Gauge and dash lights won't turn off

RollTider · Nov 1, 2016

1989 XJ 4.0 limited auto
Gauge lights and under dash lights won't go OFF. I changed the headlight switch and no change. It's not the door jam switches because the dome lights still go on and off when I press them. I even pulled the head light switch completely out and they stay on. Any ideas before I pull the dash out looking for a short. It's just the gauges and under dash lights not the dome lights.

Tim_MN · Nov 1, 2016

Failures of the driver door and tailgate wire harnesses causing short circuits are very common. Visually inspect and then test the wire harnesses with a volts ohms multi-meter for broken wires and chafed wire insulation.

RollTider · Nov 1, 2016

OK thanks. I checked the tailgate wires and everything looked fine. I'll check the door

90xj06 · Nov 2, 2016

are the lights on all the time? or only when the key is on? are they full on or just dim?
if they are dim its probably from a broken ground and its back feeding to a ground.

RollTider · Nov 2, 2016

Fully on all the time

RollTider · Nov 2, 2016

I unhooked the wires going to the drivers side door and nothing changed

RollTider · Nov 2, 2016

Tim_MN said:
Failures of the driver door and tailgate wire harnesses causing short circuits are very common. Visually inspect and then test the wire harnesses with a volts ohms multi-meter for broken wires and chafed wire insulation.

Do the doors connect to the gauge lights in an 89 remix? It's just speaker, and power window wires going into the door on mine

Tim_MN · Nov 2, 2016

RollTider said:
I unhooked the wires going to the drivers side door and nothing changed

Disconnected at the wire plug just inside of the body/door hinges ?

RollTider said:
Do the doors connect to the gauge lights in an 89 remix? It's just speaker, and power window wires going into the door on mine

I don't know, but a short to ground or a short to a speaker wire can put 12 volts in strange places.

RollTider · Nov 2, 2016

Mines right behind the hood release

RollTider · Nov 2, 2016

The switch isn't installed and the lights stay on, but I can pull the fuse and they go out. If that helps anyone think of what might be causing it

ThePnsh3r · Nov 3, 2016

Sounds like the courtesy light relay might be shorted out or staying energized for some reason.... there should be a triangle connector looking relay under the dash, drivers side above pedals.

90xj06 · Nov 4, 2016

when you changed the headlight switch did you check if the connector was melted?

8Mud · Nov 4, 2016

The wiring for the instrument lights is weird, it goes from the park light fuse up to the dimmer in the headlight switch, back down to the instru fuse and back up to the instrument cluster.

RollTider · Nov 4, 2016

Pull the gauge cluster and everything looks good back there. The head light switch plug looks fine. What does the relay look like?

RollTider · Nov 4, 2016

I can pull the park LPS or inst LPS fuse to kill the lights

RollTider · Nov 4, 2016

The white wheel on the switch is getting realy hot when it's plugged in

RollTider · Nov 4, 2016

I found a wiring diagram and it looks like the problem is a short between the switch and the LPS fuse

90xj06 · Nov 7, 2016

let me know what you find. im interested in what happened.

RollTider · Nov 7, 2016

I found it on the back of the fuse box.

Gauge and dash lights won't turn off

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