Jmaddox22472

Hello everyone,
I recently joined this forum and I hope that someone can be of help. I have a 1998 Jeep XJ. My son drives the car and yesterday he said that it was acting "weird." Of course that told me absolutely nothing so I had him bring it home. Yep, it was acting weird. The automatic door locks wouldn't work with the key FOB or the switch on driver and passenger door. The rear wiper contantly worked even though it wasn't on. Eventually all the gauges on the dash stopped working. I took the cluster out, put it back in and now the gauges are working......except when I pull the headlight switch out, the tach drops to zero and the airbag light comes on. Check engine light is on too. I tried to pull codes but nothing came up. All fuses under hood and kick panel seem good. I'm at a loss. Airbag control module isn't under the seat so I assume its been moved already. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jmaddox22472

And door locks still aren't working. I can hear a buzzing sound like they are getting some power, but not enough to unlock or lock the door. I also can hear and feel a relay in the kick panel getting energized. Sorry such a long post, but this is confusing the **** out of me.

westikle

i haven't any advice for you but i've subscribed to this thread as i have some wiring issues as well. nothing like yours though. how long have you had the jeep? seems like a weird problem to just appear out of nowhere.

Jmaddox22472

I have had it less then a year. Gauge cluster isn't working again. Pulled fuse so rear wiper wont work. Engine light is now on. Door locks not working with key fob or door buttons. Work manually though. Going to work on it Thurs when I get a day off..

hidetheid

I had a vw with the same sort of problems it was a faulty fuse pannle from a leaky windshield. Might be a place to look

Jmaddox22472

Thanks I will definitely look at that. It rained the day before everything went screwy.

Jmaddox22472

Did you just replace the fuse panel? How did you determine that?

Shadowwar

I would check the grounds under the hood. All these gremlins really sound like a ground issue.

Jmaddox22472

I was going to start with grounds under hood. Just fixed oil pan leak. Engine and under pretty caked with grease. Are there just the 3 major grounds under the hood?

XJ JoeyD

I have a factory service manual for a 98 XJ.. If your in need of specific diagrams let me know and I'll post them for ya

Jmaddox22472

Ok thanks for everyone's advice.

4.0

Do you have a diagram that shows what fuse controls what circut ? I have found the fuse panel but nothing telling me what fuse controls what on the jeep? TYIA Matt

DFlintstone

I agree only on the grounds that silly odd things are often grounds. Also multiple things can share a ground. There is some important business there around the base of the dipstick tube. (PCM, (or ECM), TCU, some sensors, may all ground there). While your at it that breaded strap from the back of the head to the firewall needs to be nify as well. Plenty have added a second engine to chassis ground. I'd ask him if that all happened at once. Maybe there is more than one problem.
System voltage should stay 13 something at least while it's running. Mine idles at over 14 with high beams and the blower on high.

DFlintstone

There might be some info on that here: http://www.greatlakesxj.com/tech.html

Jmaddox22472

Yes everything happened at once. Tomorrow I will tear into it and start with the grounds. When I try to unlock the doors with the button on the passenger side door, I can hear and feel the relay in the fuse kick panel buzzing and vibrating. Last night my son tried to manually turn on the overhead console light and it made the light on the rear defroster switch and the lights for the shifter and 4wd lever go off and on. Maybe a short somewhere? Electrical sucks.