Murf

Headlights won't turn but parking lights do. 95' Chk Sport, please enlighten me on the ways on swapping out this switch, how much dashboard dismantling is required? thanks

littleblueman

I think it should be pretty easy, (correct me if im wrong guys), but you should just have to take out the four screws holding the dash bezel on, slide it off, and remove about four screws holding in the headlight switch. You may have to do a little wiggling, but the headlight switch should slide out and then unplug the pigtail from the back and replace. I havent had that switch out, but ive had most of the others out over time. It should take you about 20 minutes. Good luck!

Before you take the switch out though, check the normal stuff, fuses, relays, burnt headlamps. Might save you from going in the wrong direction to start with.

Abovetimberline

Disconnect your battery and reach under the dash and there is a button that you will push in,this will allow you to remove the actuator from the switch,there is a nut that you will see once actuator is removed,just unscrew it and switch will come out,remove wires from switch and reverse the process.

winston427

Nope, check this thread. There are pics and details about how to remove the headlight switch for 84-96 XJs.

Murf

Where is this thread?

winston427

Sorry, I forgot to add the link;

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/showth...adlight+switch

leethedeuce

Ok, I didn't read every post on the 3 page thing but from looking at the ghetto job done on the first page. I will try and give the best instructions I can without pics. You can basically follow the ehow directions I also posted a comment on that now. I hope anyone searching finds this so they don't have to go through the agony I did with all these garbage write ups and steps that are total bs. I will list the ehow steps and then correct them at the end of the step of what is total balogne.
1

Disconnect and isolate the negative battery cable from the negative post on the battery, using a wrench to remove the retaining bolts. Pull the cable loose.
2

Remove the two mounting screws on the knee blocker or lower trim panel below the steering wheel. Use a Phillips screwdriver. Pull the panel out away from the dash and work the two clips loose along the bottom edge of the panel. They will pop out with a little work. ( On my 96 country the trim panel is one piece that goes all the way along. there is a black screw on the top of that bottom panel every half foot or so. Also I had to take out the ash try to get to one screw behind that. Also on the driver side there is a screw that is vertical near the very corner. Once you take all the ones out facing forward on the top of the panel you can pull on it a little bit and tell but is the bottom driver side corner. you will have to contort your body and look up at it from the bottom to see it.
3

Reach up under the dash and locate the headlight switch. Depress the small button on the inboard side of the switch body, then pull the **** and shaft on the front of the headlight switch out of the switch body.
4

Remove the spanner nut on the front of the dash where the rod and **** attach, using a flat screwdriver. Pull the headlight switch out of the dash from the rear and disconnect the two wiring harness connectors from the switch. Release the locking tabs on the two connectors and the plugs will pull loose easily. Discard the old switch but keep the **** and rod that you pulled out of the old switch. ( Ok before you can even get to the headlight switch which is totally inaccessible you will need to take off the bezel that covers the instrument/cluster guages and radio. This has like 4-5 screws that are vertical usually one is where the headlight switch is they are black and fairly easy to find just by looking at the bezel. I also took off the plastic surrounding the steering wheel. You will first need to unscrew the level for adjusting the steering wheel height and it kind of pops apart. I broke a clip on mine but it still goes together fine and by now your jeep shouldn't be a trailer queen so it shouldn't matter too much. get that bezel off. Then take out all the screws for the guage cluster/speedo cluster(whatever you want to call it ) that will come out fairly easy now don't pull to far not a lot of extra wire. Take off the main wire harness connector that goes to the cluster that has a blue clip on it. That way you can move the cluster out of the way enough to get to the headlight switch and take it out from behind. Take off the wiring harness that plugs into the headlight switch that has two clips(little bit off a pain in the but,time and patience will prevail) There is also some sort of single black ground wire or something that goes on the headlight switch as well that pulls off easily. Now you have the headlight switch out put the new one on and put it in place(easier said then done but not too difficult) Put the spanner nut back on then put the know back into the new headlight switch(had to take it out and give it a quarter spin and put it back in a couple times before it would go in all the way and lock in. Also pushed the button on the new switch that got it out of the old one in case that helped) Now just put everything back together and your good to go. Took me a couple hours in a snow storm.

Sorry for the long post but I really hope it helps at least one person out there.
Good luck,
Lee

mangot2

Quote:

Originally Posted by leethedeuce

Ok, I didn't read every post on the 3 page thing but from looking at the ghetto job done on the first page. I will try and give the best instructions I can without pics. You can basically follow the ehow directions I also posted a comment on that now. I hope anyone searching finds this so they don't have to go through the agony I did with all these garbage write ups and steps that are total bs. I will list the ehow steps and then correct them at the end of the step of what is total balogne.
1

Disconnect and isolate the negative battery cable from the negative post on the battery, using a wrench to remove the retaining bolts. Pull the cable loose.
2

Remove the two mounting screws on the knee blocker or lower trim panel below the steering wheel. Use a Phillips screwdriver. Pull the panel out away from the dash and work the two clips loose along the bottom edge of the panel. They will pop out with a little work. ( On my 96 country the trim panel is one piece that goes all the way along. there is a black screw on the top of that bottom panel every half foot or so. Also I had to take out the ash try to get to one screw behind that. Also on the driver side there is a screw that is vertical near the very corner. Once you take all the ones out facing forward on the top of the panel you can pull on it a little bit and tell but is the bottom driver side corner. you will have to contort your body and look up at it from the bottom to see it.
3

Reach up under the dash and locate the headlight switch. Depress the small button on the inboard side of the switch body, then pull the **** and shaft on the front of the headlight switch out of the switch body.
4

Remove the spanner nut on the front of the dash where the rod and **** attach, using a flat screwdriver. Pull the headlight switch out of the dash from the rear and disconnect the two wiring harness connectors from the switch. Release the locking tabs on the two connectors and the plugs will pull loose easily. Discard the old switch but keep the **** and rod that you pulled out of the old switch. ( Ok before you can even get to the headlight switch which is totally inaccessible you will need to take off the bezel that covers the instrument/cluster guages and radio. This has like 4-5 screws that are vertical usually one is where the headlight switch is they are black and fairly easy to find just by looking at the bezel. I also took off the plastic surrounding the steering wheel. You will first need to unscrew the level for adjusting the steering wheel height and it kind of pops apart. I broke a clip on mine but it still goes together fine and by now your jeep shouldn't be a trailer queen so it shouldn't matter too much. get that bezel off. Then take out all the screws for the guage cluster/speedo cluster(whatever you want to call it ) that will come out fairly easy now don't pull to far not a lot of extra wire. Take off the main wire harness connector that goes to the cluster that has a blue clip on it. That way you can move the cluster out of the way enough to get to the headlight switch and take it out from behind. Take off the wiring harness that plugs into the headlight switch that has two clips(little bit off a pain in the but,time and patience will prevail) There is also some sort of single black ground wire or something that goes on the headlight switch as well that pulls off easily. Now you have the headlight switch out put the new one on and put it in place(easier said then done but not too difficult) Put the spanner nut back on then put the know back into the new headlight switch(had to take it out and give it a quarter spin and put it back in a couple times before it would go in all the way and lock in. Also pushed the button on the new switch that got it out of the old one in case that helped) Now just put everything back together and your good to go. Took me a couple hours in a snow storm.

Sorry for the long post but I really hope it helps at least one person out there.
Good luck,

Best one I've read yet,thank you! There is no way I can get that switch out from under the dash, I can feel the connector harness taped to a main harness, so you are saying to go through the cluster opening for access, correct?

Gareth96

Not sure if it's the same one as on a 97 XJ, but when I replaced mine I had the hardest time getting the **** to connect inside the new unit.. Returned the first one because it wouldn't catch.. Second one had to push it in and out for like 10 mins before it caught.

mangot2

Finished the replacement of the headlight switch last night. Definitely have to remove the cluster for better access, very quick job after that. Thankfully the connector was in great shape. Thanks again for the help!