Canadaguy

sorry guys, i got one hell of an introduction post but here goes.....?

the other day i picked up a 92 2door with a 4.0L, and while driving during that "dark enough for people to flash their highbeams if you don't have your headlights on" period i proceeded to turn my headlights on as anyone would.....

except i got nothing but marker lights, and instantly blinded by the inherently bright blue highbeam dash light, tried switching to lowbeams, nothing happened, still no lights, still bright blue dash light.

no idea where to look here, haven't tried replacement headlights yet, but i'm gonna give that a shot when the rain stops, if they do work however, i want to be able to switch out of my highbeams, mainly due to the fact that i'm currently sitting 5 inches higher than factory spec, so i don't want to blind everybody (more than a lifted xj normally would)

now, along with that issue came some rain....no big deal, i got wipers right?......WRONG, my windshield wipers seem to be there for appearance only, i have since then replaced the wiper motor with a known good wiper motor from my old DD (94 4door), still no wipers, dont know where to look next.

last electrical issue, found this one really quickly....when i use my right turn signal, it comes on and stays on solid, no blinking, this one i'm thinking could maybe be a burnt out bulb cause mopar has always been famous for that kind of thing (wouldn't it just flash really fast though?), or possibly the flasher relay died?

and last but not least (being canadian and all)....my HVAC panel doesn't seem to want to move the blend door when i change settings, everything comes out of the front defrost vent....no matter what.

now from what i remember when dealing with this issue in my old ford bronco, this could mean a pretty gnarly vacuum leak, or the blend door is just stuck, so later i'll try to beat the blend door free (through the center dash vent) and if that doesn't work, any ideas where to start looking? common problem spots ect...?

EDIT: i also recall reading a thread on naxja that mentioned a brown wire on the ignition switch that takes way too much of an electrical load, could wiring in some kind of relay on that circuit to lessen the load resolve some of these issues? (iirc, some if not all of my problematic circuits run through this wire?)

Radi

Headlights- the power runs directly through the headlight switch (which commonly fails), then to the high/low dimmer switch, then off to the bulbs. There are no relays involved. A switch, another switch, some wire, the bulbs. That's it.
Start at the bulbs and work your way back. See if you have power at the sockets. If you DO, the bulbs are shot, or the ground connections are shot.
If you do NOT, check for power at the plug on the back of the headlight switch. If you have power there....change the dimmer switch.

Wipers- fuse is OK? If so, same process. Check for power at the motor connector and work back to the switch.

HVAC- the damper doors are vacuum operated. Either you have a vacuum leak, or the rubber control line is broken, disconnected or rotted.
Defrost is the default position when there is no vacuum. Because the system was designed in Kenosha where we have winter, lol. Had it been designed in Arizona, "AC" might've been default. Anyhow..

Turn signal- are all the bulbs lighting up?

Basslicks

^^^Everything Radi said^^^

ADDED: - I had a similar problem in mine (also a 92)... there are TWO flashers... one for the turn signals, one for the hazard lights... these came from the factory with a very weak thermal flasher - replace them with a mechanical flasher (I think it was 9 bucks from autozone) and you're problem should be solved. Evidentally, chrysler didn't design a burnt out bulb indicator - as my left rear bulb burnt out a couple of weeks ago and the flashing pattern hasn't changed.

kjc

Wipers: Check the wiper speed control module.. I went to replace mine, and found it was just disconnected. Mine's a '93 gc laredo and the wiper module was under the driver side kick panel.
*Lights: I'd check the connections on the multi-function switch (and the switch itself) if you have one. This could affect headlights, signals and wipers.
*Vents: I'd say you're right about the vacuum leak.. when there's a leak the vents 'default' to the defrost position. Good luck! Sounds like a fun project

asuderma

X2

Same just happened to me

belvedere

Found anything yet? I've got similar symptoms on a new-to-me 98 Cherokee: when I turn on the headlights, they come on very dim, the hi-beam indicator comes on, and the right turn signal indicator comes on. Also, the right turn signal won't flash (just stays on solid). This all disappears when I turn off the headlights. Sure sounds like a ground issue to me, but I'm new to Cherokees, so any advice is welcome.