SDI-XJ

The airbag control module is under the center console. If you loosen and lift the very back of it from the back seat, you will see the rectangular plug... and like the previous guy said, disconnect the battery first.

squirrel2000

i unplugged air bag control module under the console towards the rear and the gauges came back on. thanks sdi-xj for that tip. i put it all back together and the gauges stopped working again.

it dawned on me that the second day i had jeep i wanted to secure the center console better since it was wobbly. i put a self tapping screw at the rear bottom of the console into the metal and it secured it up nicely but i ran the screw through the air bag module wiring that was hidden under the carpet. when i took it all apart to unplug that module i took that tapping screw out and gauges worked. hooked it all back up and ran that screw in again through the wiring even with it unplugged and no gauges.

took it all apart again and butt connected 4 wires that i had frayed, hooked module back up, reconnected everything and gauges are working and not blowing the air bag fuse anymore.

now the airbag light comes on with key, goes out for a few seconds and comes back on. can i reset the airbag light so it stays off. all air bag stuff and all else i hooked back up, gauges are working.

with one cluster the air bag light and brake light stay lit.

on the other cluster the airbag and engine light stay lit.

any more help. you guys have helped a lot already. can't believe the wound was self inflicted. when i fist got the jeep all gauges worked and no warning lights were on.

PatHenry

As far as the cluster choice goes, I'd certainly lean toward the original. I don't know how things work in OH, but if you use the other gauge set you have now created an inaccurate odometer situation. Typically you have to declare this when dealing with the title and there may be other legal/paperwork things with registration and titling.
If you're absolutely sure that you'll never sell the Jeep and will definitely send it to a JY on the final day you have it, then the ODO discrepancy is a non-issue.

It's strange that the lights are different between the 2 gauges. You can clear a CEL easily with an OBD2 scan tool. I don't know about the air bag.

There's probably someone on this forum that knows how sensitive those air bag control modules are. It's possible that you damaged it by shorting it out and will need to replace it - but I don't know enough to advise.

I'm actually not at all surprised that the wound was self inflicted. As someone with a lot of experience with self infliction, and seeing how clean and unmolested that XJ looks, it makes sense. For future reference (again, I learned this the hard way myself ) always pay attention and don't discount seemingly separate things. When you first noticed the gauges not working, had you thought "Hey, I just put a hole in the vehicle that I couldn't see behind.." you would have had at least a good starting point. I'm not judging - I've done this too many times myself, just calling attention to it so you can avoid future pain.

On a positive note, it sounds like you've almost got this completely resolved and will have a fantastic, clean, fully functioning XJ very soon!

squirrel2000

agree about the cluster as i buy and sell cars and know the rules. was just curious about the different lights on in each cluster. not sure about the air bag module but the fuse is not blowing anymore.

really forgot about the self tapping screw and could not imagine it created the issue but it looks like it did. even when i took it out the first time i did not make the connection, until i ran it back in then it made sense.

crazy things happen and mistakes get made.

Turbo X_J

Do both clusters self test good?

Running a screw through the console is not ideal, the plastic bracket fails and that's why the console tries to fall over. Aftermarket metal versions are available

squirrel2000

those plastic mounts were very week inside the console and did not offer any support. the screw secured well but messed up the air bags and my cluster for awhile and almost drove me crazy for a week.

squirrel2000

both clusters do test good.