Im having an issue with my gauge cluster, radio, and interior light not working. After checking all the connections, IOD, passenger side fuse block, the engine compartment distribution block and replacing the ground cables from the battery to engine block, battery to fender well, and head to firewall I still have nothing. Now I need to find all the ground wires on the interior. Any help would be appreciated to get this issue resolved.

It sucks not having ANY gauges!!!!!!!!

 

From cruiser54:

There are 2 points on the left inner fender.

There is the engine dipstick tube stud. SUPER IMPORTANT!!

There is the ground to the lower diagonal dash brace to the left of the steering column.

There is one in behind the trim panel where the spare tire mounts.

The one on the instrument panel brace grounds a ton of things. Probably too many things as a matter of fact, given it's poor mounting point on the brace with a self tapping screw. I remove the screw that it's held on with, extend the wire, using the same gauge or bigger, and terminate it to the stud near the fusebox.

There are also grounds from the engine to chassis, notably the poor one from the back of the head to the firewall but that wouldn't affect your dash lights. Not that the engine to chassis grounding shouldn't be addressed.

Hope that gets you started on your way...good luck

 

update on gauge cluster, it still doesnt work lol! checked all the interior grounds, wiggled all connections, checked all fuses (interior and engine compartment) and stil nothin.

Anyone else have this issue or suggestions?

 

On a '98, all of these are on the same fuse: F16 (15A) in the Power Distribution Center under the hood (probably the same for a '99, but I don't know that).

I would start by double checking that.

 

Try looking at your ignition switch.

 

Also in Cruiser's post #18 in my sig is where our instrument ground is in earlier Jeeps.

I'm pretty clueless on the 99...but isn't the dome circuit on all the time? Thinking the gauges are on the switch, and a different fuse. The radio MEMORY might be on the dome circuit, but it's power would be on the switch as well. Pulling and cleaning any and all relay sockets/blades is never bad. M' glad I don't have as many fuses to check as you!

 

You're right, the dome light circuit is unswitched -- through fuse 16 in the PDC, which also supplies power to part of the instrument cluster, along with fuse 9 in the JB (start/run).

I was mistaken about the radio, though -- it's on a different circuit (Fuse 6 in the JB, start/run). My bad, sorry.

 

The IOD circuit was invented by the devil himself.

Here's the items powered from the IOD fuse (PDC #16):

Cargo Lamp/Switch
Left and Right Courtest Lamps
Instrument Cluster
Radio
TCM
Underhood Lamp
Left and Right Visor/Vanity Lamps
Dome Lamp switch (driver's door jamb switch)
Compass amnd Overhead Module, if you have them

Replace the IOD fuse, don't just check it.

 

have you tried the beat on the dash trick to see if the gauges come on, if so pull the cluster out and gently twist the pins a LITTLE so that they make better contact. does the dome light work by turning the headlight **** to the extreme left? Thats the only way mine work anymore

 

I pulled the PDC completely out and took all the guards off and cleaned the entire unit. Replaced the IOD with several different fuses (none were bad just thought connection wasnt there) pulled cluster out and replaced with the old one (idiot light style) and it doesnt work either. I have no dome light with the doors open, closed or the switch turned full ccw. Checked all grounds throughout the dash, wiggled all connections throughout the dash, changed radios, pulled all 4 door switches, ran seperate grounds to the cluster, seperate ground to the radio all with no results. I think im gonna start at the radio and chase wires back to the fuse box and find where im losing power and then go to the cluster with the same method. I hope i get results from that. It wouldnt bother me so much if I knew how much gas i had and could see my oil pressure! The others are optional LOL

 

Did you ever figure out the problem as I am running into the same problem?

 

Does anyone have pictures of internal ground wire points for 1999 jeep Cherokee?