NO HEADLIGHTS!!!??? Lotsa new parts.

Gist: No headlights but all other lights work properly. No other lighting problems.

Problem started with a headlight Flicker going over a curb into a driveway a month ago. This repeated once or twice. Then after driving it home from work one nite I stopped at the store and they wouldn't come back on when I returned. On the way to the auto parts store with the brights going so I wouldn't get pulled over the lights came back on (I checked to see while driving). They worked fine for a few days then one day just the drivers side went out momentarily accompanied a few seconds later by the other then suddenly came on (was not moving the vehicle at this time). Then they just didnt come on at all one day when I tried to check it out again after a night of rest in the driveway. Haven't come on since.

I have replaced the off on switch, the steering column dimmer switch/turn signal switch, and the headlamps. I don't see any obvious shorts as I have jiggled wires all over.

I'm not getting any voltage at the passenger side headlamp connector.

I know this is somewhat common but no one ever finishes their thread if it isn't their on/off switch, their dimmer or their lamps. Now I'm not really sure what to check not really an electrician.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I know next to nothing about electric issues so specificity helps.

have you checked your plug ends at the lights themselves? My 89 ended up with a corroded plug and I had similar problems. Can you backprobe behind the plug and get voltage? have you traced the headlight wires back and verified all grounds are good?

You also don't list what year your XJ is.

There's a multi-way connector in behind the airbox that's rather well known for getting corroded.

You may also want to check the plug on the light switch itself.I hear they melt.

Year of your XJ would help a lot.

By on /off switch do you mean the headlight switch, known for being a PITA to R and R?

Could be a damaged wire as well. Time to trace, maybe.

Check for damage from the headlight plugs back looking for crushed or crimped wire or looms.

IIRC the headlight switch also has a ground wire that bolts to the firewall inside. Easy to find. Definitely check its connection quality, remove it, sand the mounting surface to bare metal and reattach.

On my 96 I had similar problems till I put in a from the dealer not a parts store headlight switch. Tried a NAPA one and it crapped out quick. Go dealer with sensors and switches when possible.
I then upgraded my harness with a LMC harness with hi and low relays to take the load/heat off the switch since it was doing all the work with tiny wires.

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My jeep is a 2001. 4.0.

Second the corroded plugs, had that happen on my daughter's jeep and on mine the turn signal socket even disintegrated. They look fine on the outside but the contacts inside are green. The thing almost crumbled in my hand but there was enough left to solder the wires to the female blade plugs. Should last a little while.

My vote is the multi-connector near the air cleaner box. On both my XJs, I cut it out, wire by wire, one at a time, and soldered them. Contacts were all green and corroded, and the plastic parts disintegrated when I tried to unplug them. Could also be the bulkhead plug, but I'd start at the front one first. If the switch and interior wiring check out.

heyhar said:

My vote is the multi-connector near the air cleaner box. On both my XJs, I cut it out, wire by wire, one at a time, and soldered them. Contacts were all green and corroded, and the plastic parts disintegrated when I tried to unplug them. Could also be the bulkhead plug, but I'd start at the front one first. If the switch and interior wiring check out.

Click to expand...

Is that connector still around on a 2001? I know it is a problem on the Renix years.

Our newest beasts are '96's, so I don't know if the big connector lived on in Gen II XJs. Maybe the proud owner of a later model will chime in.

Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't had a chance to run down wiring or bad connectors yet but will try everything mentioned. Btwn work and winter I haven't been able to turn myself upside down under that little dash.

As for connector at air box: there's some sort of module/connector thingy next to-not under- the air box. Easily accessible. Is this the multi connector you refer to? About 6-8 wires feeding into and out of it. Can take pic if i can get ice off my jeep enough to get in it.

That's the thing we're thinking about. When the snow and ice clear, like in May, see if you can pull that guy apart, and check the condition of the pins and sockets. If a few are green and fuzzy, that might be the culprit. Oddly enough, on my older ones anyway, even the ground runs through there, and ends up being grounded to the inner fender with a tech screw. Clean that up quick, and start from there.

heyhar said:

That's the thing we're thinking about. When the snow and ice clear, like in May, see if you can pull that guy apart, and check the condition of the pins and sockets. If a few are green and fuzzy, that might be the culprit. Oddly enough, on my older ones anyway, even the ground runs through there, and ends up being grounded to the inner fender with a tech screw. Clean that up quick, and start from there.

Click to expand...

The connector in front of the air filter box is referred to as C106. Still there on the 2001.

The grounds still go through that connector and terminate at the left fender (G106) like you say. Here's a pic of G106.

Wow. Thanks for listing what systems ground out on that fender well and the very clear photo. That's awesome and is going to save me a lot if work!!! Thanks again for that!

I just thought of another possibility. Does your Jeep have factory fog lights? I don't know about the later ones, but in the '96 and older, there are two relays on the radiator support that control the switching of the fogs, in relationship to which headlight beam you're using. I guess they could go bad, or possibly a plug or contact is loose or corroded.

More food for thought...

Been thinking about the idea of a bad, shared ground... If the ground is bad in the circuit shouldn't it make one or all of the other systems that share that ground go screwy in some way? If I'm correct that should eliminate this as a possibility as everything else on that shared ground seems to function properly.

Whatcha think?

Don't have factory fogs. Just a switch for them. That brings up an interesting point: the low beams r not on a relay but the high beams are. The relay for highs is in power box under hood in relay slot marked "Fog 1".

Is this normal?

Gotta have a Gen II owner chime in. The older ones have two ice-cube relays, side by side. I'm unfamiliar with the later models.

Indyclassic said:

Don't have factory fogs. Just a switch for them. That brings up an interesting point: the low beams r not on a relay but the high beams are. The relay for highs is in power box under hood in relay slot marked "Fog 1".

Is this normal?

Click to expand...

If you have a relay in the FOG 1 position and a Fog Lamp switch, you must of had fog lamps at one time (unless someone attempted to install the system after delivery) . The system needs FOG 2 as well as fog lamps to function.

There is no relay for high beams. High/Low beams go through the beam select switch. There is a possibility that the Headlamp Delay Module (HDM) is defective. Low beams go through the HDM, High beam does not. You may want to replace the HDM. It's located under the dash by the headlamp switch. Examine the HDM connector pin sockets and pins before replacement.