So I picked up a 2000 Cherokee that had the minor issue of continually blowing out the little 5 amp fuse in the passenger kick panel and causing the gauge lights to not work. The previous owner(s) had installed a block heater, remote start, and crappy stereo. Pulled the head unit out and changed the fuse - Hey, problem solved!

Then I plugged in a different stereo.

It didn't work at all so I took it back out and left all the connectors hanging.

Now none of the gauges so much as tremble when I start 'er up. Dash lights all work but interior lights don't. No odometer reading at all. Idiot lights all still work, even the low fuel light/buzzer.

I'm guessing that the wiring is all screwed up from too many inexperienced home mechanics messing with it. But does anybody know what I could have fried? All the fuses in the kick panel are good and I've done the computer reset.

Thanks,
Jules

 

Check all fuses under the hood cause there a lil red ten amp fuse for the interiors under the hood in the main fuse box

 

Check the "IOD" fuse in the Power Distribution Center (PDC) in the engine bay. It's a 15Amp fuse. The IOD can be located by looking at the inside of the PDC cover. It shows the location of the fuse.

That 5 Amp fuse you changed is, in fact, for the instrument cluster illumination lamps. You should check fuse #9, 10 Amp, in the Junction Block fuse panel. It powers the instrument cluster as well as the IOD fuse. Fuse #9 in the JB is three fuses down from that 5 Amp fuse.

 

Just out of curiosity, go smack the top of your dash above the gauges...

That usually works.