hobya

Hello - I am new to Jeeps. I recently purchased a 1996 Grand Cherokee. There is a panel just above the ash tray, that looks like it has some door ajar indicators, and possibly some gear indications on it. There are two buttons on this panel. One says "Set" and the other "Select". I did not get an owners manual with the jeep. Nothing lights up on this panel. Would it be just a burnt out bulb? If so, how do I get at it? and what would I be setting or selecting? Thanks

dave1123

That's you Vehicle Information Center and is an electronic display. It should display day/date and time normally plus anything wrong like doors ajar, tail light out, coolant low, 4WD part time, etc. If it's out, you'll probably need another one.

hobya

OK, thank you.

dave1123

Sorry, I didn't mean to be cynical, but most times it's either no power to it or it doesn't work. Most people either forget about it or get a JY part.

Welcome to CF! Is this your first jeep? No, wait. You already said that. Just to get you started, here's some codes you'll want to know.

XJ - Cherokee
ZJ - Grand Cherokee from '93 to '98
WJ - Grand Cherokee from '99 to '04
WK - Grand Cherokee '04 and up.

There are several models depending on option packages and interior stuff like leather seats, etc. My first jeep was a '97 ZJ Laredo 4.0 with the tow package. The tow package includes a factory trailer hitch, trailer lighting package, aux trans cooler, and lower 3.73 axle gearing. It also had the NP 242 transfer case with the 2WD option. Keep in mind that the original purchaser could have his jeep built to his specs, so there is no hard and fast rule as to what each model has.

I don't know which engine and t/case you have, but pay close attention to tire sizes, front and rear, if you have the constant 4WD t/case so you don't have problems with the viscous coupling in it. They are very expensive and time consuming to replace. You can get more info on this by doing a forum search. Get yourself a Haynes Repair Manual. They are not the greatest, but are cheap and will get you started. Most of the headaches with jeeps are electronic.

The transmissions in the ZJ's are the 42re with the 4.0 I6 and the 46re with the V8s. Both of these are electronically shifted in 3rd and O/D (4th). They are far from the best but if treated properly will give good service. Opinions differ.

As far as engines go, the 4.0 is just about bullet proof but lacks power at 185 hp. Both V8s are good Dodge engines and have a history of good service. The axles are also not very tolerant of abuse. Big tires also add to the overstress of the differentials.

I'll probably get a lot of feedback on this post. So be it. I gave you my opinions.

hobya

I do have a lot to learn. It is a 1996 Grand Limited with the V8 automatic transmission. I don't know what the gear ratios are yet. It has 154000 miles on it, but I think most of those were added while being towed behind a motor home. The running gear seems to be working well, and the receipts I found in the glove box indicate it had regular service. I have had a few electronic issues besides the VIC, such as only the cassette player being the only working thing on the stereo. I will probably replace it with an after market one. The dash lights kept flickering, but I took the switch out and sprayed it with electronic cleaner. Seems to be working now. I think the tires are original sized (Les Schwab replacements) but I will need to check that. The A/C does not work. I do have a Haynes manual and tried a jumper wire trick they mentioned, but the compressor still does not turn, so it is possible that the compressor itself is bad. I can live without it for now though. Other than that it seems to be a pretty solid rig.

One thing I am thinking about doing is to have a plate welded to the removable bar that they used to tow it behind the motor home and put a small winch on that. I don't plan to do a lot of off road driving, but it might be nice to have an optional winch that I can put on when I want to.

Thanks again.

dave1123

If it's got a towbar mount on it, chances are it was flat towed, which is good because I think most V8 models had the 249 t/case which is constant 4WD. I THINK it's okay to tow them with the t/case in neutral, although don't quote me on that. What's the shift pattern on your t/case read?

The A/C is no surprise. They don't seem to last long in jeeps, or any car for that matter. It may just be the clutch.

On the radio. To eliminate wiring headaches, go to the junk yard and see what you can find in stock Mopar radios. The one in my '00 WJ is nice and it has AM/FM stereo, cassette, and disc. I've got about 160K on it and no problems with the radio yet.

There may be some bad or cracked solder joints in the headlight switch. It's a common fault with ZJs.