prushinfox

My 2000 XJ has a remote starter... works fine, functions fine. The lights are tied into it and they work fine. When I push the light plunger switch to on... all the lights light... high beams work fine on and off. When I push the switch to off, the headlights go out, but the marker lights do not.

I drove it to a dealership right away which was only a few blocks from where I work. The alternative was to disconnect the battery. They can't figure it out.. they are a Ford place. So I keep thinking this might be a simple fix... and we have had insanely low temps here in PA. It hasn't been above 25ºF for weeks. I am going to take it home and hot wash the entire vehicle, park it in my heated garage and see if that does the trick. If not... I guess I will manually check the fuses.. and if I am lucky, maybe it's just a bad plunger switch for the lights. If not...I am at a loss. Then it will be off to the Jeep shop (groan)...

Never had a problem with Cherokee electronics before..and I have owned 3 XJ's, a Wrangler, a patriot and Rallye Compass. huh.

Well.. hope someone out there has the combination to this one. Thanks

1jeepman

Try turning the key on and back off and see if that works. Sometimes if i turn my lights off after i turned the jeep off my headlights stay on and i have to turn the key on and off to get them to go out. I don't know how you are turning them out but try turning them off before you turn the jeep off and see what that does. Don't know what causes this though. Good luck and let me know if that works.

VAXJCOUNTRY

What year is this cherokee? I used to be a professional car audio and alarm installer, now a Chrysler/Jeep tech. I think I might have an idea. Also, what brand is the remote start?

prushinfox

I tried it with the keys in, but not in the on position. Then in the on position, then without the keys. Then while running... and then when not running. I am pretty sure it is not my remote starter. I'll run those permutations again to be sure. Thanks for the thoughts.. maybe I missed something. I know that the headlights will remain on after shut down if you turn the ignition off and then try to shut them off, but they extinquish after 30 seconds. I'll post something technical when I find out what the problem is and I'll include part numbers and specific troubleshooting processes.

VAXJCOUNTRY

How can you rule out the remstart? Its hooked 12v direct to the p-lights.

prushinfox

This is a 2000 Cherokee Sport 4DR. 4WD 4.0 IL6 HO. Rough Country suspension upgrade. Police brakes and body armor. Cobra remote starter and security system. ( = I used to work in law enforcement so I like to make my jeep feel more like a border patrol vehicle.

VAXJCOUNTRY

"Police Brakes" What does that mean? Sounds like something I need to have.

I'm not sure who makes Cobra alarms. Did you install it yourself or have it installed? If you can get to the brain of the alarm, unplug the main harness and see if the lights go out. Do they pulse when the alarm is sounding or stay constant? On a DEI alarm its the white wire with a fuse in it...supplys 12v directly to the parking light wire.

prushinfox

Police grade drums and rotors. Pads are standard.

My headlight switch is fine. The fuses are fine. But some of the fuses in the 'smart fuze box?' are getting power when the key is not in the ignition. How this is happening.. I don't know. More to follow....

1jeepman

My headlights don't go out after 30 secs. i've sat watched them to see. Mine has an issue as well and it is just a every now and again but mostly when you don't want it to.

prushinfox

I disconnected it... and same problem.

prushinfox

I drove to work this morning with only the 4 way flashers working and headlights... but no markers or tail lights. It was whiteout conditions and the roads weren't plowed. geeze. So this morning when I went to the garage to the thawed out jeep, and reconnected the battery neg. the marker lights were out... I thought that was a good sign until I tried to turn them on after a very hard start... like the battery was dying.. and if that wasn't enough.. that's when I discovered I had only headlamps and 4 ways.

It's going to Jeep dealership today.

VAXJCOUNTRY

Let us know what it was.

prushinfox

I took the Jeep to a Jeep dealership. They told me it was the plunger switch. (????). I could have replaced it myself, but the Ford dealership assured me the switch was fine. Ok. So I picked up my Jeep yesterday.

The light switch worked. Now my heater fan switch only works on high. It was fine when I took it there. The remote starter works, but the marker lights don't flash like they are supposed to when it's in remote start mode.

Now I have to go back to the dealership. They were trying to tell me that my heater probably failed on it's own. I said no way and they would have big trouble if I had to pay for this. They already charged me $210. for the switch and diagnotic. I think that's really steep.

On the light side, I was invited to a 4x4 Jeep club to play this year. That was pretty cool. Found a card on my windshield from 'Tow Hook'. That was a nice surprise. Nice to know that Cherokee owners have solidarity.

More to follow.