So it's been happening more recently.

My rear wiper has never worked, but I tried my sprayer about a week ago to find it's working by the switch, but now when I open my tailgate up about 3/4 of the way it starts spraying.. even with the switch not depressed. It'll keep spraying until it put the back down beyond that 3/4 point.

Oddly, my rear hatch light only comes on near this same spot too, (but this has been happening for awhile now and doesn't bother me like the sprayer)

Let me know what you guy think is causing this and how I can fix it.

Thanks

 

If you didn't mention the light I would have said that there was a kink in the hose and that moving the hatch unkinked it and released the pressure that had built up.
My guess would be that unless it, the hatch, is in this position, it has no good electrical ground.

 

Me thinks there's a short between the overhead switch and the sprayer control line. If you try the sprayer from the switch does your lamp go on? Definitely check the wiring.

 

^^This is what it sounds like to me too.

 

remove the left wiring boot of the hatch to inspect the cables, they tend to split with the hatch opening/closing over the years.

I just rewired my 01 xj in that area, the ones split in mine were the stop light and license plate lights. it took me about 2 hours to rewire all of them not just the stop and license plate, and the hardest part was reinstalling the boot.

also if you don't want to fix the wiring you can remove the plastic cover of the gate and disconnect the rear wiper socket.