usmc97hd

Well after trying everything that I have found in forums, online, Alldata and every where else for that matter I went my own way. The TSB for this (NO: 08-20-98 Rev. A) only covers the black plug on the right side of the cluster. There is no mention at all of the green plug on the left side. The CCD bus connects to the cluster through both plugs. I replaced the righthand plug and had no change at all. So I had the dealer drop another plug off at the shop so I could replace the green plug on the lefthand side. The plug itself is the same but the wires are different colors. I cut the green plug off the harness leaving about an inch of wire still on the plug. Just match the wires to the right pin location and it plugs right in. Once this plug was replaced my guages all work as new! Its been a week and not a hint of the old problems.

With all the other fixes Ive tried it only worked for a few hours or not at all. This fix has lasted over a week! I should have just done this to begin with. Best $12 I ever spend on the Cherokee!

esms06

Congrats I actually have the same problem. I'm kind of lost in reading the solution. I'm actually deployed right now so I have to tell my wife to take the jeep to the shop. Unfortunally I don't think they know what they are talking about because they told her all she needs is a new battery. Worked for a couple of hours then all the gauges dropped and the airbag light came on and the odometer read NO BUS. Before it was just the gas gauge that dropped then read NO BUS.

esms06

Not sure if it matters but I have the 2001 4.0 4x4 automatic

lateralustool89

Dead gauges an ''no bus" on odometer can be symptoms of cps failure/death

usmc97hd

lateralustool89.....the CPS is only involved if there is a no start condition along with the NO BUS, airbag light and dead guages. In the case that the Jeep will start and run fine, the issue is a connection failure between the guage cluster and the PCM.

esms06.... Sorry I wasnt clear. I assume your Jeep starts and runs fine. If that is the case call your local Chrysler dealer and tell them you need the connector to perform TSB NO: 08-20-98 Rev. A.. You will need 2 of these connectors. The TSB only calls for 1.....you need 2! The connectors will come with about 6 inches of color coded wires that match the color of the wires on the righthand connector behind your guage cluster.
There are 2 connectors behind the cluster. The righthand one (toward the Pass. side) should be black. The lefthand one (toward the drivers side) should be green. The CCD bus connects to the cluster through both of these connectors, so if you do not replace them both the problem may not go away. You need to remove the center dash panel around the radio. Then the dash panel around the guage cluster. Then remove the guage cluster itself. Once you have the cluster out you will see the 2 connectors that are clipped into the inner dash panel. Remove the righthand one and cut the connector from the wiring harness. You then match the wire colors from the harness to the new connector and attach each one and heat shrink them as you go. Once you have the new connector attached to the wiring harness clip it back into the inner dash panel and start on the lefthand side.
The lefthand side is a little tricky. Since the TSB doesnt cover this side the wires in the new connector do NOT match up by color. You will need to cut the harness about an inch from the old connector 1 at a time and connect them to the new connector 1 at a time. You need to make sure you are connecting to the wire that matches the pin location in the old connector to the same pin location in the new connector. Once this connector is attached clip it back into the inner dash panel.
Now put the cluster back in and start the Jeep. You should now have guages!
I know this sounds like a big deal but its not. Once you get the 2 new connectors and get the cluster out all this will make perfect sence! Only took me about 20 min. to complete! The connectors list for around $8.00 each. I ordered them threw my shop so I only paid $11.60 for both of them. If you need more info let me know.

Oh yeah. I never did say but my Jeep is a 1998 4.0 AW4. This fix will work on all 1997 thru 2001.

esms06

Thanks I really appreciate it now I just have to find a shop willing to do it. My wife has the jeep right now and I'm on deployment in afganistan right now. Stuck in the sandbox for a little while. Hopefully the dealer won't charge me an arm and a leg.

usmc97hd

esms06....youre welcome. And let me ad a big "Thank you" for defending our freedom! Be careful over there. I spent 8.5 months in Saudi, Bahrain and Iraq during the Desert Shield/Desert Strom. Sucked really bad!

danmackvail1

Have had dead gauges for a ages, been hard wiring em one by one with analog gauges. will give this a try!

cody7563

Might have to give this a try. Been having the same problem with my jeep.

usmc97hd

My guages were dead when I bought the Jeep. I bought this thing sight unseen from a dealer in Florida (im in Texas). The guy there lied his *** off about the condition. Anyway, the guages did not work except every once in a while they would pop on for a few seconds. I tried every thing i could find with either no change at all or only working for a few minutes. After tracing the whole CCD bus down on the wiring diagrams on alldata I found that the bus is connected to the guage cluster from both plugs. I figured for $6 it couldnt hurt to try. It paid off. The guages have been like new since.
I hope this can help some people out. I know how annoying it is to not have guages and to not be able to fix it! Good luck with this fix!!

esms06

thanks yea I'm in Afganistan but it isn't to bad here and I'm almost done with the deployment it's just that my wife has to make the road trip from Chicago to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina or else I could actually fix it myself. I hate paying others to do something I could do myself but it's just the nature of the best.

esms06

Alright my wife took the the jeep to the shop and the mechanic says it needs a new computer. Does this sound right. The Cherokee runs and drives fine. They are trying to charge her 1000 parts and labor

usmc97hd

If the Jeep runs and drives ok there is no need for a computer. This problem is in the connection from the BUS to the guage cluster. Have her take the Jeep to an automotive electrical repair shop. Have her print this thread out and take it to them. They will know what all this is.

xjblue01

hey man i was wondering if u can post some pictures for us to see exactly what u are talking about hence we all have this problem lol mine has been annoying the hell outta me n i hate holding down the trip reset button until the no bus goes away lol

usmc97hd

xjblue01....I did not get pics while I had it apart. However it will be clear once you get the new plugs from the dealer and get the cluster out. Its just a matter of cut and plice. The righthand side is color for color so its easy. The lefthand side is a matter of matching pin location. Let me know if you need any help.