Bossman65

1997 Grand cherokee. When the headlights are turned on the dash panel lights and interior light fuse blows. Any help on where to start would be appreciated( bad switch, bad ground, etc.) Thanks

Addition info: dash panel/lights and door interior lights completely dead when fuse blows (no gauges work). Interior lights work fine on switch. Everything else works fine, power mirrors, windows, overhead console, stereo, etc.

RRAM

well does this happen only when the headlights are on, or when you turn the tail lights on. I ask because on dodge trucks the tail lights and dash lights were on the same fuse. should have nothing to do with head lights. so that said I would be looking at maybe a short in a tail light.
Rereading your post, do you have 2 fuses blowing or is this one fuse that has the interior light on it as well. I have not had much to do with the electrical on these jeeps. And God help me that I never have to. Not a fun thing to try to find.

Another thing, is this an american vehicle or Canadian. I ask becuause if it has a daytime driving light module they can screwup and cause all sorts of strange things to happen.

BuckB91XJ

Sounds like somebody was monkeying around with wiring in the dash (like installing an after market radio or something) and cut or shorted some wiring.

Bossman65

Thanks for the replies. This is my son's jeep so I'm not too familiar with it. That said I do know that an aftermarket stereo was recently installed and he did replace the whole drivers side tail light assembly (jeep vs snow & tree) I will start with the tail light assy and work my way to the dash. thanks again

BuckB91XJ

I didn't see the part about a tail light assembly being replaced by a youngen, before. That would definitely be the place to start. Crossing just any two of the wires on that assembly can cause this problem.

Bossman65

Thanks for you assistance. During a break in the nasty weather (no garage to work in) I was able to check everything out. Tail light was fine. I then took the dash apart. The previous owner had left the complete wiring system for a sirius satellite system under the dash. I took out all components, reconnected the ground and VIOLA! All works fine now, no more blown fuses. Thanks again

P-WatfordSr

I just bought a 1988 Cherokee a know nothing about the wiring some one stole the radio out of it so I brought it to a shop and they installed an after market radio and since then the dash panel lights and gauges do not work I pulled apart the dash searched high and low and could not find any broken wires r blown fuses