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high idle caused my dash lights/tail lights to go out??
- Thread starter wgregt
- Start date
How would I go about checking the rheostat without taking it out? Is there a way to do this? I have a multimeter, but would probably needs steps on how to do it.
I pulled the lower dash panel out, but STILL could not get to/see/lay a real hand on the switch, much less figure out how to unplug it and THEN get it out.
But hell, that may not even be the problem. I'm going with the "best chance" theory on it, as the dash lights have been a "wiggle the light stalk to get them working" affair for a decade or more now. Maybe the switch finally gave out.
I pulled the lower dash panel out, but STILL could not get to/see/lay a real hand on the switch, much less figure out how to unplug it and THEN get it out.
But hell, that may not even be the problem. I'm going with the "best chance" theory on it, as the dash lights have been a "wiggle the light stalk to get them working" affair for a decade or more now. Maybe the switch finally gave out.
djgrayxj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- West Covina
Note from DJ
This information is for a 97XJ but most of the information is universal information for XJ light switches.
The first thing I would do is disconnect the battery.
How to Rebuild/Recondition Headlight/Dimmer Switch (97+)
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1077584
OP by NM99XJ
Are your dash lights flickering? Or have they stopped working?
Maybe your ability to dim them is gone altogether....
This may take care of your problems.
This information is for a 97XJ but most of the information is universal information for XJ light switches.
The first thing I would do is disconnect the battery.
How to Rebuild/Recondition Headlight/Dimmer Switch (97+)
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1077584
OP by NM99XJ
Are your dash lights flickering? Or have they stopped working?
Maybe your ability to dim them is gone altogether....
This may take care of your problems.
If you are definitely going to take it to a shop, there is no point in going through further diagnostics. I would add a couple of things:
Are you sure there is a relay associated with the stalk wiring? There is no relay for headlights or tail lights as such but I'm not sure what you are referring to.
The headlight switch is not that difficult to remove if you have more or less "average" hands. Pull the knob all the way out to the On position. Find the retainer button on the flat side of the switch and press the button to release the knob. Unscrew the nut from the dash side and remove the switch. Unplug the connector.
The rheostat does not control the tail lights to start with. Also, when it is in the brightest position for interior lights (instrument panel, dome etc.), the rheostat wiper arm is not controlling anything, so if the dome lights are on, the rheostat is not the likely culprit.
The headlight switch is not that expensive and I would just replace it once you have it out rather than try to test it. It should be available at most parts outlets. I went through this exercise once with my '85. My problem was a partially melted connector that was readily apparent after I got the switch out.
And as djgrayxj says, disconnect the battery......
Anyway, if you are going to a shop this is all moot. Let us know.
Are you sure there is a relay associated with the stalk wiring? There is no relay for headlights or tail lights as such but I'm not sure what you are referring to.
The headlight switch is not that difficult to remove if you have more or less "average" hands. Pull the knob all the way out to the On position. Find the retainer button on the flat side of the switch and press the button to release the knob. Unscrew the nut from the dash side and remove the switch. Unplug the connector.
The rheostat does not control the tail lights to start with. Also, when it is in the brightest position for interior lights (instrument panel, dome etc.), the rheostat wiper arm is not controlling anything, so if the dome lights are on, the rheostat is not the likely culprit.
The headlight switch is not that expensive and I would just replace it once you have it out rather than try to test it. It should be available at most parts outlets. I went through this exercise once with my '85. My problem was a partially melted connector that was readily apparent after I got the switch out.
And as djgrayxj says, disconnect the battery......
Anyway, if you are going to a shop this is all moot. Let us know.
Dash lights are gone altogether. Tail lights are out, but every other light is OK: interior dome, headlights, signals, brake lights.
Thanks for the tips. Sounds like I am mixing up my terms. I thought the HL switch and the rheostat were one in the same. And the dome lights DO work, so the rheostat works it sounds like, so maybe it's the switch that needs swapping out. And I thought there was a relay (under the dash or under the hood) for it maybe. Wrong again.
I was all under there yesterday in/around the box that's behind the push/pull know switch, but never found/felt the release button. Does it face a certain way (up, down)?
I also have a small steel plate that's pop-riveted in the vicinity that may have to come out for better access?
Dealer wants $195 + parts to do this, so I'm gonna try it again. Damn it.
- Location
- MilkyWay Galaxy
HL switch for an 88 is only about $20!
Ecomike is correct -- O'Reilly $15-$29 for example.
The switch and the rheostat are one unit. It's been a long time since I did this and I don't remember if the release button faces up or down but I'm guessing down. Nothing else has to come out and the pop riveted steel plate may be the back side of the switch that you are looking for. Perhaps someone can confirm this. In any event you should be able to see or feel where the wiring connector attaches to the switch and the release button is on the other side of the switch.
Note that there is a separate ground plug that you will find when you get the switch out. As I recall this is for the IP lights and you need to be sure and reconnect it when you reinstall. Ask me how I know.
Of course, the switch may not be your problem but you may as well go ahead and check it out while you have the lower panel off.
One of the great weaknesses of the XJ wiring is the lack of relays in the headlight circuitry. You may want to install one of the much discussed wiring upgrades when you get your immediate problems solved.
The switch and the rheostat are one unit. It's been a long time since I did this and I don't remember if the release button faces up or down but I'm guessing down. Nothing else has to come out and the pop riveted steel plate may be the back side of the switch that you are looking for. Perhaps someone can confirm this. In any event you should be able to see or feel where the wiring connector attaches to the switch and the release button is on the other side of the switch.
Note that there is a separate ground plug that you will find when you get the switch out. As I recall this is for the IP lights and you need to be sure and reconnect it when you reinstall. Ask me how I know.
Of course, the switch may not be your problem but you may as well go ahead and check it out while you have the lower panel off.
One of the great weaknesses of the XJ wiring is the lack of relays in the headlight circuitry. You may want to install one of the much discussed wiring upgrades when you get your immediate problems solved.
- Location
- MilkyWay Galaxy
IIRC the release button is on the front bottom of the switch.
The wiring is too short on the harness and the cubby hole too small so getting the wiring connector off the switch, the switch out and back in is PITA!!!!! Need midget hands for this one. IIRC cut osme of the plastic out the way on one of mine. The switches are prone to fail in a year!!!
The wiring is too short on the harness and the cubby hole too small so getting the wiring connector off the switch, the switch out and back in is PITA!!!!! Need midget hands for this one. IIRC cut osme of the plastic out the way on one of mine. The switches are prone to fail in a year!!!
- Location
- MilkyWay Galaxy
You literally need to stand on your head in a twisted position to get to the darn thing. I think the designer of that area/part location was a hard core SADIST!!!!
:laugh2:
This is why I wanted to let a dealer/shop handle it: I tried like hell just to get my hand ON the damn thing yesterday. There's a black plastic 1" tube running thru the access to it, plus a bunch of wiring. I couldn't see a way to it.
So you guys are saying the find/depress the button, turn the nut on the pull stalk from the seat to remove the pull stalk, then unclip the harness (x2) and drop it down under the dash? New one goes in same way, and I reuse the same pull stalk?
Trying to gauge frustration level vs. funds right now. No one has the part in stock anyhow, so I get a little time to think about it...
So you guys are saying the find/depress the button, turn the nut on the pull stalk from the seat to remove the pull stalk, then unclip the harness (x2) and drop it down under the dash? New one goes in same way, and I reuse the same pull stalk?
Trying to gauge frustration level vs. funds right now. No one has the part in stock anyhow, so I get a little time to think about it...
Slightly different: Pull the knob all the way out just as if you were turning on the headlights. Depress the button and the stalk with knob will pull straight out and free of the switch body. Then take a screwdriver and unscrew the "ferrule" nut that holds the body of the switch in place. This nut is behind the knob but you can see it with the knob in place just so you can see what you need to do.
Unclip the harness to free the switch. Note that the '85 had the ground plug I mentioned above. I'm pretty sure they did away with this at some point, so if you don't find the second connector, not to worry. If you have a spare connector on the switch, look for the second plug because the IP lights will not operate without it.
New one goes in same way and you reuse the stalk. Just push it in after you get the switch remounted until it clicks into place.
I hope to hell this fixes your problem after all this. Of course, you would really be unhappy if you paid a shop to do it and the switch turned out not to be the problem!!
Unclip the harness to free the switch. Note that the '85 had the ground plug I mentioned above. I'm pretty sure they did away with this at some point, so if you don't find the second connector, not to worry. If you have a spare connector on the switch, look for the second plug because the IP lights will not operate without it.
New one goes in same way and you reuse the stalk. Just push it in after you get the switch remounted until it clicks into place.
I hope to hell this fixes your problem after all this. Of course, you would really be unhappy if you paid a shop to do it and the switch turned out not to be the problem!!
My thoughts exactly. Not sure what else it could be. Of course many of you will say "could be a broken/grounded wire anywhere at all within the vehicle".
I'm going with the most likely scenario here rather than track down that long-arse scenario.
djgrayxj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- West Covina
Note from DJ
Your post #1
Quote:
I had no dash lights or rear tail lights. Checked all fuses, all good.
My question is your front parking lights working when you turn on your lights but just not you’re back tail lights; Yes or No?
Your post #12
Quote:
I checked all the fuses again with new ones. Took the hatch cover off, and the blue wires were not touching (taped them up anyhow.) Found nothing that would keep the tail lights off yet.
My question are you talking about the removing the inside cover of the large rear lift hatch in post #12?
If you were I hope you didn’t get neat and plug to lose connectors’ in there on male connector with a black wire and one female connector with a white wire. If you did you have now created a direct short in your parking light system, the black wire is a ground and the white wire is a positive feed connected to your parking light system. But you would not be the first to do so; these to connectors were provided by Jeep for the purpose of connecting up an optional license plate light.
Your post #1
Quote:
I had no dash lights or rear tail lights. Checked all fuses, all good.
My question is your front parking lights working when you turn on your lights but just not you’re back tail lights; Yes or No?
Your post #12
Quote:
I checked all the fuses again with new ones. Took the hatch cover off, and the blue wires were not touching (taped them up anyhow.) Found nothing that would keep the tail lights off yet.
My question are you talking about the removing the inside cover of the large rear lift hatch in post #12?
If you were I hope you didn’t get neat and plug to lose connectors’ in there on male connector with a black wire and one female connector with a white wire. If you did you have now created a direct short in your parking light system, the black wire is a ground and the white wire is a positive feed connected to your parking light system. But you would not be the first to do so; these to connectors were provided by Jeep for the purpose of connecting up an optional license plate light.
- Location
- MilkyWay Galaxy
Is this rig standard transmission or AW4?
The fuse boxes on the standards get clutch MC fluid on them that ruins the fuse box contacts.
I have had new head light switches go bad in 2-3 months (the bright light switch was also bad and stick on), sometimes a year at best on 85-89 rigs. I finally installed a relay harness under the hood. The switches are not very good these days either, and seem to overloaded in the design. They are a common problem on these jeeps.
The fuse boxes on the standards get clutch MC fluid on them that ruins the fuse box contacts.
I have had new head light switches go bad in 2-3 months (the bright light switch was also bad and stick on), sometimes a year at best on 85-89 rigs. I finally installed a relay harness under the hood. The switches are not very good these days either, and seem to overloaded in the design. They are a common problem on these jeeps.
