Hi all!

Just leased a new 2020 Jeep Cherokee Limited in billet silver, have it a week so far and I love it, but I think the ambient lighting is broken in mine? I know I have it because I see it at night in the overhead console, the door handles, and the door pockets, etc. - however the ambient lights only seem to come on when one of the doors is opened, how can that be right? Shouldn't it just remain on all the time at night with the headlights on? Also, that rotary dimmer by the headlight switch that is supposed to control the ambient lighting does nothing, it does not brighten or dim them or turn them on/off. Anyone else have this problem? I hate to have to back to the dealer so soon already, lol

Thanks in advance,

-Dale

 

The Jeep ambient lighting is poorly explained and understood. The following may help you in understanding if you have an issue or not.

Ambient lighting is only meant to provide lighting when entering or exiting the vehicle, this is the case on most/all FCA vehicles. The dimmer wheel on the left controls the brightness of and will turn off the following:

- Front driver and passenger door handle lights
- Front driver and passenger door map pocket lights
- Front driver and passenger foot well lights
- Front ambient light in center overhead console (between the two map/reading light switches)

The dimmer wheel on the right controls the brightness of (but will not turn off) the following:

- All dash lights including EVIC and the head unit display
- Front cup holders (on pre-2019s)
- Gas cover switch in driver's door
- Media outlets

This right dimmer wheel also turns these lights to their brightest setting at the first detent. The second detent turns on the overhead map/reading lights.

The power window and lock buttons cannot be dimmed. The HomeLink garage door opener buttons light up when entering the car and appear to stay lit for some period of time after leaving the car.


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Finally, an explanation on the ambient lighting system. Thank you for posting that.

 

Yes, definitely appreciate the response, It’s a little disappointing though how the ambient light functions then, I expected it to be on all the time at night like it is in many other cars, but oh well. OK now but there are two dimmer wheels, so what does the left dimmer wheel by the headlight switch do then? I don’t find it to do anything?

 

See post #2, the first four bullet points. You have to make the adjustments in the dark, otherwise you can’t see the changes which are subtle.



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New to the thread and just bought a 2020 Summit and I have a similar issue within one week of ownership (although I suspect it never worked from the lot). The ambient lighting works at night for all but one of the doors. On all three, the door handle, arm rest buttons, and map pocket all have the ambient blue lighting, however, the passenger door handle and map pocket are dark...only the arm rest buttons are lit. Very strange!

It's a pain to bring back across state lines to have it looked so thinking I just might bring in locally somewhere when I get an oil change unless someone has some ideas?

 

This forum is for the Jeep Cherokee, not the Grand Cherokee you have. They are completely different vehicles, so your issue might be better diagnosed on a Grand Cherokee-specific forum. Try this one:

https://www.jeepgarage.org/forums/gr...erokee-wk2.73/



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Do we know why the front cup holders are no longer lit after 2019?

 

Very well said sir!