Please Help!!!!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Near Wilmington, NC
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
This evening I went to my dad's house when I went to leave my baby spit and sputtered for a few. I turned her off grabbed my code reader when the light turned on and had only a P0505. No worries drove three miles up the road and the Seahawk died. I checked the wiring for the battery moved the positive wire and she started but no headlights turned flashers on and drive home about 3 miles in the dark. She starts now with no engine light on but when I turn on headlights they still don't work but the park lamps, brake lamps, interior lamps, and IC do. She is my DD and I really need to get her working again But have no manual to check wiring diagrams to help me along. Please Help I really appreciate your time and really need help.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,489
Likes: 24
From: Nor-Cal Coast
Year: 90,84
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0,2.5
I can't really help, but maybe a start here;.
Battery gasses have a nasty habit of helping a thin, hard crust form on the bat post's and clamps. They can look pretty good, but that micro-thin layer is a surprisingly good insulator. SHINNY! Lead is what you want. I use a pocket knife, (gently), for the insides of the clamps. For the posts I might use one of those post cleaner wire brushes, but still scrape it with a blade. If you have a condition where you have power, (dash lights ect.), then when you hit it power goes out altogether, that's a common result of a layer of oxidization there. Btw, a half *** connection could be expected to get hot during cranking, or while it's trying. Cleaning those is something to do now and then anyway, so it you are having starting problems, you might want to make sure you have bare lead on lead. Might save you some grief!
Battery gasses have a nasty habit of helping a thin, hard crust form on the bat post's and clamps. They can look pretty good, but that micro-thin layer is a surprisingly good insulator. SHINNY! Lead is what you want. I use a pocket knife, (gently), for the insides of the clamps. For the posts I might use one of those post cleaner wire brushes, but still scrape it with a blade. If you have a condition where you have power, (dash lights ect.), then when you hit it power goes out altogether, that's a common result of a layer of oxidization there. Btw, a half *** connection could be expected to get hot during cranking, or while it's trying. Cleaning those is something to do now and then anyway, so it you are having starting problems, you might want to make sure you have bare lead on lead. Might save you some grief!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Near Wilmington, NC
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
I am going to make new positive cables today. the battery grounds are good I made them from welding leads about 6 months ago and used a good marine style terminal at the battery for the negative. Then I will report back. BTW She is a 4.0 Auto 4x4
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Near Wilmington, NC
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Is now starting every time but headlamps still don't work. IC lights turn on along with park lamps, turn signals, flashers and interior lamps. Headlamp switch was replaced with a napa part about a year ago. It is just weird everything died but now only the headlamps are having a problem.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,168
Likes: 4
From: Williamsport, Pa
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Check the bulbs first. I've seen it happen before. I had a customer that brought his Chevy truck back after I installed a Navigation system, and said that his headlights no longer worked and that it must be something we did, even though the system was put in over 2 weeks prior to this. Turns out both his headlights were bad- not our fault.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Near Wilmington, NC
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Replaced lamps with new ones I had and nothing except for I noticed passenger side harness all jacked up. Must have been from the deer I hit a few months back. Anyways checked powers and grounds and switch wasn't working properly so I replaced both headlight harnesses and the fuses and switch and she has never been brighter. Thanks for the input.


