I have a 95 Cherokee SE and my heater has been melting the plugs and over heating the wires to where you can smell them, and the last time out it was burning my eyes. I replaced the plug and heater control unit about a year ago I thought that fixed it, but its doing it again. I took it to a shop and they it needed a heat sink? and said the factory wires are to small of a gage. They said $350 would take care of it. Has anyone else had this problem?
Thanks
Rich

 

NO. The facotry wires are not under sized. You have a serious current draw. Can you or some one you know check the amps at the blower motor with an inductive amp meter?

 

Yup! I just talked to a friend who has a inductive amp meter and he said that he could take a look at it in a few days. He suspects the heater element.
Thank you

 

there is no electric heater element. It sounds like your blower motor is failing and is drawing a large amount of amps. try unplugging the blower motor and I bet the smoke and melting wires stops.

BTW that shop is full of idiots or scammers if they were really going to add a heat sink to your wiring instead of fixing the high current draw problem

Oh and make sure that inductive meter is made for DC circuits. The inductive ammeter I have is only good for AC circuits. also check your fuse block. the fuse should be blowing long before wires begin melting. sounds like a previous owner either put in a larger fuse than stock or has bypassed the fuse completely.

 

Another common problem is the fan switches themselves go bad. I know of several that have had their blower motor switch fail in a similar fashion.

 

Hey, Thank you all for taking the time to help me out with this issue. Sorry I didn't get back to you, I wasn't trying to be rude. Im fighting the flu and have been sicker than a dog since my last post here. Im just now starting to feel a little better. Oh my bad on the heater element, my friend said heater resistor and that it looks kinda like an element. Thanks again and Ill let you know how it goes once i get out there and work on it.
Rich