When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
I had a amp draw that I was having trouble finding and my left rear tail light was out, bulb good. Huh.... so I suspected the trailer lighting module. I took it apart and found the plug to the module was fried and the plug that goes to the tail light was fine. Problem is, the harness connector is also fried. So now I have to splice the module plug into the tail light harness because I doubt seriously I'll find a new plug anywhere. Here's a pic of the 2 connectors. The plug on the left is the one that plugs the module into the tail light harness. The one on the right is the module connector that goes to the tail light. I have to be creative matching the color code.
It's behind the side panel where the spare tire mounts. There are I think 4 connectors on a holder. The trailer module splices into the last one before the tail light. It's a lot easier to work on if you cut the plastic pushpins that hold the rack. Just replace them to secure it when you're finished. What's nice is you can get those pushpins at any decent hardware store.
Thanks, Duma! I couldn't figure out how to transfer that photo you posted on another thread, or ever if I was allowed to. BTW, that photo helped me tremendously! The connector I'm working with is C322, so next I went to my FSM wiring diagrams and looked at color codes. It looks like everything is the same as the plug off the trailer module.
QUESTION! Can you solder over a bare crimp connector? I've never tried it before, but doing this outside in the rain at 36*, I doubt my soldering gun will work well enough. Maybe if I cover the back end with a trap to keep out the wind?
Glad you posted this. I don’t have an amp draw problem, but I’m having a weird blinker problem. I’m getting the quick flash that indicates a bulb out on my left turn signal. But when my trailer connector is plugged in, the quick blink switches back to a normal blink so long as the brake pedal is depressed. This should be a fun one to figure out.
By the way, for expediency, I decided to eliminate the trailer connection for the present so I could drive this beast. The body harness connector is the same shape as the output connector for the trailer module and has all the connections I needed to make the left tail light work. HOWEVER all the color codes and wire gauge sizes are different! PLUS there are wires for the right tail light you don't need. What I did was put that module connector on the tail light plug and strip& crimp connectors to the wires I needed. THEN I held that module plug next to the melted harness plug and one-by-one, cut and crimped the wires from the same terminals that I already had connectors crimped to, leaving the ones for the right tail light on the bad connector. That way in the future I can fix it so a trailer module will still work. I checked out all the lights and everything works! Fantastic!
For those of you that DON'T have a jeep set up for the tow package, that C322 connector has different wiring than one that doesn't. There are RIGHT side tail light supply wires in it for the trailer module as well as the normal wires for the LEFT tail light in the tow package one.
Now imagine working outside in the cold and rain under the hatch, trying to stay dry and you'll understand why I didn't solder them! Those 18 and 20 guage wires probably should have been soldered.
AND ANOTHER THING! I believe the reason that the plug shorted is my fender is rotted where the flare mounts and I can see daylight thru there, so I imagine salt water entered there and caused the problem. I'll do something about that before I install the side panel. My thoughts are about using spray foam insulation, but That stuff might be interesting to get out to repair it right.
I do know that pain and i need to splice about 7 wires in that back harness tomorrow...lol I don't have the tow package just stupid lights that hate me and somehow i managed to mess up my hatch latch. Live and learn! Glad you got it squared!
Just a bit of friendly advise. If you're going to use shrink tubing, don't forget to put it on the wire BEFORE you solder or crimp them together! Voice of experience here. D'oh!
By the way, for expediency, I decided to eliminate the trailer connection for the present so I could drive this beast. The body harness connector is the same shape as the output connector for the trailer module and has all the connections I needed to make the left tail light work. HOWEVER all the color codes and wire gauge sizes are different! PLUS there are wires for the right tail light you don't need. What I did was put that module connector on the tail light plug and strip& crimp connectors to the wires I needed. THEN I held that module plug next to the melted harness plug and one-by-one, cut and crimped the wires from the same terminals that I already had connectors crimped to, leaving the ones for the right tail light on the bad connector. That way in the future I can fix it so a trailer module will still work. I checked out all the lights and everything works! Fantastic!
For those of you that DON'T have a jeep set up for the tow package, that C322 connector has different wiring than one that doesn't. There are RIGHT side tail light supply wires in it for the trailer module as well as the normal wires for the LEFT tail light in the tow package one.
Now imagine working outside in the cold and rain under the hatch, trying to stay dry and you'll understand why I didn't solder them! Those 18 and 20 guage wires probably should have been soldered.
AND ANOTHER THING! I believe the reason that the plug shorted is my fender is rotted where the flare mounts and I can see daylight thru there, so I imagine salt water entered there and caused the problem. I'll do something about that before I install the side panel. My thoughts are about using spray foam insulation, but That stuff might be interesting to get out to repair it right.
Same thing happened to me in the winter 3 years ago. Burnt up the same connector. I spliced up everything and used spray foam to stop water from coming in and then covered all the foam with rubberized spray. Still holding up perfectly.
Just a bit of friendly advise. If you're going to use shrink tubing, don't forget to put it on the wire BEFORE you solder or crimp them together! Voice of experience here. D'oh!
oh I did this also hahahahahahaha. After I soldered the wires.
10-26-2018, 03:05 PM
I found my electrical problem!
