Switches all failing?

99 Sport:

Been having ever increasing issues with what I believe are my switches. Started with the fog light switch(now not there and wires are melted :flame: ).

The four way blinker switch(emergency blinkers) now require me to push the switch forward(toward engine compartment) to work.

The Intermittant rear wiper is really intermittent now, it'll wipe about 1/3 way, stop, I have to shut off switch turn it back on, and it goes another 1/3, and then one more time to get it back to position.

And now, I only have high speed for my blower motor(4). No 1,2,3.... I tested the temp sensor under the pass side dash, based on a search in this forum, but the sensor was OK.

On the bright side, my rear defogger is still working(nocks on head to simulate wood).

Any ideas except to start replacing switches? Can they be tested?

I need some :lecture:

It's probably not the switches. In looking at the electrical of a 2000 in the FSM, those switches share power and ground wires.

I would start looking for bad connections especially directly behind the switches, since you are able to get it to work by pressing harder.

As to what caused the original melting . . .?

If they share power and ground, look for a bad ground that's pulling power the wrong way through the switches. For the heater, unless it's different in a 99 from earlier versions, look for a bad resistor pack. On the older ones, this is down in the passenger side of the heater. Look for a little sort of oval unit, possibly with a plastic partial cover over it, with wires plugged in.

What voltage is your alt putting out?

Lou said:

It's probably not the switches. In looking at the electrical of a 2000 in the FSM, those switches share power and ground wires.

I would start looking for bad connections especially directly behind the switches, since you are able to get it to work by pressing harder.

As to what caused the original melting . . .?

Click to expand...

I'll have to pull out the assembly and check them all.

Matthew Currie said:

If they share power and ground, look for a bad ground that's pulling power the wrong way through the switches. For the heater, unless it's different in a 99 from earlier versions, look for a bad resistor pack. On the older ones, this is down in the passenger side of the heater. Look for a little sort of oval unit, possibly with a plastic partial cover over it, with wires plugged in.

Click to expand...

I checked what I believe is the resistor, found the info in a previous post from someone. The resistor tested OK.

bottleworks said:

What voltage is your alt putting out?

Click to expand...

As far as I know, the needle is on 14 most of the time. All the lights dim when the compressor & electric fan turn on. What are you thinking?

sounds like ground. like posted above recheck all wires.
xj's are melting all over the us so there should be some info on this.
good luck
Nim