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no backlight in the cluster?

Kejtar

PostMaster General
NAXJA Member
Worked a few days ago, now it's dark :( Does anyone have any ideas as to what should I check first? it kind of sucked to drive to work in the morning and having to have dome light on to see my gauges. Btw it's a 97XJ
 
Wiggle the headlight knob around a little, or firmly tap on the lower dash kick panel below the switch, to see if you get intermittant power to the gauge cluster. If so, your headlight switch is probably going south. It's an easy replacement, but you have to locate and depress a tiny button on the bottom of the switch to get the rod off that the headlight knob is attached to.
 
Jeff in VA said:
Wiggle the headlight knob around a little, or firmly tap on the lower dash kick panel below the switch, to see if you get intermittant power to the gauge cluster. If so, your headlight switch is probably going south. It's an easy replacement, but you have to locate and depress a tiny button on the bottom of the switch to get the rod off that the headlight knob is attached to.
Oh I thought of that and I tapped, wiggled, reseated the connector and still nothing. I have a spare switch that I might swap in but I got other electrical gremlins (I posted before about no power to the OBDII diagnostic port and airbag light on) that make me believe it's either wiring or fuse related.
 
For some reason my 91 blows the fuse for the panel lights all the time. That'd be the first thing that I would check. Might be a simple fix. I think it's a blue one whatever that is blue or red
 
jblaze5779 said:
For some reason my 91 blows the fuse for the panel lights all the time. That'd be the first thing that I would check. Might be a simple fix. I think it's a blue one whatever that is blue or red
:doh: there are fuses under the hood that I forgot about (it's been a hell of a weird weekend :D). But it looks like it's all good now :)
 
Kejtar said:
Oh I thought of that and I tapped, wiggled, reseated the connector and still nothing. I have a spare switch that I might swap in but I got other electrical gremlins (I posted before about no power to the OBDII diagnostic port and airbag light on) that make me believe it's either wiring or fuse related.

In reference to your electrical gremlins, did you ever figure out what the deal was with your airbag light and no panel lights. Sounds like your xj came off the assembly line right next to mine. I have a 97 and have the same exact electrical problems that you had. Do you happen to remember what fuse under the hood is related to the dash lights? Every time I turn on the headlight switch, I can hear the 5A fuse pop immediately in the fuse box on the passenger side floor. I removed the switch, checked the wires, and I can't find any kind of short. Any advice? TIA

Deyman
 
Deyman said:
In reference to your electrical gremlins, did you ever figure out what the deal was with your airbag light and no panel lights. Sounds like your xj came off the assembly line right next to mine. I have a 97 and have the same exact electrical problems that you had. Do you happen to remember what fuse under the hood is related to the dash lights? Every time I turn on the headlight switch, I can hear the 5A fuse pop immediately in the fuse box on the passenger side floor. I removed the switch, checked the wires, and I can't find any kind of short. Any advice? TIA

Deyman
I don't recall which fuse was it, but I remember that it was labeled with something that didn't hint at the dash lights. I will take a look at the fuse box when I go to lunch to see if it will jog my memory.
The airbag light on the other hand was due to an airbag computer going bad which I had to replace.
 
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