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Lost gages,radio,domelightand buzzer need HELP

greychalet

NAXJA Forum User
Location
MI
My wife's 99XJ 4.0 sport OEM except for 3"lift and 31's was having "stumbling" issues when hitting bumps.Took it to my usual mechanic who I always use for elec. problems.He had it for a day was able to duplicate concern on first test drive.No codes thrown he checked powers and grounds on PCM and instrument panel all good.Tech tapped and wiggled on modules and connections in shop unable to duplicate.Drove again monitoring ccd bus and vehicle ran fine.I picked up and drove for two days w/o a problem then last night hit a pothole at 70mph lost my radio, gage cluster,dome light,and key buzzer.The low gas warning light does work and the check gages light was on.Speedo shows last speed read all other gages 0.All other systems appear to work just drove it home from the hotel (about 40 miles) in 4hi cause MI got hit last night,ran great.Anyone know what is common to all 4 of those things?Thank you in advance and NAXJA rocks.
 
Thank you for the reply to my question.TBS says this fix does not address fuel or oil press. gages and both of mine are affected as well as the radio,domelight and key buzzer but not the low fuel light which came on with an audible ding after this incident.Wouldn't the key in ignition buzzer and low fuel "ding" be on the same system?Wierd.Anyway thanx again for your post but am still hoping for more help.
 
Fairly common on 97+ XJ's and TJ's, the gauge cluster thing is from the two self docking plugs in the back of the cluster. Does the airbag light come on too ?
Thinking back with my 98 I had problems, the radio would die and loose memory of the presets. I was putting in the factory fog light add on kit and while I was working down near where your left foot goes there is a big connector block that goes thru the firewall, the male and female plug is held together with a single bolt thru the middle, mine was almost falling apart. I pulled it all the way out, cleaned it with some contact cleaner and put it back together and most of my problems went away. I still have a crummy sender in the tank but will live with at as long as the fuel pump works.
 
Hey thanks for the posts guys.Im going to check what RichP said right now.(even though its cold out there) and the snow is blowing and I want to go play in the wrangler(it has a kickass heater)I'll go tinker with the wife's rig.I'm not sure about the airbag light I'll check that to.Is it relevant to something specific like the plug you were describing by my left foot or behind the cluster?Cluster interface wouldn't effect radio and dome would it?Thanx again.
 
greychalet said:
Hey thanks for the posts guys.Im going to check what RichP said right now.(even though its cold out there) and the snow is blowing and I want to go play in the wrangler(it has a kickass heater)I'll go tinker with the wife's rig.I'm not sure about the airbag light I'll check that to.Is it relevant to something specific like the plug you were describing by my left foot or behind the cluster?Cluster interface wouldn't effect radio and dome would it?Thanx again.
That big block I'm talking about is where pretty much everything comes into the cab. If thats tight or you tighten it and it happens again give the dash above the cluster a couple of solid hits with the heel of your hand and it might come back on.
 
Here's the latest for anyone reading this post.Took wife's rig back to same tech who I had taken it to for original "stumbling" or "cutting-out" issue becuz it appeared that he had success without replacing anything and only charged me for half-hour when I know he spent considerably more time than that just test driving the thing.Now the concern was the instrument panel etc.Here is the invoice almost verbatim....
He found blown 15 amp fuse for IOD.After replacing tech drove and it started cutting in and out again.During concern tech was able to confirm that CCD data bus voltage is staying consistent.Scanner loses communication during concern.This could be due to loss of power or ground to PCM or faulty 3 wire sensor.Crank sensor has high failure rate on this veh. recomm. replace.No change in vehicle performance after replace w/dealer part.Tech drove after sitting for weekend and check engine light came on and oil press. gauge stuck on 80 psi. Inspec. revealed faulty oil press. switch.wiring does include a 5 volt reference signal recommend replace to correct gauge and possibly intermittant cut out concern.After replacing, gauged worked properly but still cutting in and out.Tech verified PCM powers are all present during concern and grounds are in good condition.Tapping on PCM is the only thing that temporarily corrected concern.Recommend replacing PCM.....END OF INVOICE At this point I told them I wanted to look into a JET Performance PCM because of cost of OEM (which we didn't discuss)He said if I brought him the part he would install it and if I didn't than atleast call him and tell him what the fix ended up being.Today I called JET and asked customer service if they offered a product that replaced the PCM not "piggybacked" or a "chip" and was told no.I was led to believe they did both by they're ads in autoanything as well as by reading posts on NAXJA.Especially there ad for a GM PCM for vehicles with no "chip" to replace.The module they list for 99 XJ's is referred to as a PCM in the title.What the @#$%?RECAP:Check engine light was first,Wife and I ignored it after I assured her it wasn't going to blow up.Next was minor "stumble" if she hit a bump.Took to autozone kid said only codes were batt. disconnected and O2#2.Battery was me replaced downstream O2 sensor.Many drive cycles dummy light still lit.Ignore...Next:pick up wife on side of road, trade cars,cutting in and out during acceleration is kind of violent gets me home.Take to Tech and the rest is posted here.3 sensors replaced no luck this is why I ignore dummy lights.But wife will not drive it so...Pay retail for an OEM PCM?NEVER!Tech told me he wasn't sure based his guess on me telling him problem went away completely for 4 days and say 250 miles maybe.After they had "tapped" on PCM.Concern never did happen even after gauges etc. cut out while I had it.Replaces fuse and concern returns?Replace CPS no luck but good news faulty oil press. switch!? was why whole gauge cluster and radio don't work thank god the check engine light still works.HA HA anyway what to d o what to do...Give stealership a crack at it?Buy rebuilt PCM?Ask for more help here?Obviously.Tell the next tech what the first tech said?Or just tell him its cutting in and out and see what he says?Swap my '95XJ 4.0 with hers?Kind of drastic and leaves me with the ugly AND broken XJ.Please don't suggest small blockin' it cause i'm saving that motor for the '93 YJ.Any other ideas would be GREAT.I love my jeeps but computers belong on my desk.
 
Intermittent's I would start looking at grounds all over the place. Then I would start pulling plugs, one at a time, cleaning them, dab of dielectric grease and put back together. Do it in a warm area so you don't break any plastic tab locks on the connectors.
 
greychalet said:
Thanx RichP.Where am I gonna find a warm spot?I'm in MI is it as cold in PA as it is here?
Was -9 here nite before last, heat wave coming, supposed to hit 45F on sat.
I need to replace both fog light bulbs which means I'll need to sand the driveway before I start so I won't slide under the jeep...
 
Cutting in & out VIOLENTLY

Does anything mentioned point to a specific system?I didn't mention how it happens specifically so here goes....At no particular rpm the tach drops to zero and back a couple of times per second and the check engine light flashes this is accompanied by the shaking of course.The concern is over in a few seconds and check engine not lit.Headlights are unaffected during and after.Still waiting for that person with the exact same problem to tell me what it is :bawl:
 
Wow. Does the radio still cut out and is it factory installed? Based on your original description it wouldn't be anything recommended or replaced so far. I would look closely at the ground wires that bolt to the block at the same place as the engine dipstick tube.
 
No it appears they fixed all of the original Topic problems.It has reverted to original problem just described.And thanx for the reply.Any idea how to edit my original topic ?
 
To late to edit the original but if you could tell me here or which post to look at as I am confused.
 
Sorry i meant this thread.I know its a long post to read but i tried to be as specific as possible .I took the jeep in cause it was cutting out and then the gauges radio BS and now back to the cutting out
 
The symptom of the "tach dropping to zero and back a couple of times a second" coupled with the "shaking" seems to say that the PCM is loosing engine timing reference from the Crankshaft Position Sensor...I know you said they replaced the Crank Sensor, but it sounds like your Jeep has got a shaky connection someplace between the Crank Sensor, Cam sensor, PCM, power, and/or ground...maybe the common sensor ground at the PCM or PCM power....PCM connections have to be cleaned, inspected, reseated and ruled out...engine harness/sensor connections also...
The scanner lost connection when concern happened...if it was a scanner only plugged into the OBD2 connector, it was pretty much looking directly at only 4 pins of the PCM...2 pins for CCD +/- and DataLink Rec/Trans... so the Scanner lost syncronized communication with the PCM....it might end up being a PCM but someone needs to make sure all the circuits connections are clean and solid...not vibrational...
just my 2 cents...hope that helps.
 
McQue U R awesome!This is the kind of answer I was hoping for.I don't know what kind of scan tool they used.They r a little shop somehow affiliated with the NAPA store in front.Think the gauges/fuse/oil press.etc. was coincidence?I type slow please stick with me
 
While I wouldn't rule out a PCM you need to check other stuff. As I said the main grounds for the electronics are bolted where the engine oil dipstick tube attaches to the block.

When one has a scan tool up and the vehicle acts up they should look to see if the starts since last set counter resets. This would indicate a PCM reset due to a power/ground or internal PCM problem.

Now you said some stuff is fixed but I do not see how anything you listed so far would cure a radio cutting out problem.

So let me be clear that your ONLY problem is the engine cutting out now?
 
While it is always possible to have a common problem it can also be seperate issues. I would look over the engine wiring real good for areas where it might rub and short to ground (I had one where the wiring was shorting out on the back of the fuel rail) or be melted to say the exhaust.
 
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