this, several times - no codes come up. New discovery, though - key fob unlocks / locks all doors except Driver's Side, internal lock button only locks / unlocks Driver's Side and NOT other doors.

We've disconnected / grounded battery wires several times. checked EVERY fuse, unplugged / re-connected every wiring connector we could get to. Nothing has helped, although we see slight changes - suddenly the door chime is working again, for example. It's definitely electrical, but I'm lost at this point.

Noah911

Dang. Not a code?

Did it ever throw you a code when it was acting up dying on you a few months ago, when you replaced the crankcase sensor? Did you do any other work or repairs back to it then when you were trying to fix that issue? How did you know it was because of the crankcase position sensor it was dying, outside of having fixed the dying problem you were having a couple of months back? Other than it dying, were there any other symptoms back then when it was dying on you?

Where else is there to look into? What to think? Is there any other information?

Are you still stranded?

Noah911

I have an idea of something I think it may be..

I think maybe it sounds like you are possibly having an issue with your Wireless Control Module WCM, or the Sentry Key Remote Entry Module SKREEM? It is sounding like it the more I think about it.

You are basically getting shutdown of the complete electrical supply. If the WCM is internally shorted, it could cause your Jeep to shutdown the computers... It sounds like you are getting electronic lockup of the WCM. This can be an intermittent problem.

When this module fails the remote keyless entry system will also sometimes not operate correctly. This module when it fails can give a variety of different symptoms. Sometimes the vehicle will not crank, fire, or it may shutdown after a short time.. which could be 2, or 30+ seconds of running the engine. Sometimes the key fob does not work any. Other times, the buttons are all wrong; unlock will lock it, panic button will lock it, unlock button will set off the panic, etc..

If I am right? There is a small chance; I have heard people replacing the key fob battery fix a similar issue.. I don't know though, because it seems unlikely a key fob battery being replaced would help much, if there truly was a problem happening at the SKREEM, or WCM module? If it is the WCM, that module is an expensive item.. So, may be worth trying a new replacement key fob battery first.

Noah911

Do you have access to a DVOM?

WMayo

When I had the problem before, the car would just randomly die at times, moving or not. Then sometimes it took 5 minutes, sometimes 1/2 hour before it would re-crank. It produced codes which indicated either the Camshaft Sensor or the Crankcase Sensor. I changed the camshaft sensor, but that had no effect. A mechanic friend of mine, upon hearing the symptoms, immediately said "crankcase sensor". We replaced that, and no more problems - hasn't given me any problems since, until now.

WMayo

Yes

Noah911

If it reads the key, the key light should flash. If the key light comes on and stays on, the SKIM module is not connceting to the pcm. The SKIM is your security.

It does not sound like this is happening, the key light staying on though..? I'm not sure if it is even able to, or if the guages are that far out to not be able to show this light though?

This does make me think your problem could be happening due to different reasons, and probably not fom the security system, possibly?