I've asked on other forums, threads, and I've read multiple write ups but I am still having trouble with my overhead console install. I own a 1997 XJ Country and I installed an overhead console and wiring harness out of a 1999 XJ about a year ago. The temp, compass, and MPG all work, but it's finally bugging me that I have no dome lights or vanity lights. My understanding, from other forms I've read, is that 1997-2001 overhead consoles all have the same wires but connectors are different. I've also read that you can either cut the connectors off and splice the wires together or you can re-pin the old connector. Can someone please show me what wires I have to connect together and where they plug in at on the kick panel fuse box?

 

Can you show a shot of your '97 dome harness?
Want to see the connectors at the footwell/fuse box side.
Also '97 being a change over year I get the impression the some or all the dome lights
are not the same. Would like to see a picture of that too.

 

Here's a few pictures of my 97 harness.


I believe this is the connector to the dome light between the passenger and driver seats.

I believe these are the vanity mirror connectors and RKE board.

I believe these are the wires that connect to the footwell fuse box.

I can take more pictures if you need. Thanks.

 

Thanks for the pictures. I only have first hand knowledge of '99 to '01 set ups.
Have seen plenty of pictures on the internet though.
So just guessing here.
So on the '99 overhead harness you would need to repin the wires from the big connector
into the 2 bigger connectors from your dome light harness.
Thinking you don't have to touch the little connector.
How exactly did you hook up the wiring?

 

Sorry I confused myself. Are you saying that I just need the two bigger connectors on my 97 harness and re pin them to the 99? Only the plastic connectors right? None of the wires? And where would those plug into on the fuse panel?

 

OK like I said my experience is experience is with putting a '99 overhead console, harness, etc in a '00.
I had to use the visors from the '99 and repin the big connector on the '99 harness with the one from my '00 dome harness.
So I am just guessing here cause I have no first hand experience putting a '99 overhead in a '97.
I think you need the bigger 2 out of the 3 connectors, no wires, from your '97 dome harness.
You need to unpin the bigger connector on the '99 overhead harness and repin all those wire in the 2 connectors from the '97 dome harness.
The thing I can't tell you is how where to repin the wires. Cause you are taking wires that were in one connector and splitting them up between the 2.
Now I was able to figure it out in my situation.
Thinking you can do the same but....
Also again this is just a guess on what you have to do.

Now here is the part I don't understand and the question you did not answer when I asked the first time.
You say you have been running the overhead for about a year.
How did you wire it?

 

Thanks for the info. I think I might be able to figure it out now. And to answer your question, I installed the overhead console, wiring harness, and temp sensor about a year ago. I ran the 99 harness down the A pillar on the passenger side, swapped my RKE board in the console, and I believe it was two of the connectors off the 99 that plugged directly into the fuse panel. Like I stated above, the overhead console works (compass, temp, MPG) but I've just had no lights.

 

So you got the bigger '99 overhead console connector to plug into your '97.
Huh.
Cause you showed me pictures of the dome light ones that sometimes depending on the application need to get swapped.
Yet you had a mostly functioning overhead. So I hope you see my confusion.
On top of that not really picturing that possible but you did it so.....
The little one you should not have to mess with. Should plug in as is.
Out of curiosity. Which did you plug the '99 harness one into?
The bigger or medium sized one that your dome harness plugged into?
Cause I am thinking now you just have to repin one connector not two.
Cause you got the '99 to plug in.
Going to have to figure out what wires to remove from the '99 to plug into the one you do have to repin.
Not all of them though. Thinking just the ones for the lights.
If it were me I would repin them both though.

 

I plugged the RKE board into the new 99 harness which plugged into the connector on the glove box and I think that gave me the function of the key fob and compass and all that. I finally got the all the lights working now too. The last picture I posted that says "I believe these are the wires that connect to the footwell fuse box" I used the smallest connector. The wire was too short to connect to the fuse box board so I simply cut the wires and extended them by about 8 inches and plugged it into the fuse box board. Then after that all my lights started working. The dome lights/map lights, footwell lights, and vanity mirror lights are all functioning. Thanks again for clearing up some questions I had, you gave me the confidence and motivation to get out there and splice some wires together to get it working.