My Jeeps electrical system has gone insane! Again!

Drove perfect for 2 weeks then I went to start her this morning and there is a loud click when I turn the key. Dead battery right?

So I go to jump her, hook up the cables to another car and I notice the interior light is not on. I jiggle the clips on the battery posts on my jeeps battery and then the interior lights turn on. Ok good connection right?

I try to start my jeep. Again, CLICK, and the interior lights don't work again. Get out, jiggle the clamp again and the lights come back on again.

So in a fit of rage I slam the hood, lock my door, and slam it shut. Then I notice my CD player flashed on with no key in the ignition when I slammed my door.

Now excuse me if I am alittle frustrated but I have a broken wrist and just had to pay the mechanic $210 for a new CPS install just because I couldnt do it myself. I even told him that the jeep needed a CPS.

Ideas guys?

Thanks a ton!

need important info, year/engine size/mileage?
If it started after slamming the hood, i would suspect starter solenoid.

what year? check your ground strap that goes from the fire wall to the head. Mine did the exact same thing. I ran a ground from the bat. straight to the body. just so I could drive it. Then I put a new cable at the firewall. works fine now

jimmyc751 said:

what year? check your ground strap that goes from the fire wall to the head. Mine did the exact same thing. I ran a ground from the bat. straight to the body. just so I could drive it. Then I put a new cable at the firewall. works fine now

Click to expand...

my first thought would be the connection on the side of the block, passenger side, by the dipstick tube. On mine the battery - goes directly to this terminal and if those are dirty mine ceases to run.

So sorry guys, Im at work and was rushed.

96 4 door Auto
I JUST replaced the ground cable about 2 months ago. Should have added, I tried connecting the negative battery post via the jumper cables to differnt spots in the engine bay with no luck.

imma honky said:

need important info, year/engine size/mileage?
If it started after slamming the hood, i would suspect starter solenoid.

Click to expand...

Thats whats werid. When I slammed the hood the radio flashed on with the key in my pocket.

First i would suspect a faulty ground. There may be a ground strap going from the block to near the MAP (90 models have em anyways). how old is the battery? How many times has it been run dead? Try ramming through the gears (assuming it's an auto) and try to start in neutral. Also try tapping the starter solenoid a few times. Check for spark from the coil.

The batt is pretty new. Never ran dead.

Just weridness running rampant.

ok did you replace the cable that runs from the bat to the side of the block? or the one that runs from the firewall to the head? The braided on to the head basically crumbles over time try to wiggle that one and see if you get juice. next see if you have continuity from the bat to the body remember the paint doesn't conduct so find something on the body that is bare metal.

^Good point there! I only replaces battery to block ground cable. Hmmmm something else to try lol.

^Thats the thing. The clamps are tight as hell with zero corrosion. I was jiggling the jumper cable teeth and that was turning on the interior light.

does anyone have pics of the braided cable I'm talking about?

you could trie like I did and just add another ground straight from the bat to the body.

I'm like 95% positive that's your problem.

Don't mean to be an ass, but pull your cables of and wire brush those terminals. I'm willing to bet it's those. It's the easiest to do and can then move from there for troubleshooting if needed. Good Luck with the wrist.

My first guess would be a loose or corroded ground or battery cable. But there is a TSB (recall) about loose connections on the bus in the PDC. I forget exactly which year but mid 90's sometime. A loose power connection at the bus can get hot and melt things.
Anytime my starter goes click and nothing happens, first thing I check is the power cables, second is the starter brushes.
If your oil filter adapter is dripping on the starter this can also cause iffy contact at the brushes. I don't know exactly how the oil gets into the starter and onto the brushes. But I know for a fact it happens.