I just installed the upgrade harness on my '01. The only problem is that the high beams only seem to work "when they want to." That is to say that sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Am I correct in thinking that I just need to go through, and make sure all connections and grounds are in good shape? My guess is that if the harness was faulty, then there would be no high beams at all.

As always, any input is much appreciated!

 

Check the condition of the headlight plug in the original harness you used as a link for the upgrade harness. A little bit of corrosion can make for a faulty connection. Remember that harness is now only required to deliver enough amps to pull in a relay, not the 4+ amps of the headlight. Each filament of a 55 watt halogen headlight draws about 4 amps. I had to clean my plug because it was green inside. I used an old point file, but a nail file works well. (2000 Cherokee, Upstate NY)

 

Just to be clear, the intermittent high beam issue only started *after* doing the upgrade? If so, it's certainly the harness upgrade that's the prime suspect. On a 20 year old Jeep, you easily could have jostled something, pushed a connector out, etc. Clean the connections and inspect them. There's contact cleaner you can buy at any parts retailer or hardware store that works well. It's always possible the high beam relay is flakey.. it might be worthwhile to swap it out (even switch the harness ones and see if the low beams start showing the flakey behavior) - a replacement relay is only a few bucks - any parts store can cross reference the part number off the relay to find a match.

If the intermittent behavior preceded the upgrade or wasn't directly coincidental, you might also consider the possibility the column switch (the bar you push to activate the high beams) is dying. It's easier and cheaper to replace than you might expect.

 

Thanks guys. Yes, this only started after installing the harness. I'll go through as mentioned, and clean the plug and make sure everything is clean and secure. I'll report back.

Thanks again!

 

Exactly. Back when I used to install cellphones for a living, the cars I dreaded most were the old ones. Plastic gets brittle, parts age. Bump the wrong thing and a stereo quits working and I have to fix it.



CRC is an en excellent brand.

 

Cruiser, this link good for a 92, as well?

 

I'm not Cruiser, but that's the exact same harness I used on my 2000 XJ. The socket that black male plug fits into is where I had the corrosion problem.