Moily

SOLVED! I just spent a week following circuits and switches to FINALLY solve why my interior dome and cargo lights would not shut off. Clue #1 - if you manually depress any door switch and the cargo light dims, it is a good indication there is a ground somewhere in the wiring path. Although I do not have a rear door switch, there is a wiring takeoff that enters the pillar between the front and rear doors on the driver side that goes....nowhere. Mine sat on the wet pillar floor and corroded until it was a permanent ground for the wiring path. Hope this is helpful to others that want to pull out their hair finding this issue.

Result of corrosion


This lead is tucked into the pillar column directly behind the seat belt roll.

chuck hartley

just bought a 97 cherokee limited. This will be my first time dealing with a chrysler headache. So the latch on rear glass was missing i got one put it on and now both door lights and interior lights wont shut off. This was also the first time had opened the rear hatch. I found a self reseting breaker cut power to door lights position 2 of 3 in fuse panel. And the second relay down left side cut power to interior lights. Niether of these cut power to the other. Independent of each other. I tried unplugging the switch to rear glass no change. I didnt find a mechanical switch for the rear hatch as of yet. Is it a gravity switch inside hatch? Is it combined with the latch like the one on the glass? Does bcm control lights before or after door switches? Anyone have a print of wire harness and fusebox showing what each fuse is and each relay. Seems this is a common problem far as interior lights but nobody has mentioned same time door lights. Also clock and dimmer works on radio but power on radio the sunroof and lower trip computer think it is none work. Are these all on same circuit? Also has factory alarm and aftermarket alarm neither are working. Hence need a print of wire harness to restore it back how belongs.

mj87

Much thanks to Moily. This issue was driving me crazy for the past week or so on my '99 XJ. Had all my courtesy bulbs pulled out b/c they wouldn't shut off. Ended up finding the same corrosion on the C320 connector for the driver side rear door jamb switch. Most likely due to the condition of my rocker panel. It wasn't very apparent at first glance, but once I grabbed the connector and wiggled it the lights started flickering. Pulled the male end apart, cleaned out the green crud, applied electrical grease and put it back together. Everything is back to normal now.

chuck hartley

found the interior light issue was the switch connected to back side of lock in rear hatch was bad. Still no luck getting radio or sunroof or lower console display to work. Have also discovered the memory buttons for seat and mirrors is haywire. When click 1 or 2 the seat doesn't move but mirrors take off random directions an continue until at end of travel then sit there twitching cuz can't go farther. It seems to memorize positions but recalling either memory it goes crazy. Also noticed speedometer reads 5mph slower then real speed. Headlight delay time is random sometimes 3 seconds other times 10 minutes after getting out an locking doors. Abs is active every time touch brake pedal it runs. Except other day abs light came on an brakes for once didn't vibrate. Next time started it abs was activating again every time touch brakes an light is back off. Twice after extended in town driving engine has sputtered out an died but started right back up. Reminds me of iac valve on Chevy that quits. Seat heaters sometimes don't get warm but neither ever gets hot. It came with toggle switch to front wipers but don't see any hacked wires so hoping wiper control a simple fix. Now my big question are all these routed thru bcm and could it be bad? Also found 2 aftermarket car alarms under dash neither seems to work nor does the factory led in dash. Really need that wire diagram for 97 cherokee limited w all options.

djgrayxj

Note from DJ to poster chuck hartley
First question is do you have a Cherokee or a Grand Cherokee?
Second question you refer to bcm are you talking about the PCM [Power Control Module] main brain computer or PDC [Power Distribution Center] with fuses and relays?

chuck hartley

mine is a 97 grand cherokee limited. bcm or body control module. It controls everything except the engine and transmission. Actually some even talk to pcm/ecm and transmission ecm. I was asking if anyone knows if my problems might all be coming from a bad bcm. And if replace it do I need it Vin matched aka mac address matched to jeep. Or will same year options etc work the same?

TimV

Here to add further thumbs up to Molly's post. Removed and terminated those wires in my 2 door, and seems to have corrected the interior lights issue. The wire was directly below the seat belt assembly.

chuck hartley

Removed quote no need repost same thing.
so for an update...
never replaced the key lock switches that had gone bad an shorted internally. The cause of mine interior lights staying on. Just unplugged the bad ones in passenger front door and inside tailgate. The auto headlights still random appears it's the switch is bad internally. Very dangerous got where sometimes headlights would randomly shut off while driving. It's on to do list. For now I just don't put it on auto lights since also has on off in Switch. Tested radio it was bad internally. Lucked out and found one in a junk yard like new hidden under a seat in a explorer. Paid 10 bucks an wanted factory so could use steering wheel volume etc. Love it.
brake lights sometimes stay on when shut off engine. Switch is good but pedal sags down a bit. Another to do list. Possibly weak spring either in master cylinder or brake booster. Only happens with engine off.
rear wiper washer hose had froze before and when hit rear washer it fills headliner down to sills with water. I'm thinking this is why many have rusted sills and corroded wiring throughout vehicle.
Both front axles had allready been replaced with Napa gold only a year old but passenger side snapped going up an icy road extremely slow an this picture is what happened next. 800 dollar recovery and 45 dollar axle from detroitaxle.com later it's Un harmed an running great. Which by the way this jeep is faster then my 94 z28 camaro but gets 12 mpg an camaro gets 16mpg.
if u make it past the electrical disaster in a grand cherokee the rest is great love it all around. Do replace those front axles tho they are cheap and very easy to change about 15 min to swap out. When lose 4 wheel drive on ice

LadyKenai

the switch for the rear hatch is located on the locking mechanism and is part of it, you can remove the whole unit and clean the switch with some sandpaper. cant remove or replace the switch unless you replace the whole locking mechanism.


this could be when you hit a bump the lights go on and off, worn out rear hatch rubber seal makes the hatch move when driving over a bump.



marc


edit: oops i didnt realize this was such an old post

chuck hartley

Seems most confused as was I at first. Each door has a switch to tell the car if door is open or closed.(mechanism or pushbutton in jam). Each door also has a switch to tell car if someone has locked or unlocked the car (end of lock tumbler). And the lift glass has an open or closed switch also.