Emissions Maint. Light

I have a 90 Cherokee 4.0 5 speed. My Emissions Maint. light is stuck on at all times. The instrument cluster is not original, I pulled it off of an 89 XJ. I previously had the dummy lights and changed to the gauges about 3 months ago. When I installed the new gauges, the Emissions Maint. light came on and has been on ever since. I know that on newer cars, when the service engine or check engine light comes on, you cant get your car inspected until you get the lights turned off. Is that the case with this light, and if it is, how do I go about getting it turned off? Thanks for all your help guys.

Also, my XJ has around 219,000 miles on it. The new odometer says 118,000. I dont want to try to cheat anyone if I am to ever sell the XJ. How can I go about correcting this problem.

90red

My 90 MJ has the same problem- the Emissions light comes on at 82,500 miles due to a small counter behind the dashboard. It is basically a feature to make you think the O2 sensor needs replacing. I have heard that it can be removed and the light will go off. The counter is supposedly behind that cluster of lights. If you really want to, you can replace it with a new one and have another 82,500 miles!!!

As for mileage- not sure. I have seen pictures in a shop manual where someone has only the mileage counter out of the guage cluster and is reseting it manually.

Do you still have the old odometer,because its better to experiment on the old one.It really is not hard just takes some patience and time to set it to match your old one.If I remember correctly the odometer wheel can be pryed out then the wheel has two end pieces,one end will slide off but dont take it all the way apart.Then rotate numbers and cams to correct mileage,you will notice a black line across all wheels to keep lined up.It is not illegal to adjust an odometer for this purpose,It is illegal to adjust with the INTENT to commit fraud.
My snap-on scanner has a function to reset that timer for emissions light,maybe someone close to you has access to one.I too have heard of just unplug the timer, light gone.

IIRC correctly the reset switch is underneath/behind the dash on the passenger side. its hard for me to remember. but if thats not it. than thats where it is if you have a 1989 dodge fullsize van. if that doesnt work that take out the bulb

under the dash on the drivers side right next to the ecu you will see a kinda grey/transparent plastic box with a two wire plug in it this is the emissions maint. timer you need to eather unplug it or replace it. its only purpuse as previously stated is to remind you to replace the O2 sensor.

and as far as the mileage issue ive seen red stickers on the data plate on the drivers door with the mileage that the speedometer was replaced so anyone who buys the vehicle will know the actual mileage is. but you might sheck with your town hall or a local used car dealer to see what they recomend.

Thanks for all of your suggestions guys. I will get on that this weekend. Its nice for people like me who dont know a whole lot about XJ's to be able to use a resource as bad ass as .


90red

Yep. On the '90s, it's just a timer that can be unplugged. It cannot be reset. It must be replaced. It will go off in another 82,500 +/-.

On later models, it can be reset by the dealer.

The timer can be reset. You have to break it open carefully and reset the gears to the original position then tape it shut. Easy enough to do if you look at it carefully. The last gear has a metal tab that completes the circuit when it rotates to it's final position. It's either that or replace or disconnect it. If you disconnect it just remember to replace your oxygen sensor again in another 80,000 miles. A few years ago the timer was about $26 at the dealership. It only means that it's time to replace the oxygen sensor. Dealership must make a heck of a lot of money on that one.

"The timer can be reset. You have to break it open carefully and reset the gears to the original position then tape it shut."

Silly me. I forgot where I was for a minute. :cheers: