northernchap

Hi all, hope you're well!

I have just added a Putco wiring harness to my 94 XJ because the headlights were poor. The install was straightforward and everything is almost working except for one small weird exception!

If I have the ignition switched OFF, I can turn on the sidelights OK, the headlights, and also the full beams. All as it should be.

If I have the ignition switched ON, the headlights and full beams are fine. The sidelights also work, BUT there is a buzzing sound from the engine bay which turns out to be the headlight relay, presumably switching itself off and on really quickly and sounding like the dash buzzer!

I'm a bit confused by this - I can't understand why all the lights would work but just with this odd issue. I tried switching the two relays and it stayed on the same circuit so don't think the relay is faulty. I checked the grounds etc and all seemed fine, plus I would expect to see more issues if they were suspect.

Anyone who knows a little more about auto electrics have any advice?

Thanks!

cruiser54

The ground wires for the harness have to be attached securely to shiny metal.

Do you have factory fog lights? If so, pull the fuse for them and see what happens.

northernchap

Thanks - I attached one ground to a radiator bolt after filing and then sanding away the paint. I attached the other to the earth strap coming from the negative terminal of the battery, where it joins the bodywork.

Do you think it sounds like a bad earth? If so, I will strip those down again but I just figured maybe it was something else if all the other lights work and even the sidelights work fine with ignition off.

No fog lights, and the headlights are standard BTW - no other electrical mods either, no winches etc.

carbuff

Interesting. Are you sure the rapid clicking is not coming from behind the dashboard? Does your xj have the headlight delay feature? Thats the only thing that changes with the ignition on or off that I could think of. Its a module behind the dash that clicks when it goes off. It sounds like its in the engine compartment from inside the truck. But definitely check for bad earths first.

cruiser54

So, one of the Putco relays isn't buzzing? It's coming from under the dash?

Do you have DRLs?

ryan4xj4

My 99 xj does the same, it's very strange.

carbuff

Do you have the headlight delay feature? If so, try removing the module. Its located behind the kick panel below the steering wheel to the left. Just unplug it.

ryan4xj4

Well it has turned into a beater rig after its incident so it's not to much to worry about but ill get under there and look.

ThatDude114

Same thing happens to me, it doesn't happen all the time though. And I could've sworn that it was coming from my headlight switch and not a relay or anything

northernchap

Mine is 100% definitely coming from the relay in the engine compartment, I can touch it while it is happening and you can feel it vibrating. No odd noises inside the passenger compartment. Strange one! I will check for a headlight delay thing, I know I did remove the buzzer from under the dash as it was too damn annoying! That was a while ago though so unlikely to be the cause of this.