97+ HID problem **FIX**

I know at least one other guy on here was running HIDs in his second gen.
For those of you who don't know what I am talking about:

My XJs lights would stay on after I turn it off and exit the Jeep, which works fine with normal halogens, but the system doesn't play well with HIDs. They would stay on forever and as the voltage drops, they would flicker which is bad for the bulbs.

Anyhow, the solution is to remove fuse #9 in the kicker panel area. This controls the "Compass, sentry key, headlamp delay module, instrument cluster".

The "instrument cluster" scares me a little, I havn't driven around with it yet, but fuse #16 also controls the cluster, so I will do a test drive and see what happens.

Well crap, the whole cluster is dead.

Dang

Shouldn't simply turning off the lights before turning off the jeep be a solution to this problem?

MadPikAvenger said:

Shouldn't simply turning off the lights before turning off the jeep be a solution to this problem?

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That is what you would think, but that is not the case...

You should be able to find the wire going from that fuse (check your FSM or Haynes manual for the color?) to the delay module and clip it. That way it won't kill the cluster or anything else, just the delay module... make sure it doesn't kill the lights entirely though.

is the thread still a **fix** if it didn't work? or are you hoping the solution gets posted here?

as an FYI, my '89 has Sentinel lights too, so it may not be a 97+ fix.

the '99 FSM has the Headlamp delay module behind the knee blocker, on the instrument panel, screwed to some bracket. my guess is you can just yank the wires (RD/WT & BK)

tomcat said:

is the thread still a **fix** if it didn't work? or are you hoping the solution gets posted here?

as an FYI, my '89 has Sentinel lights too, so it may not be a 97+ fix.

the '99 FSM has the Headlamp delay module behind the knee blocker, on the instrument panel, screwed to some bracket. my guess is you can just yank the wires (RD/WT & BK)

Click to expand...

Well it technically does fix the problem... but at a cost of not using any of your gauges...:anon:

Maybe I am wrong, but it seemed to only affect those with HIDs in 97+ XJs.

And when you say knee blocker, to you mean where the drivers left knee would be?

the knee blocker is the panel under the steering wheel, including the metal piece behind the plastic trim. there are airbag warnings in the FSM, so take care under there.

tomcat said:

the knee blocker is the panel under the steering wheel, including the metal piece behind the plastic trim. there are airbag warnings in the FSM, so take care under there.

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O jeeze. Air bags o nooo.

Anyways, can you provide a description of what it exactly looks like? or more precise location?

Im under there now and alot of things look like they could be a module...

I just flashed my brights and it fixed it.

OK

I HAVE A REAL FIX!

You just have to unplug a connector in the knee blocker panel.
Once you remove plastic panel, there is a metal one under that. Remove that as well. (They take 1/4 inch drives)
Now if you were to be sitting in the drivers seat, your knee would point directly towards this plug. It is black and is mounted parallel to the direction of the vehicle.
It has several wires, some green with white stripes, most importantly the red/white and the black, control the module (Thanks to Tomcat)
If you unplug the whole connector, it disables the whole "sentinel" lights and your HIDs go back to functioning like stock halogens.

I am not sure what the other wires going to connector do, how ever I went on a post-removal drive, and everything works so far...

The whole process takes no more than 10 minutes.

PM me if you need more help.

And Thanks again Tomcat for your help, couldn't have done it with out you.