Not sure if it’s been asked yet, but this morning I realized my turn signals wouldn’t work. I get mad and bang the steering wheel with both fists and subsequently the Jeep cuts off while I’m driving. Any clue what might be happening or need fixing? New rack?

 

Sounds like a wiring issue in your steering column.

A 95 uses a steering gear and tie rods (the same setup they use on all the XJ's, Wranglers, etc. for the last ~40 years).

Your airbag is entirely mechanical, but there are the horn buttons, so I'd assume there's a clock spring or something like that in the column wiring. I doubt that's the issue as it wouldn't connect to the engine. However you also have the multi-function switch (the blinkers and wipers) and the ignition switch in the column as well. There's a lot of wiring through that ignition switch, so I'd suspect that something might be bad with the 24 year old wiring in there. That would explain the Jeep cutting out while driving after banging on the wheel.

Jump on www.Cruiser54.com -> Technical manuals link (on the left) and download the Factory Service Manual for your 95 and start looking at the wiring diagrams and stuff for the ignition switch. When you're familiar with that stuff, open it up and start going through the wiring and repair anything that's broken that you can find.

 

would it be cheap to replace the entire steering column?

 

Probably not. I'd be interested if you can find a complete column available anywhere outside of a junkyard. Even then, if the wiring issue is just beyond the connectors, you could replace the whole column without fixing the issue.

You could definitely get a new ignition switch and multi-function switch and replace them while you have the thing apart. That would be a pretty simple job and would not be too terribly expensive.

 

Cool deal. Thanks for the help! Sometimes this thing wants me to give up on it

 

My son had a 95 and I would adjust the steering column when I drove it. That caused the lights not to work right.

 

Problem fixed! A short in the ignition switch had fried the switch. New switch and lock cylinder, BAM all the weird issues gone.