Crazy jeep electrical
I want to take a video to further explain my situation. But if anyone can lead me to a previous discussion or simply explain to me what I need to do that would be awesome!
So I started up the jeep a few nights ago, turned on my headlights and my right blinker light was illuminated. First thoughts were I have a burnt out bulb or a bad socket. Then I went to check. Turned the right blinker on and my low beams tail lights and left blinkers are all going when the left blinker is on.
When my headlights and running lights are off and the right blinker is engaged the clock cig lighter light and another light all flash with the blinker. Also all the bulbs are good.
I haven't had time to mess with anything yet so I'm hoping to get some feed back by the time I'm off work today. Thanks everyone!
So I started up the jeep a few nights ago, turned on my headlights and my right blinker light was illuminated. First thoughts were I have a burnt out bulb or a bad socket. Then I went to check. Turned the right blinker on and my low beams tail lights and left blinkers are all going when the left blinker is on.
When my headlights and running lights are off and the right blinker is engaged the clock cig lighter light and another light all flash with the blinker. Also all the bulbs are good.
I haven't had time to mess with anything yet so I'm hoping to get some feed back by the time I'm off work today. Thanks everyone!
Beach Bum
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,123
Likes: 22
From: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
Year: 2000 WJ
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Ground wires are in various locations and are dedicated wires. Being a 1989, I would refresh all the ground connections (remove + clean, reinstall).
Here is a diagram of engine grounds http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/...und_straps.htm
And the following from Cruiser54, https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/cr...2/#post2114737
There are 2 points on the left inner fender.
There is the engine dipstick tube stud. SUPER IMPORTANT!!
There is the ground to the lower diagonal dash brace to the left of the steering column.
There is one in behind the trim panel where the spare tire mounts.
The one on the instrument panel brace grounds a ton of things. Probably too many things as a matter of fact, given it's poor mounting point on the brace with a self tapping screw. I remove the screw that it's held on with, extend the wire, using the same gauge or bigger, and terminate it to the stud near the fusebox.
There are also grounds from the engine to chassis, notably the poor one from the back of the head to the firewall but that wouldn't affect your dash lights. Not that the engine to chassis grounding shouldn't be addressed
Here is a diagram of engine grounds http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/...und_straps.htm
And the following from Cruiser54, https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/cr...2/#post2114737
There are 2 points on the left inner fender.
There is the engine dipstick tube stud. SUPER IMPORTANT!!
There is the ground to the lower diagonal dash brace to the left of the steering column.
There is one in behind the trim panel where the spare tire mounts.
The one on the instrument panel brace grounds a ton of things. Probably too many things as a matter of fact, given it's poor mounting point on the brace with a self tapping screw. I remove the screw that it's held on with, extend the wire, using the same gauge or bigger, and terminate it to the stud near the fusebox.
There are also grounds from the engine to chassis, notably the poor one from the back of the head to the firewall but that wouldn't affect your dash lights. Not that the engine to chassis grounding shouldn't be addressed
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 47,923
Likes: 38
From: Broward County Fl.
Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
Appears to be back feeding thru headlight/running light circuit . Disconect hids from harness see what happen then.
Last edited by freegdr; Sep 6, 2015 at 02:34 PM.
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Did you see the link to the video I posted? The low beams that are on with the running lights I never noticed before. But I never have just my running lights on. So I'm guessing that's some modification the previous owner has done. Those were not the headlights in the video.
CF Veteran




Joined: May 2012
Posts: 7,965
Likes: 964
From: Lost in the wilds of Virginia
Year: 1998 Classic (I'll get it running soon....) and 02 Grand
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Yep. When things are really weird, grounds are your first suspect. People like to invent all kinds of crazy explanations and strange, far-fetched scenarios to explain crazy electrical behavior, when most of the time it's the very basic, very boring, very routine bad grounds.
Yep. When things are really weird, grounds are your first suspect. People like to invent all kinds of crazy explanations and strange, far-fetched scenarios to explain crazy electrical behavior, when most of the time it's the very basic, very boring, very routine bad grounds.
Beach Bum
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,123
Likes: 22
From: Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
Year: 2000 WJ
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran




Joined: May 2012
Posts: 7,965
Likes: 964
From: Lost in the wilds of Virginia
Year: 1998 Classic (I'll get it running soon....) and 02 Grand
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Eh, if a bad ballast did all that, something else is probably wrong.
You may cure it by going back to a stock/Putco configuration, which is not a bad idea in any case.


