• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

96 xj grounding problem

Bmfinney

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Arkansas
Hey everyone I’m wanting to see if any of you app have had this problem before and what you have found that was the problem. I just traded for this xj. That has a grounding issue. So I am blowing this 30 amp mini fuse in the distribution box. Off and on while driving the engine shuts off and I have to replace it. The heater core was bad in it and I had to replace the heater core last weekend. I installed it and hooked up my blower motor and I am blowing the 30 am fuse under the dash that. Controls the blower motor. I have figured out that the fuse panel underneath the dash is grounding as soon as I turn on the ignition. Even after I unplugged all the harnesses under the hood including the removing the Ecu. That it still is grounding as well as unplugging the fuel pump harness. Every time I turn the ignition on after everything is unplugged the fuse box underneath the dash still goes to ground? I haven’t touched the ignition itself yet.
 
I'd start with a FSM but you didn't say the year?
 
I'd start with a FSM but you didn't say the year?


Well, the title says "96 XJ grounding problem" so I am going to guess it is a '96.

I am not sure I fully understand the description of the problem, but it sounds to me like a there is a dead short on that circuit.

This is where you need the FSM so you can figure out exactly what is on that circuit and can start disconnecting relevant connectors until you can isolate where the ground/short is located.
 
If you pinched a wire when you swapped out the heater core it could be anyplace, most likely the yellow-brown wire.
Just a hunch..... Unplug the blower motor resistor pack (blower speed). Actually a pretty common spot for a short. If the fuse doesn't blow you have likely found your problem. Putting the fan control on high bypasses the resistor pack, so you can get high fan with the resistor pack unplugged. If the fuse still blows with the resistor pack unplugged and with the fan on high you likely have a pinched wire or maybe an errant contact someplace else, like the heater controls.

What is the position number for the fuse that is blowing? Good luck finding a wiring diagram for a 96 or an FSM, both are rare. At least 2 possibly three wiring configurations for the 96, which makes finding something usable interesting.
 
Well there are two fuses that are blowing. One is a mini amp fuse that happens randomly. In the distribution panel. That controls the vehicle when it blows the motor does. The other is the blower motor fuse under the dash. But the fuse panel itself is going to ground when I turn the ignition on. Not just that fuse. I have the blower motor unplugged. Thanks for the replies guys. Im going to check the ignition out I haven’t messed with it yet.
 
Factory service manual, what they use at the dealership.
 
You are likely looking in the worst part of the XJ wiring, under the dash. The blower motor speed is controlled by a resistor pack, usually, on the face of the air box under the glove box, you will likely have to remove the vacuum motor cover, you can follow the wiring down to the resistor pack. Unplug this and see what happens.
 
Check the connector on the lower part of the steering column for meltdown. Other than that it is likely to be a pinched or rubbed through cable someplace. Believe for the 96 that would be a yellow and brown wire, maybe straight brown wire. I don't have a 96 schematic so some of this is guesswork. Some of the wiring and wire colors remain fairly static for multiple years, not always but often.
 
Well I took the column cover off and sort of found the issue. Lol I unplugged this harness that is at the bottom of the column it is a straight and narrow harness has about 8 prongs or so on it. I have no idea what it feeds it’s connected to this little plastic collar that goes around the steering column. Everything I care about still works so left it unplugged and bolted it back up. No more grounding issues.
 
I am going to guess it might be the clockspring wiring. Does your horn work? Cruise control? Those would be the clockspring functions to consider.
 
Well guys I still am having the issue. I must have shaken it enough to not ground anymore. I unplugged the ignition harness. And everyone of those wires are going to ground?
 
Well I believe I narrowed it down. To the 6th prong on the ignition harness at the column. Says it is the run and accessory’s guess that would be my radio and stuff on the dash
 
Back
Top