Sorry not highjacking thread.. If you can help me great. I am posting this because i found that the gauge wiring harness causes all kinds of problems.. Click the link in my post and please give me some ideas also. Hope this helps.. apparently its a common problem?

HELP! Wierd electrical problem - Jeep Dies
Need help: I have a 2001 sport. Here is what’s happening. About 1 months after getting the truck used last year I was driving along and all of the sudden a warning light in red pops on "Check Gauges" and the VOLT meter was pinned all the way to the full positive side of the gauge. I said to myself wow.. what the hell! truck was running fine.. So i was at a light and i shut it off and it started back up fine, warning gone and away I went.. 4 months later same thing happened.. It only happened about 3 times in the last 12 months and i simply shut it off to fix the warning..

Yesterday I ran the truck up a snow mountain for fun.. I drive away and all of the sudden the 'Check Gauges" light comes on and the volt gauge is pegged all the way to max volts. So as i have done before I shut it off to correct.. HOWEVER, it wont restart, no power whatsoever.. not even flasher power. completely dead.. for 5 minutes I’m sitting at the entrance to a parkway here on Long Island with no power at all... So i look at the tachometer and its sitting at about 300rpm.. I just glanced at it.. my next thing was to turn on and off the headlights for whatever reason to try and jolt something.. as i was doing this I watched the tachometer go down about 50rpm each time I turned the headlights on and off.. when the tach read zero I turned the key and the truck started right up like no problem.. LOL

I proceeded to Best buy to buy something. I came out, opened my door with manual key, unlocked the passenger door for my son with the power lock. I put the key in to start and DEAD no power nothing.. I hit the power lock again and this time dead?? Im saying WTF! No reading on tach.. pulling headlight lever on off nothing.. I pop hood and play around with batter wires.. etc.. more wires tapping.. Then the truck starts..

I got it home and parked it.. Im using my convertible now! What could this be?? I hate to start replacing wires for no reason..

No fuses blown, battery terminals are clean and tight though covered in oil and dirt by the starter..

I found this write up on trouble spots with these trucks.. could the gauge cluster harness be doing a complete NO power situation? Take a look at these issues..
http://www.fourwheeler.com/buyersguides/129_0606_1984_2001_jeep_cherokee_xj/troubles.html

Please help.. should I change the battery cables with a whole new setup?

 

I paid 200 for the fix to an electrical shop.. Corroded battery cables and a ground short in a wire under the dash. Problem solved but at a price..

Sometimes you have to take it to a specialist.. I would have NEVER found a ground short under the dash inside a million wires on my own.