New on Forum, Jeep Newb, Question...

Hey all,
Just got an 88 XJ Limited for $500.00 and worth every penny! She was used as a farm truck for the last couple of years, and has some issues, but I have more time than money so it seemed like a good idea.
The tail lights don't work, the brake lights do, the 4 ways do, but no parking (Running Lights). Hard short, immediately blows the fuse. Pulled the tail light, no obvious shorts there, pulled the rear cover panel (left side), nothing I could see wrong. No Torx bits to pull the seat support to get to the next section of wire loom.

I'm stumped, is there anywhere that the wire is prone to being pinched? Another clue is that the power seat on the left side dosen't work. Any suggestions are welcome.

Great board here I've been reading it all day, like 30 pages of past posts, lots of good info!

TIA

Don't know your problem, sounds like an electrical nightmare. But another WA'er is great! Welcome!

Go introduce yourself to your headlight switch.


Welcome aboard!


If I just fixed your problem you owe naxja 30.00. Cool? :cheers:


Check into joining our club.

I had a similar problem on my 85. The clutch master cylinder was leaking fluid down on the fuse box and caused shorts there.
(nothing I couldn't fix with a little jumper wire:eye: ).

It is fixed! Thanks for the quick replies, makes one feel welcome. I found the solution just plowing through posts. The wiring seemed ok, other than a shoddy trailer light adapter install, it worked, and tested good, but boy was it sloppy. This post:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=75799

struck a chord, went out to see if it was the case, 5 minutes later, no problem! Great board here guys. I can't imagine finding a precious nugget of info anywhere else, and it was a fyi post, thanks jeepguy68, come to Washington and I'll take you fishing and buy you a beer!

Now if you want to save yourself from future headaches, check the connector for the front light harness where the harness comes through the bulkhead, down beneath the air filter. I have lost lights in 3 Jeeps because of corrosion in that connector. In two cases the corrosion ate the pins right off. If you haven't yet, now's the time to clean it up with some contact cleaner and then goop it well with vaseline or silicone grease.

Thanks for the tip Matthew. Just so happens I have the airbox off soaking in detergant, filthy caked up thing. I'll do that as my next step.

All she needs now is brakes all arround (Monday) and she is ready to hit the road. Want to get the cosmetic stuff done asap, don't want to drive it around looking all ghetto. Have a tire to switch to a stock rim, another tire to go on the spare rim, then with some elbow grease, perhaps her pics would be worth posting....