Put in a new headlight switch in my 98 cherokee sport 2 door and the interior lights wont go off now. Yes the switch is turned off as far as interior lights go. I fixed ground issues, checked fuse boxes and replaced 1 fuse before fixing the ground, checked all the door switches and they still won't go out and stay out. I'd hit a bump they go out, and hit another they come on. Slam the doors they flicker but won't go out. Then after sitting for about 20 min they went out and then came back on and now are off again an hour later. Tomorrow I plan on tracing all the wires out I guess, but was hoping somebody might have advice on where to maybe start.
thanks in advance!

 

Have you reset your ECU?

 

I had the negative post off for about 30 min fixing grounds

 

If it's not the new headlight switch, I'd start looking at the door switches.

 

I've already checked them.

 

I did this on my zj, pulled out the body control module and could check the inputs for each door there against a chart. Pretty sure you should be able to do the same thing.
I will know soon enough, my xj now has this exact problem, interior lights won't go off. I suspect the wire to the back door switch is compromised under the floor piece for the door.

 

So this will be a lengthy update so I can explain everything done up to date.

initially the headlights would not go off on my jeep, and as i messed with the headlight switch I finally got the head lights to go off. As I have had this happen in several other vehicles I've worked on through the years I replaced the switch. When I did I removed the instrument cluster and replaced all the bulbs with new LED bulbs. As I was doing so I realized I was short 3 bulbs and left those alone till the rest of my bulbs come in. I also realized the spot for the bulb for the shift light was open and could not remember if it was already that way or not... I recently found out that I have been diagnosed with an issue in my brain affecting memory and motor function as to why I couldn't remember. Anyways, I put the new switch in, replaced the instrument cluster and buttoned it back up. At that point I needed to address the ground to the battery and fender wall as wall. I will be cleaning up the one on the block at the coil and on the firewall that goes to the back of the valve cover tomorrow and looking at the rest. After doing so I noticed the interior lights would not stay off. They now wont go off at all now. So I checked all the door switches and nothing there. Got tires on it Friday, had them disconnect the battery since I was picking it up this morning and when I reconnected the battery the lights were out. Went to Walmart and got back in it and now the lights wont go out again. So I brought it home and connected my meter to the negative post then negative cable and instantly got 3.61. I started pulling fuses in the box under the hood, and when I got to position 16s fuse it zeroed out my meter. That fuse controls Dome Lamp, Cargo Lamp, Instrument Cluster, Courtesy Lamp, Radio, Transmission Control Module, Underhood Lamp, Visor/Vanity Lamp, Overhead Console, Remote Keyless Entry Module, Glove Box Lamp, Compass, Left Front Power Lock/Window Switch ('97 - LHD), Right Front Power Lock/Window Switch ('97 - LHD). I continued to pull all the fuses and relays and nothing happened. The relays were all good as well. So I went back to the fuse that had the issue and still the same. I pulled all the fuses in the interior kick panel and still no change. At that point I moved on to installing the Kaslight H4 headlight relay harness and my HWstar LED headlights. They have wires for day running lights and the blinkers that need to be connected. As the XJ doesn't have day time running lights i just connected the blinkers to the single wire and the outer most bulb in the blinkers below my headlights as all the videos show to do that. I used the middle wire like it.calls for and the lights worked.great but the blinkers in the actual new headlight only lit up but won't blink. My draw did drop a little.after doing the installs. Down from.3.60 to 3.40, a little drop. So now my interior lights wont come go off still, the headlights are back to not going off unless I turn them off and on several times like the new switch is bad. And now it won't start, I can't hear the fuel pump.coming on at this point. It just spins over. I pulled the fuel pump Relay and tested it. It's good. Idk what to do. Tomorrow I'm putting it in our shop and going to disconnect the alternator and see, as well as check all grounds. Would a bad ground cause this or would it be more likely there's a broken wire shorting across somewhere between there and the inside fuse box? Idk what to do or starting point at this go around. This one has me stumped.

 

………..

 

concerning the fuel pump...
There is a ground connection for the fuel pump in the back left of the jeep.... behind the emergency spare tire.

in my case, the window was leaking and corroded the ground terminals.

The wiring for the fuel pump comes from the pump and through a rubber grommet under the drivers side rear seat .... pull the carpet you will see it.
I found the ground wire from the pump and made a ground connection right there to good clean metal.

Instantly the jeep was running great...

THIS was after replacing the fuel pump and about every engine sensor....

anyway, that rear ground connection is rarely mentioned....

maybe it effects the lights also....

 

Well problem has been resolved. The Overhead Console ended up having several wires chewed up by mice, the jeep had been sitting for months in the country and I have since started spraying it down with peppermint oil to help get rid of them. So I disconnected the wires and the draw went from 3.70 to 1.72, then I disconnected the rear interior lights and it went to 1.42. I then disconnected the speakers in the rear sound bar that it came with built into the headliner and it went to 1.02 so I took the bulbs out of both front kick panels and it went to 0.00 finally. My plan is to trace out the wires to the lights in the kick panels to make sure nothing is chewed up there and replaced the speakers. I'm also going to rewire the console too.

 

Saw something on YouTube of a guy who found a wire rubbing against the frame behind the rear hatch passenger side kick panel.

 

Yeah, I've gone through all of that. I've even checked the wiring in the rear hatch and where it's in the room between the rear hatch and body and it was all good.

 

On my zj I got a pin out of the body control module and was able to locate what was keeping the lights on, you can check the individual inputs for each door etc