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odometer not working and erratic gauges

NJXJ666

NJXJ666

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Central NJ
97 cherokee 4.0 automatic. Today out of nowhere my odometer stopped displaying and the other gauges starting acting up. Sometimes they work other times they just stop. Fuel gauge specifically doesn't work. I did the cluster self test and everything works but the odometer still doesn't light up. Took apart the dash and cleaned the contacts behind the cluster and nothing. Checked fuses also and everyone was good. Noticed the radio stopped working (aftermarket) and the courtesy lights by your feet tend to flicker when on. Any help finding the issue would be great.
 
mako my day said:
Mine does that too when I romp in the mud. Engine grounds. Clean em. Report back.
Click to expand...

Grounds are all fresh. Used 4g wire to replace the firewall to head bolt stud and added a larger gauge from the coil mount to fender. I noticed when I go to plug the radio back in when the interior lights go on the courtesy lights flicker. Also the courtesy lights (by your feet) go out when the key is turned in the on position, but the dome lights would stay on as usual
 
Forgot to mention. I replaced the ignition switch yesterday after having problems turning of the jeep. I could remove the key but jeep would still run. Switch fixed that but slowly things stopped working. First the radio would go on and off while driving. Then the odometer and finally the gauges freezing/not working.
 
If the problem started after ign. switch replacement, I would start with rechecking the connector terminals in the switch connector. Sounds like one of them is corroded or scorched.
 
four_shot said:
If the problem started after ign. switch replacement, I would start with rechecking the connector terminals in the switch connector. Sounds like one of them is corroded or scorched.
Click to expand...
That's what I plan on doing tomorrow. Plus I'm gonna try another switch. Damn Autozone parts lolol.
 
Tried another ignition switch same problem still. Yesterday the odometer very faintly appeared but would cut out every fee seconds until everything went dead. The gauges work now (kind of) they are all on but they don't show the correct info. They are reading low. I checked the ground underneath the headlight switch and its good.
 
Check the 2 ground wires that are on the stud that holds the oil dipstick tube bracket to
the engine block. Don't just check them visually. Unscrew the nut, remove, and examine
the wires for any physical weakness or frays.
 
Dragonslayer said:
Check the 2 ground wires that are on the stud that holds the oil dipstick tube bracket to
the engine block. Don't just check them visually. Unscrew the nut, remove, and examine
the wires for any physical weakness or frays.
Click to expand...

Tried that again today. Took of the but. Cleaned everything, used sandpaper to clean everything to bare metal. Same thing still. Thinking maybe the cluster is bad. Idk
 
I'm not sure if this is possible, but is there a way to access the odometer information within the cluster and/or PCM with a scan tool? If you could somehow verify the computer is seeing the mileage that might help isolate it to a cluster problem. The clusters on your vintage are plug and play, so maybe see if the local junk yard has one and see what happens when you plug it in.

I would think if you lost the CCD BUS you'd have other issues, like a crank but no start and no gauges at all. It sounds like your BUS is intact.
 
98NWCherokee said:
I'm not sure if this is possible, but is there a way to access the odometer information within the cluster and/or PCM with a scan tool? If you could somehow verify the computer is seeing the mileage that might help isolate it to a cluster problem. The clusters on your vintage are plug and play, so maybe see if the local junk yard has one and see what happens when you plug it in.

I would think if you lost the CCD BUS you'd have other issues, like a crank but no start and no gauges at all. It sounds like your BUS is intact.
Click to expand...

I am going to try a known good one today or tomorrow. The biggest problem right now is no odometer and the gauges all read too low and slow to respond. I'm currently using a scangauge to verify speed, rpm and voltage.
 
I would pull the gauge cluster and clean the contacts (with electric contact cleaner) both on the back of the unit as well as the "plugs" themselves.... just a thought
 
cpefy3 said:
I would pull the gauge cluster and clean the contacts (with electric contact cleaner) both on the back of the unit as well as the "plugs" themselves.... just a thought
Click to expand...

Tried that. Packed em with dielectric grease and cleaned with CRC electric contact cleaner. Nothing.
 
My problem as of now is basically the gauges work but are reading incorrect (verified via scangauge) still no odometer display. All the lights work on the cluster and if I do the self test the gauges all move but still no odometer. Checked the ground under the headlight switch and cleaned the dipstick tube grounds. Cleaned the connectors on the back of the cluster and packed with dielectric grease. Took apart most of the dash to check all the wiring. Radio still doesn't work not sure if that's entirely related or not.
 
There (is often) a ground near the PCM on the drivers side fender well, people tend to forget.
 
Checked both grounds by the ecm. One was loose but didn't help. Gonna move my focus on the door wiring. If anyone has a diagram with the wiring for the drivers door.
 
There is another ground wire you might want to check. It is under the dash > near to
the leg well courtesy lamp on the driver's side. It is difficult to see, and you may have
to push a few wires out of the way. It is screwed on to a metal dash bracket. As the
ground there is often a poor one, some folks advise fabbing an additional pigtail wire to
attach that point, and then run the new wire to another ground location near to hood
release handle.
 
I pulled the junction box on the pass side today to inspect connection c4 from what I understand is part of the wiring for the radio cluster etc.. The junction box had green corrosion inside of it. Cleaned it all up and nothing changed. Also fixed broken wires inside the drivers door boot...still nothing. Gonna look for that ground under the dash (not g108).
 
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