EChristopher

Howdy! I just scored an overhead Cherokee console that I believe to be slightly older than my 2001 Sport (might be 97 or 98 console) and I really want to install it. Main interface plug by fuse panel is slightly different as is main overhead light plug (P/Y/B). The harness also differs in that the visor mirror lights expect two wires but new harness only sends one. Sure, i can cut and splice based on color codes but will that really work? Would hate to screw up my existing setup OR the console (since I can still sell it with the full harness it came with).

Any help would be appreciated - big time!

Eric

TheNerd

There is a thread on NAXJA that has a ton of overhead console information (all about cross-year installation). I suggest you troll through that info. I didn't realize that the vanity mirror wires were different....

Anyway, check out this thread:
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=77589

EChristopher

Thanks "TheNerd" - NAXJA has great info. The two-wire thing really has me stumped and I'm suprised that nobody has mentioned this on the forum thus far. The guy I bought the console from is certain that he pulled it from a 2000 XJ, though the grey fabric is much darker than mine. Mine is a perfect match to the picture near the start of that thread. Whole thing seems strange and I'm hesitant to start hacking this thing.

I appreciate you taking the time - I need all the advice I can get at this point. I'm actually wondering if this console was from a Grand....

E

Cheap$200Jeep

Take an Ohm meter to the visor light wire... on the one wire mod you should have continuity from the wire to some point where they mount to the body. (Make sure your bulbs are good) the 2 wire has a positive/hot and a Negitive/ground wire. The one wire mod is positive/hot and relies on a connection to ground/negitive through mounting to the body...

TheNerd

On that other thread, which connector does your harness look like?

My stuff just showed up last night. I'll try to remember to snap some images of it when I get back home. I used that other thread to determine that I have a '99 OHC, but now that you mention it, I sort of remember there only being 1 wire to the visors as well (hopefully, that is just the power of suggestion).

Edit:
It appears that I too have a single wire (to the vanity mirrors) OHC harness. Beyond that, the single wire plug does not match the factory '01 vanity mirrors, so its kina a moot point: If you want to be able to plug in your '01 vanity mirror lights, you are going to need to replace the connector ends. I added the second wire (spliced into the wire harness ground) while I was at it.

EChristopher

Makes perfect sense - I concluded from the previous post that grounding the vanity lights to the new harness (or body) should work fine. What is so strange to me is that the main plug from the new OHC harness is slightly smaller than the one in my 2001 Sport, and the main dome light plug is flat on the new harness instead of matching the D-style plug in my Sport (both near the fusebox). How does your configuration compare?

Regardless, I think we're BOTH on the right track to getting this to work. The wire colors seem to match and a little re-configuration should get the job done (I hope)....

Eric

Verbalkint99

PM me your email addy and the year of your Jeep and the year of the Jeep you got the console from....I just did the same research.

TheNerd

I've got my wiring harness all good to go. All I did was remove the existing harness from my '01. Then I (carefully) removed all the pins from the main connector on both the OHC wire harness ('99) and my factory (non-OHC '01) harness. I then put all the '99 OHC wires into the '01 main connector. THEN, I cut the vanity light connectors (and a bunch of the wires) out of the '01 harness, and replaced the '99 OHC vanity connectors (and I spliced the ground wires into the new '99 harness at the same time). The result (I believe) is pretty much a "factory" '01 OHC wiring harness.

As for the other 3-prong plug at the fuse box end: Those plugs were identical in both the factory '01 (non-OHC) harness, and the '99 (OHC) harness... so I didn't need to do anything with that. If you go back to that NAXJA thread; page 2 has photos of the connectors. You can see that the '00/'01 3-prong connector is the same as the '99 and '98. Are you saying that your 3-pring connector is different from that one? The dome light plug (overhead) is different (physically, and geographically) than the OHC plug for the same function, but it doesn't matter because you are not going to use the old dome light.

If you need it, i've got this photo of the proper wire configuration for the '01 main OHC harness. Just remember that there are 2-white/black wires with different functions, and you need to flag which one is on top/bottom and reinstall them in the same way. This diagram is looking at the PLUG end (not the end the wires come out of).

EChristopher

Total success! Installed as per TheNerd said in post and all is as it should be. Really love the Jeep forum and glad to be a part of it - good people here.

4door

trying to put the console in my jeep. I transferred all the wires but the console doesnt work. the lights work. can anyone advise what might be wrong? I checked all the colors and everything appears to be lined up.

Sc00ter

IIRC there are two similar wires- white with a black stripe (D2 and F87). If you get these two swapped, the unit does not work. I have read that it does no harm to the OHC. Make sure you have the correct position on those two wires. Let us know how it works out.

Glad to hear that your OHC worked EChristopher- I love mine!

EChristopher

I'm with Sc00ter, I remember reading about this - try making the swap and see what happens. The fact that the lights work means that you have properly grounded the harness by adding ground to body OR within the console (added my own). Curious, does the keyless entry work OK the way it is currently wired?

learjet35

Hi there! I'm looking for connecting the Ambient Air Temperature Sensor on a regular XJ. Where does it go on the overhead console contector?? Help!!

TheNerd

'99 or '00? This is the wiring diagram for the '00. You can see the "C301" pin numbers and match them to the pic I posted before if it will help. It appears you are looking for the "VT/LG" wire (violet w/ light green stripe), and the "BK/LB" (black w/ light blue stripe) wire.

learjet35

Hi Nerd!
I just recieved the 2 overhead consoles. I have two XJ Jeeps 99 and 2000. I just checked the Jeep Cherokee 2000 harnes and the "connector panel in the 2000 rightside kick. Just the ceiling lighting is identical. I think I will scratch my head for awhile...
What I have is the keyless circuit board, vanity light wires, the ceiling lighting are already up there so I would just bring a wire to the ceiling key swith to power the compass and the temp. And two more wires for the temp sensor. I have harnes coming from a 93 grand cherokee and the computer components (set buttons and screan) because one of the overhead console did not have it. I have to find an other braket as well but it seems that I could get it from a dealer. I'm off until wednesday so I will take the time to take some pix. Why did I begin this project??!!?? Thank you very much for your help!!!