Ok first post. Im new to jeeps I have had an older cj for a few years. My Girl has a 97 laredo with four wheel drive and a six banger. She is having wiring issues. I want to help her out I have done some auto wiring before but my main experience is household and industrial. The tail lights are going intermittently and the ac just quite out of nowhere. I always wanted a cherokee to play with and she said I was allowed to do whatever makes me happy with her truck as long as i fix what ails the electrical first. So anyone had to battle this? Is it a notorious issue? Will be doing some searching for a replacement harness and starting a homemade winch mount and bumper soon.

 

hers sounds like a grand cherokee. is it fairly round or is it like a big square wit ha small square in front? the grands have some electrical issues, is why i ask.

i would pull the light bulbs and clean the sockets first. i had to do that on my grand cherokee

 

Hi and welcome to CF...depending on what model it is (Regular or Grand Cherokee) there will be different problems. I would first check all the grounds and plugs going to the tail lights. The AC may need to be charged, throw a pressure gauge on it to check...Tj

 

Ok so I called the local dealership and they gave me the name of their crack wiring guy so im ganna call him. Is that bad when even the dealer will give you to the guy they use? plus its alot cheaper than using them.Queitly palms face.... I found out its a Grand Cherokee. Maybe the side badge should tell you something? I was acting before looking whoopsie.

 

DIY, man. Sounds like you have enough of an electrical background to know the difference between ground and positive. The easiest would be the use of a multimeter or something to measure voltage in the range of 8-12v (so an incandescent bulb with wires works too). I'd start with the main battery cables and check for current between there and the fuse box. If the terminal in your fuse box for your tail lights is jumping around, you've isolated it to somewhere between the firewall and the battery. Otherwise, check the wires running back to the tail lights by testing the bulb sockets (sometimes they just need to be cleaned). Several XJ gurus on CF will tell you to check the ground cables from your battery to your block, then block to firewall. Cherokees are notorious for electrical gremlins from bad grounds. I'm willing to bet that's the cause of your girlfriend's intermittent AC, but it could also be the AC relay... Clean the contacts & use dielectric grease.

 

More than likely the AC and brake lights are not related. The switch for the brake lights is on the front side of the pedal under the dash. I would check that first. It will be easy to check when they don't work. If he switch has very much resistance or doesn't have current out the other side, replace it. Not hard, you just have to stand on your head to do it. The most common problem for the AC is lack of refrigerant. It is possible they charged it just to trade it in. If it has a leak, it will be a little expensive to find and fix that.

 

Im redoing the terminals and the body main ground here in about five minutes. The AC issue is a complete one. Its not even kicking on the compressor or blower. I may try it myself but im going to buy a new book. Her old mechanic ganked hers. I will give it a few shots of redneck first then I call the pro if I fail.

 

Ok new terminals and the idle is good again. it sounds right. Getting the book when I get paid. Does anyone feel haynes or chilton does better with the jeeps? I usually just buy both.

 

Hay blk, welcome to the forum. From ZS!

I would get the chilton. But hay what to I know I prefer AKs and pie!

Sorry can't help more electricals not my thing.

 

Im ganna get the chilton next,I bought the haynes first because thats what the store I was in sold.

 

Really depends on the vehicle. Chilton manuals for motorcycles are worthless. The car/trucks manuals are pretty good. Chilton manuals sometimes have incorrect torque specs or fluid information but their step by step instructions are pretty specific unlike the Haynes manual.

Haynes manuals are a great resource for torque specs and fluid information. However their step by step instructions are dated and general to each vehicle unlike the Chilton's manual.

A factory service manual though blows them both out of the water (in information and price). With a FSM you can get the best of both worlds, with the added bonus of everything you wanted or didn't want to know about your vehicle.