ok so all my lights work other than my front and rear running lights. my brake lights work yet the running lights do not. so i check it all out and when i put a new fuse in (was blown) it pops right there on the spot.. so whats my problem? wire is grounded somewhere.. ok i've searched the entire jeep for a bare wire.. none to be found. removed both lights on the rear (at the harness) and the ground isn't in the lights nor is it in the light switch (just replaced that today) no bare wires behind the fuse block, im at my limits end cause i can't drive at night now.. has anyone ever had this problem? or would you suggest anywhere else to look that i may have over looked?? and this is for an 88 cherokee pioneer

 

Your dash lights went out too I assume?

 

I see it all the time.

Pull the driver kick-panel off (the plastic behind the hood-release).

Unplug the connection for the harness running to the rear. The rear harness will go under the driver plastic sillplate. Put a new fuse in and see if it pops.

This will divide the system in half... it will rule-out all of the rear lighting and any trailer add-ons you have.

 

hey guys i found the problem however i have NO idea what it go's to. it was in the rear hatch, a blue and gray wire came to a connection part when i disconnect it everything works, i jumped the fuse with a jumper wire and felt wires till they were hot. those were the only ones that got hot. now my rear wiper motor is bad and i don't think my rear defrost works either so i can't tell if those were the problem, also my license plate light doesn't work either, but atleast i have running lights again, thanks for all the tips they sure did help.

 

I'm glad you found your problem, but please don't ever jump a fuse with wire again... don't even put a larger fuse in there.

A large portion of my job is removing interiors and dashboards to repair (or replace) wiring harnesses because someone subbed a 30-amp fuse (or a scrap of wire) where a 5- or 10-amp fuse was supposed to go.

It's not the "one wire" that burns... it's all the other important wires around it that cause the real problems.

I have customers who start with a very simple problem (like a shorted trailer harness) that pay $800+ to fix the problem that they caused with the bigger fuses destroying the body and dash harnesses.

 

My friend had a similar problem and we determined it was the license plate light shorting itself out. Try disconnecting that then put the RIGHT amp fuse in and see if thats it, good luck...Tj