Revdoc

I have an 87 Cherokee 4.0 that keeps blowing the parking light fuse any time you turn on the lights. As a result the dash lights, door buzzer, and parking lights don't work. I need help finding the short circuit, I have done a lot of troubleshooting but I don't know how to narrow it down any further.

So far I have

-checked all of the bulbs in the parking lights and removed any blown bulbs
-disconnected the gauge cluster
-disconnected the headlight switch
-removed the aftermarket CD player and unplugged it from the stock harness
-ran a wire directly from the positive battery terminal to the inside of one of the front parking light terminals, the front lights lit up, rear lights were very dim. Wire would get hot if I held it in place too long. Did this to both sides with the same results.

Is it correct to assume that the short is somewhere near the tail lights since they are dim while the front lights are brighter? Also is it okay to rule out the headlight switch and gauge cluster since they are unplugged completely and yet the short still exists? Any recommendations on how to troubleshoot this further? I do have a decent digital multimeter and a test light.

84wagoneer

did you install speakers in your hatch? if you did i can almost guarantee you that you, or whoever installed them, hooked up 2 connectors that arent supposed to be. theres 2 blue wires, one with a female connector, one with a male. they arent supposed to go together, even though by looking at them you say "woops i must have accidentally unhooked those". one is a hot coming from the parking lamp circuit, and one is a ground.

SeriousOffroad

Start at the passenger tail light and follow the wires.

The tail light wires on the passenger side go over the rear cargo opening under the trim and join the harness behind the rear-most drivers side trim panel. The harness then goes over the rear wheel well, under the trim panels to the trim panel where your hood release is located.

Revdoc

This was exactly the problem. I did not put the speakers in but whoever did connected those two wires just like you said. Thanks for the help, I wish I would've checked this first before pulling all the parking lights, headlight switch, cluster and radio

winston427

Man this sound familiar.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/dre...-sizzle-17743/

billulsund

This forum rocks . My parking lights stopped working and I spent hours yesterday tring to figure it out. I decided to check the forum for a solution today before taking more stuff apart on the Jeep. I had just installed new rear speakers and of course saw the 2 blue wires that really looked like they wanted to be hooked together. As soon as I saw this thread I realized I was an idiot. I went out and removed the hatch interior, unhooked the blue wires and voila! my parking lights are working once again. Thank you cherokeeforum!

cfd_2214

Thanks guys I have an 87 Cherokee and this thread save me a lot of time and headache.

mwdouglas

i did the same thing when i installed speakers in my hatch i wounder what those two wires are for i haven't been able to find anything on them nor have i talked to anyone who new

Barren Bastion

Thanks for the awesome thread! All of that was crimped together with a black ground wire. My dash, marker, plate and tail lights work now! Awesome...

88laredomudtoy

I feel like a complete idiot, good thread. Totally fixed my issues.

WhyJ0187

This was my symptoms and fix! Thank You! Bought it like that... For cheap! PO should have clicked on the first google!

InsidiousJake

Duuude I almost just scrapped my 87 because of this EXACT scenario. My kid installed new speaker 3 years ago. Been parked every since. Sure enough! My 87 it's 2 blue wires together into a male fitting and an OBBIOUS black wire with a female! GREAT CALL! I would have NEVER looked there in a million years! Thank you!

cruiser54

way cool!!!