96 Cherokee electrical

My 96 has ran perfect every since it was built.

Right now I am having 2 problems.

First to come up was my blinkers stopped working.

I pulled the fuse block under the drivers dash and my blinker fuse holder is number 8 hole and the problem that I am finding is there is only one wire in the number 8 fuse hole. Where did the other wire go? I can not find a loose single wire under there anywhere.

Next I am going to get into my steering column. My jeep is not producing a spark at the plugs and I have followed it back to the key so I am going to pull the steering wheel to see if I have a bad ignition switch and to also look for my missing turn signal wire.

In order to remover the air bag do I just simply back out the screw on top of my steering wheel cover and remove the 4 backing bolts and that is it?

Taking it out wont shut down the ignition or cause my Jeep to not start will it?

I do have a ABS relay in my rely box under the hood. Does that matter and does it need taken out? If my airbag is mechanical why is there a relay for it?

Your ABS relay will have nothing to do with the airbags. You'll have a 15a circuit breaker or another 15a c/b for the passenger side if so equipped. Your turn signal blinkers have two round units that cycle the right and left side markers/turn signals. I'd replace those units and see if that doesn't restore the turn signal use.

What do you mean two sides. The fuse hole is number 8. There is a wire for one side of the fuse hole that fuse blade goes into but the other blade of the fuse has no wire to connect to. Where did it go?

Bobthemotorcycle said:

What do you mean two sides. The fuse hole is number 8. There is a wire for one side of the fuse hole that fuse blade goes into but the other blade of the fuse has no wire to connect to. Where did it go?

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It may be a dead socket. On my 96 I have two owners manuals, both show different fuse configurations and nether are a 100% correct. 96 was a transition year, some things are 96 specific, some basically 95 and some 97. Some of those fuses they moved to the PDC and left the socket blank in the fuse block.

I think you need to slow down just a minute, or you're doing an excellent job of trolling.

A no spark condition has nothing to do with your ignition switch. Your ignition switch turns on the power in the vehicle and controls the starter. How do you know you have no spark? Does the jeep turn on, do you get gauges and lights? Does the starter turn the engine over? A most common CPS failure will cause a no start condition.

Your turn signals are operated by a flasher relay. It's the click click click noise you hear when you activate the signal. On a 96, it's located under the steering column on the right of the wheel, behind the underdash trim panel. Replace the flasher before you troubleshoot any further.

First let me start with the blinkers.

You have a fuse that goes into the fuse block. The fuse has two male blades on each side of the fuse. When you plug it into the fuse block it connects to two female holes each connected to a wire. One of those female wires are not there. It use to be there but it no longer is, it is hole number 8. Is one side powered with a wire and the other female grounded to the firewall brass block? I have my fuse block pulled away from the fire wall.

To my ignition.

I pulled in one night and everything was ok. The next morning it would not start.
The dash and gages work, the starter turns over, everything works but it will not start.

I opened the hood and sprayed in some starting fluid and turned it over, it did not start.

I pulled a plug and grounded it to the valve cover and turned it over. It has no spark.

I pulled my coil to distributer wire and turned the key on and touched with a 12 volt light and nothing. I unplugged the power connector to the coil and checked both holes with my 12 volt light and nothing.

I removed my computer to see if all the pins were fine and that the plugs have not backed out and it is fine.

Since I can not fine the other wire to the blinker fuse I was going to get into my steering column and see if it was up in there.

I am almost sure it is my automatic shut down relay since I am almost sure I am not getting fuel or spark.

What will cause the automatic shutdown to activate.

What is a CPS.

I have a distributer, why would it have a CPS?

It has a CPS, if the CPS doesn't send a pulse to the PCM (Powertrain Control module) while the motor is cranking over, you will get no spark and no fuel pump relay closing. There could be numerous reasons your ASD relay isn't closing other than the CPS (the CPS is by far the most common reason), maybe you have no power to the ASD relay for some reason, Does your XJ have a security system?

I have no idea where the wire for your fuse went, either it is a blank spot (there never was a wire there), you are looking at the wrong fuse (fuse 12 in the fuse block maybe ?), or they have moved the fuse to the PDC slot 19 maybe. If it is missing for some other reason, I have no idea. You can't always trust the labeling.

There are two types of 96, early and late and the wiring can be different. My 96 is an export model and the wiring can be way different.

Check and see if you are getting juice to the combination flasher before you tear down the steering, is my best advice.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, just trying to help the best I can.

There is a drastic difference between a no start condition and a no spark condition. You have a no start condition, which has been documented on this forum an awful lot.

I would suggest you do a search and start reading, especially since you're not sure what kinds of sensors your engine has and how they relate to it's operation.

I can't tell you why there's no wire in the fuse slot you're looking for, but as someone who's attempted to take a fuse block and a PDC apart, I find it highly unlikely that a wire just fell out. I think you need to find the flasher and check for power, then try and figure out if the fuse you're looking for is actually the one you're looking for.

Thanks for the replies guys. I am old school Chevy and I just now starting to try and learn MAS Air Flow and Speed Density systems. I will be out working on it today, I will let you know.

Bobthemotorcycle said:

Speed Density

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WT Heck is a speed density system? I guess I'm slacking. I just turn the key and drive. If the blinkers (both) are not working I'd be replacing the flasher, first thing. I've replaced flashers on all my vehicles at one time or another and has always been the issue...even on my old Chevy.

I'd put the fuse block back together (I would not have touched it in the first place) and just put a new flasher in which was most likely the blinker problem all along. Removing the fuse block is bound to cause other issues. Why do you think the, um, "missing wire" would have migrated up into your steering column?

Next, why would you open up your steering column to fix a no spark issue? If you're looking for the ignition switch, it's on the out side of the column. The connectors have a habit of melting. Also the CPS has a habit of failing, or causing the very same no spark issue.

The guys that have responded to your thread know their Jeeps. Jeeps are relatively simple machines. Follow the advice given and you'll be back on the road soon.

In checking up with my '98 Cherokee owners' manual, which pheeew was with the XJ when bought I noticed, fuse block cavity #8 is open, meaning their is no fuse to be placed there. Cavities #26 and #27 are 10a fuses for your air bag/bags. Your turn signal flasher, I'd have thought to be located in the fuse panel being a 1996 XJ. On my '98 XJ the actual fuse for the turn signal and flasher unit is in cavity #12 and 10a.
Your no start, could be the CPS, and not related to a speed density sensor, nor a ABS which doesn't mean airbag.

mechbullxj said:

In checking up with my '98 Cherokee owners' manual, which pheeew was with the XJ when bought I noticed, fuse block cavity #8 is open, meaning their is no fuse to be placed there. Cavities #26 and #27 are 10a fuses for your air bag/bags. Your turn signal flasher, I'd have thought to be located in the fuse panel being a 1996 XJ. On my '98 XJ the actual fuse for the turn signal and flasher unit is in cavity #12 and 10a.
Your no start, could be the CPS, and not related to a speed density sensor, nor a ABS which doesn't mean airbag.

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Did you miss the "96's are weird" part?

The flasher is under the dash on the right side of the column. What your 98 manual says about fuses might apply, but probably not. You have to have a 96 manual to know for sure and even then sometimes it doesn't match up right.

RedHeep said:

Did you miss the "96's are weird" part?

The flasher is under the dash on the right side of the column. What your 98 manual says about fuses might apply, but probably not. You have to have a 96 manual to know for sure and even then sometimes it doesn't match up right.

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No argument here, the 1996 XJ does seem odd. Bobthemotorcycle seems like an appropriate vehicle for you. Luck....best of!

My fuse block under on the fire wall under the dash has a one hole place that says IGN and is empty. Is it suppose to be empty?

Bobthemotorcycle said:

My fuse block under on the fire wall under the dash has a one hole place that says IGN and is empty. Is it suppose to be empty?

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Do you have an owner's manual?

I'm trying to break it down for you. If you have power to the vehicle, the lights work, the gauges work, the starter turns the motor over, you don't have anything wrong with your ignition.

You have a problem with the engine not starting. You should stop looking at the fuse block and start looking at the things that make the engine not start.

Bobthemotorcycle said:

My fuse block under on the fire wall under the dash has a one hole place that says IGN and is empty. Is it suppose to be empty?

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Yes!

That one hole space have ignition only when you turn the ignition on. It do not directly relate to any of the engine control systems. There are also some accessory positions in the fuse box that have 12V + when the key is in the accessory and/or run positions. Neither of these one positions connectors are intended to be used by the engine control system.

NB. all engine control systems passes through the fuse box (some fused and some are not) then go through the fire wall to their respective engine control unit.

ParadiseXJ said:

I'd put the fuse block back together (I would not have touched it in the first place) and just put a new flasher in which was most likely the blinker problem all along. Removing the fuse block is bound to cause other issues. Why do you think the, um, "missing wire" would have migrated up into your steering column?

The guys that have responded to your thread know their Jeeps. Jeeps are relatively simple machines. Follow the advice given and you'll be back on the road soon.

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ParadiseXJ said:

WT Heck is a speed density system?

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My experience is that it is an electronic FI system that does not use a MAF. I have a '90 GTA. It is speed density. If I understand correctly the computer is more dependent on tables (i.e. spreadsheet type tables), whereas the MAF systems make adjustments based on airflow measurements.

Not that this relates at all to the OP's situation.

Apologies for the tangent.