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Turn Signal Headache

S

Silverxj2000

NAXJA Forum User
Location
waterford, MI
I have a 2000 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L with command track. I have searched this forum and many others on information to what is going on with my turn signals. What is going on is with the headlights off, the left turn signal works but the odometer and display on the radio flash/blink with the left turn signal, and the right front turn signal flashes/blinks also. With the lights off the right turn signal works fine. With the headlights on, the left turn signal just stays on solid, but the right turn signal works. Also with the headlights on the parking lights remind on as well. Has anybody had this occur to them before, I have looked behind the spare tire and the ground connections there seem good. I checked the fuses. Where else can I look? This is driving me nuts. I am a mechanical engineer not an electrical for good reason.
 
sometimes my hazards don't work but both turnsignals work. We have a saying in the F-16 for electrical anomalies. "Sounds like Queertrons running through the wires."

Jim
 
I can't speak to a 2000, but here goes anyway.

I am also a ME but don't let the EE guys intimidate me! Isolate the potential problems. If the wire harness is the same as the old ones, there is a mess of connectors for the harness to to the back behind the drivers kick panel. There may be a connector to the front lights by the air cleaner (under the hood behind the drivers headlight). Disconnect each one independently testing for repetition of the anomoly you described. If it goes away with either one disconnected, you know where the problem is. If it doesn't change anything, it is probably in the dash or steering column.

Have you made any electrical changes in the past, fog lights, etc? Have you tried to change the blinker relay?
 
sjx40250
Thanks for the advice, I had a drawtite class 3 hitch professionaly installed well over a year ago but my turn signals went nuts quite a bite after that (6-7 months). Funny thing is I went to the autoparts store today and bought all new bulbs, and on my way back the turn signals acted fine. I am about ready to pull my hair out.
 
Holy dead thread Batman!

I'm resurrecting this close to 6 year old thread because I'm having the exact same issues. I just installed an OHC and extended idle switch this weekend, and I noticed that when driving back to school last night, I was having a few problems with my blinkers. (I've always had great luck with my Jeep, as the rear doors were stuck this weekend too)

When the lights are on, both blinkers light up solid. When I hit the left blinker, the indicator on the dash lights up solid, where as the right blinker actually blinks. When I turn the lights off and try to bink left, the odometer, radio, and OHC display all flash too, as well as the brake lights. Everything is fine when I try blinking right.

I did take a lot of the dash apart, but don't remember encountering any grounds. I did accidentally short the headlight switch with a screwdriver when I went to hit the button to release the push/pull lever, but I already replaced the blown fuse in the PDC. Installing the ext. idle switch required me to unplug one of the connectors on the ECU in drivers fender. Those are about the only things I can think of that occured during install.

Could the headlight switch be causing this? Perhaps I shorted it internally? Any other ideas?

Edit: I forgot, that when I disconnect both the idle switch and the OHC console, the symptoms remain.
 
Last edited:
Begster said:
Holy dead thread Batman!

I'm resurrecting this close to 6 year old thread because I'm having the exact same issues. I just installed an OHC and extended idle switch this weekend, and I noticed that when driving back to school last night, I was having a few problems with my blinkers. (I've always had great luck with my Jeep, as the rear doors were stuck this weekend too)

When the lights are on, both blinkers light up solid. When I hit the left blinker, the indicator on the dash lights up solid, where as the right blinker actually blinks. When I turn the lights off and try to bink left, the odometer, radio, and OHC display all flash too, as well as the brake lights. Everything is fine when I try blinking right.

I did take a lot of the dash apart, but don't remember encountering any grounds. I did accidentally short the headlight switch with a screwdriver when I went to hit the button to release the push/pull lever, but I already replaced the blown fuse in the PDC. Installing the ext. idle switch required me to unplug one of the connectors on the ECU in drivers fender. Those are about the only things I can think of that occured during install.

Could the headlight switch be causing this? Perhaps I shorted it internally? Any other ideas?

Edit: I forgot, that when I disconnect both the idle switch and the OHC console, the symptoms remain.
Click to expand...

A dual element bulb with a poor ground will cause those symptoms.
The bulb will back-feed though the park lamp circuit to find a ground.
A single element bulb in a dual element socket will do the same.
 
I had a similar problem but without the radio.There is a harness under the air filter box that gets nasty.Pull it apart and clean with electrical cleaner then put di-electric grease in it.It worked for me.Good luck.
 
Digger87xj said:
A dual element bulb with a poor ground will cause those symptoms.
The bulb will back-feed though the park lamp circuit to find a ground.
A single element bulb in a dual element socket will do the same.
Click to expand...
Hmm, I didn't touch the bulbs in either the front or rear end since I did the work, and I know there are no single element bulbs in any dual element sockets. The symptoms only showed up once I did the console and switch install.

winterbeater said:
It couldn't be the headlight switch. The turn signals don't run through there. I'm thinking you melted the insulation on a wire making two or three wires short together.
Click to expand...
I haven't looked through the FSM that much, but you don't think that since the headlight switch does tell the parking lights/brakelights, etc to turn on, it could have a bearing on what is happening?

troys 96 xj said:
I had a similar problem but without the radio.There is a harness under the air filter box that gets nasty.Pull it apart and clean with electrical cleaner then put di-electric grease in it.It worked for me.Good luck.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about the connector that goes to the front clip, and has all the headlight/turn signal wires? If so, this connector is fine, I've had it off a bunch of times when I've taken my front end apart, so I know its not all corroded. I did disconnect this, and the dash indicators did blink faster indicating a bulb was out (since they weren't connected) but the odometer was still blinking.

foxwar71 said:
:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:



:bs:



:D
Click to expand...
Ya, I was being sarcastic Ross.
 
All the grounds in the bulb sockets show continuity to the chassis, so it looks like they are good. I never got a chance to check the rear sockets.
 
Begster said:
Fixed it, trailer harness converter box shorted internally.
Click to expand...

Damn, those things seem to create more problems than what they fix. It would almost make more sense to modify the trailer lights so you don't have to use them.
 
Ya, it was installed on the Jeep about 5 or 6 years ago by u-haul when I was back in highschool and couldn't work on anything, and the Jeep was bone stock. It didn't give me any problems until now, kind of weird that it all of a sudden coincided with the OHC install.
 
I'm having a similar issue but it only happens when the lights are turned on. I think mine is related to the ground in the under the headlight blinker (Driver side) the lens is cracked and let in a bunch of water which corroded the connection in one of the bulb sockets. Does anyone know where I can get a new one (bulb socket) for a 99 that I can just splice in? I've been having the damndest time finding one. Any help would be nice.

Although when I tore apart the dash to search for connection issues the blinkers would freak out as I moved the head light switch around. sometimes they would blink really fast and sound like a constant tone or even stop working all together. It makes me wonder if there is a loose connection somewhere in the dash.

Either way I want to start with what I can see is obviously broken and go from there so I can rule out everything.
 
fosforito_one said:
Although when I tore apart the dash to search for connection issues the blinkers would freak out as I moved the head light switch around. sometimes they would blink really fast and sound like a constant tone or even stop working all together. It makes me wonder if there is a loose connection somewhere in the dash.
Click to expand...

Not such a good idea to be tearing things apart when the battery is still connected.

Learned WAY EARLY in life to disconnect the battery negative cable on just about any job involving disassembling.
 
I'm having this issue with my lights as well. Turn the lights on and the signals light up, or if no lights on and hit the signals, my cluster and instrument lights light up. I did LED's on all outside lights, brake, signal, backup ect, using 3157's all around. Did the signal relay upgrade as well to cure the blinking problem. Saw the comment about dual filament in a single and vs versa. Thoughts?

Thanks.

2001 XJ
 
take one turn signal bulb out at a time and see if they go out. if not you may have the wrong bulbs. i have not worked with the 3176/7 series bulbs but with the old round socket ones a single filament could short the feeds and reverse feed the signal circuit.
 
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