I'd have to think it's a problem in the interior lights circuits and not the radio, TCM, and other 'keep alive' circuits.


It could be the overhead module or any of the interior lights. The overhead module/compass has courtesy lamp control circuits. If you unplug the connector inside the overhead module it would isolate these circuits.


Does the fuse blow if you open the front passenger door or any of the rear passenger doors. Any one of these door switches will turn on the dome lamp, cargo lamp, courtesy lamps.


The driver door jamb switch has an extra set of contacts in it that sets off the chime when the key is left in the ignition or the headlamps are left on and the driver's door is opened. The other door jamb switches do not have this circuit contacts.

 

let me start by saying this started with the radio and the odometer would go out when I hit the brakes it was that way for a couple of days then one day I went somewhere and when I left I gauges didn't want to work, I turned the radio on and the gauges started to work that is the reason I unplugged the radio I thought it was the problem but it wasn't. then I realized that when I opened the doors that is when the fuse would blow.so I found what I thought was the fuse for the dome lights and removed it and it still blow. the fuse was number 9 headlight delay, overhead console cluster, but the iod fuse still blow as soon as the door was opened. it has blown with both front doors as soon as there opened. I haven't tried it with the back doors. but if the fuse was out wouldn't that kill the power to the switches? or is this the wrong fuse for the dome lights?. couldn't find anything that said dome lights. that was the closes one to what I was looking for.

 

With the ignition switch OFF/LOCK, power to the lights comes from the battery through the IOD fuse. When the engine is running the alternator powers the IOD fuse.


The lights have power available to them from the IOD fuse and are looking for a ground. The door jamb switches, dome lamp switch, and the cargo lamp switch provide a path to ground when activated - turning the respective lights on.


Because the lamps being powered by the IOD fuse are wired in parallel, the total resistance in the circuits (each lamp is a resistor) will be less than the lowest resistance in the parallel circuits, but the amperage in these circuits is additive. The way the circuits were engineered the total amperage was limited to less than 15 amps. A direct short to ground in a ground circuit in these parallel circuits would increase the amperage draw to more than 15 amps, thus blowing the fuse.


Somewhere in your ground circuits there is a bare wire touching the chassis structure, or in some manner allowing the ground circuit wire to make direct contact with ground.


When you say when you hit the brakes the problems started. I would suspect the wiring problem is in the wiring near the brake pedal.


Maybe you should remove the trim panel and knee blocker from below the steering column and examine all the wiring close to the brake pedal for chafing/exposed wiring.


This may not be the answer but it's a step forward in troubleshooting.

 

Another thought - associated with applying the brakes:


The wiring in the liftgate includes a liftgate switch that provides a ground to the cargo bay lamp and dome lamp. The wiring from the liftgate to the body gets chafed in the area where the wiring passes through the rubber boots.


When you apply the brakes the high mounted brake light is supposed to illuminate. Perhaps the high mounted brake lamp wiring is causing the problem or the short to ground is in the liftgate wiring in this area.


Refer to this thread:


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/tai...arness-164094/

 

I will look into that tomorrow.thanks

 

dome lights, radio, and cluster all run off the same circuit.
does it happen when you open any door or a specific door?

if it's a specific door, change the door switch with a switch from a different door. if it blows again, you've got a wiring issue. if not, the switch is bad.

 

To isolate the liftgate circuit you can remove the three pin connector from the cargo lamp switch.