96ckeecntry

I have an odd issue on my jeep. I keep blowing fuse #9 on the interior which controls my power locks, cd player, map lights, under dash light, and probably some other things too. Was hoping for some ideas on how to trace out the short or whatever is causing my problem.

Here's what makes it even more odd. Prior to this morning I was happily using a fuse in this location. I used a Innova obd2 scan tool to clear my o2 sensor code in the computer and as soon as I did this I could no longer keep a fuse from blowing in this location on the fusebox. It's as if the jeep was happy with a fuse there as long as the check engine lamp was on but after i turned it off then it was no longer cool with the current there.

I had already replaced this fuse a few weeks ago because it blew out back in the summer and I never knew why. Also middle of last summer I used the scan tool to read and then clear a code. So i am guessing that is what blew it out back then as well. When I replaced the fuse last time the check engine light was on and the fuse didn't immediately blow.

Now not so lucky. It's been raining buckets here today so i haven't gotten to measure the amperage across that fuse panel location. I'll tell you that it blew a 15amp out immediately though. It normally takes a 10.

I'm still new to my jeep but I don't mind learning and trying to find the source here. I definitely don't have money to let the dealership find the issue for me.

thanks for any help/tips! it sucks with no tunes on the road.

NovaTJ

This may sound "Fringe", but usually you look for what stops working when the fuse blows and start disconnecting till it stops blowing that fuse. If you wonder where to look other than those places, try an old trick. Here is the "Fringe" trick:get a compass, either a good hunter's compass or one from a box of "Cracker Jacks". When the short happens...the needle on the compass will point to the direction of the short due to the created magnetic field. Start looking there. This has worked for me by pointing to a shorted positive wire near the starter motor. Common places to start are passenger side front floor under the carpet, drivers side too near the console. These areas trap water/moisture and cause shorted wires and bad grounds. Best of luck...Greg

96ckeecntry

I wouldn't have ever thought of using a compass. Clever.

I took a look and it looks like the previous owner wired in some accessories that may/may not still be in the car so i'm going to remove that mess and then unhook everything. For all I know it could be a bad job on the cd player causing the issue so i might start with that first.

Either way, it's going for inspection tomorrow and then it will get driven all week and probably parked for an extended time so I can figure this problem out.

96ckeecntry

ok so after poking around my problem may go a bit further than just this single circuit. I'm trying to find a full set of the interior electrical diagrams, can anyone point me to them? My chilton book does not have it.

96ckeecntry

today I messed with the jeep some to try and find the wiring issues here.

unhooked the cd player (because I thought it might be the culprit here) and checked the power at the fuse block where I kept blowing fuses. No power. Weird. Must be because I got pissed and jammed a 20A fuse in the 10A spot a week ago. I know better now, lol.

Under the hood I found that the 20 amp yellow mini-bus fuse was blown. Replaced that. Checked for power at fuse block. Now we have juice. Put in a fuse because I could not get my multimeter set to show me DC amps. And everything came to life (locks, interior lighting). Plugged in cd player. It powered on and didn't blow the fuse, so I know that's not the culprit.

Cranked the motor. Check engine light is on now. Code is p1491.

I know that if I clear the code it is going to blow the fuse to my interior circuit again.

I see that 1491 is a radiator temp sensor relay? I wrecked a couple years back and honestly don't remember if I have heard my fans kick on since I replaced it. There's a good chance this relay is damaged or the wires got messed up when I played tag with an Xterra.

Dre

Wait, any damage to the fan? What year Jeep? I would thing it is probably the fan or the relay. Check all the wires near where you had the problem or accident. But I'm wondering if it is in the cluster or computer. It sounds like the check engine is disabling the problem. When you clear it, the item is operating. If the fan is bad, it could do that. Disconnect the fan. Check the o2 sensor and the temp sensor.

Posted by: Dre

96ckeecntry

Thanks for the comments Dre. I will try that this afternoon. It's a 96' Cherokee Country edition.

when I wrecked I replaced the electric fan because it smashed into the power steering pump's pulley and broke a few blades off of the fan assembly. Replaced with a generic from RockAuto.

Where is the relay at?

Dre

Good question! I want to say in the fuse block near the battery.

Posted by: Dre

96ckeecntry

put in a new blower motor, new blower resistor, and fan switch. Checked wiring on cd player and looked for loose stuff under dash but didn't find anything weird.

Then bought and installed a new relay for the electric fan and reset the battery.

So far the problem seems to be solved. I guess the relay was bad.

Dre

Cool!

Posted by: Dre

96ckeecntry

yeah I spoke too soon. While it was sitting in the garage everything was working great. Took it for a drive yesterday and hit the power locks switch when I parked at the grocery store and when I came back to the car the fuse had blown. I can only figure that it blew when I hit the power lock switch.

Not sure what to do now. I have purchased some factory service manuals and they have wire diagrams but I'm still learning to decipher them.

I've been told I can unhook everything on the problem circuit and get it to not blow out the fuse. And then add stuff back in one by one until I blow the fuse. Whatever the last item you hook up before the fuse blows is the problem item. My friend makes it sound very easy over the phone but i've not done any electrical fixing like this before and I know I can't afford to let the dealer fix it.

If anyone else has had this issue post and let me know what your fix was. My only affected items are the dash lights, cd player, power locks, and cabin lighting. The instrument cluster lights and the power windows still work though. It's fuse #9, a 10a.

MurrDogg

Dude, if you figure it out please post up! I am having the SAME issue on my 94. only my windows do not work either.... I have been poking and prodding around trying to figure it all out too!

Good luck man, If I have success with my problem I will be sure to post up!

-MurrDogg

MurrDogg

I did some searching around, and I found an article that said to check the wiring harness under the carpet on the drivers side.

In their infinite wisdom, the engineers at Chrysler decided to run part of the factory harness under the carpet on the drivers side! Yeah that's right. Your feet are right on top of this harness, rubbing it between the carpet and the floorboard of the vehicle! sooner or later, you will wear through the harness, and it will short out under your carpet causing fuses to blow out, and wreaking havoc on your electrical system!!






thats ^^ what I get to fix!


Good luck!

-Murrdogg

grsmnky1

Out of the three xj's I've owned I've had to repair the wiring under the drivers rug up under the gas pedal. My lard *** must crush those wires real good because one had arc welded itself to the floor and was still completing the curcuit most of the time. I believe the o2 relay runs throght that harness but I could be mistaken.

3278

This was my immediate thought as soon as you said "wiring problem," actually. Wish I'd read the thread earlier!

Not only do your feet sit over these wires all the time, but they're also the first thing to get soaked with salty water from shoes in the winter if you live in the rust belt. My whole floorboard is missing, so obviously the wiring down there - which controls passenger locks and windows, among other things - is wrecked.

I recommend cutting well above and below the effected area, and then splicing in a longer section to you can reroute, say closer to the transmission tunnel, or really just anywhere your wet feet won't be on them all the time.