The horrid glowing dash light is back.

[james750]

A few months ago i had a problem where when my park/headlights were on the turn signal light would glow dim in the dash. Problem fixed with a new bulb.

 

Now its back, but it's on the drivers side instead of the passenger side. So far I've replaced all bulbs and all sockets and its still there. the parking light will not blink when the turn signal is on but the side marker will, and when the parking lights are on the side marker light is much dimmer than the other side. Any ideas?

[Eagle]

The side marker light blinks?

 

Who else has a '90? I don't think the side markers are supposed to blink, but there is a wiring mod circulating on the Errornet (actually, a couple of different ones) to make them blink, and I wonder if a previous owner of your truck might have tried to accomplish one of those modifications. If so, it's anyone's guess what he might have messed up. I would start by tracing wiring back from the side markers and the front turn signals to see if you can find anything to suggest that the wiring has been "improved."

[james750]

Mine is an early 90, manufactured in 10/89 actually, and Ive tracked the wires b4 and the socket attaches to a gray w/ black tracer instead of brown. So either the front wiring harness has been replaced at some point b/c there is no point along the way in the harness where there has been cutting/splicing or any soldering. Maybe Ill try to find another wiring harness with that change done (off a newer pre 97 XJ) already done to plug into the truck.

[mvusse]

My original 87 light harness, the side marked did not blink. One wire to the bulb is ground, the other is parking lights.

 

The replacement that came with the new header panel (off 91 Cherokee?) does blink. The wire that went to ground on my original harness now went to the turn signal. With the lights off it blinks with the turn signal, with the lights on it blinks opposite (on when turn signal is off, and off when turn signal is on).

 

It is a simple enough wiring job that it can easily be adapted yourself, but I believe my harness is stock.

 

edit: My buddy's 90 XJ also blinks the side marker light.

[IDXJ]

A few months ago i had a problem where when my park/headlights were on the turn signal light would glow dim in the dash. Problem fixed with a new bulb.

 

Now its back, but it's on the drivers side instead of the passenger side. So far I've replaced all bulbs and all sockets and its still there. the parking light will not blink when the turn signal is on but the side marker will, and when the parking lights are on the side marker light is much dimmer than the other side. Any ideas?

My 88 was doing the same thing and I had to replace the socket. I checked continuity and it was fine. I tried 4 different new bulbs and it would not work at all. So, I just pulled a known good one from a parts rig and spliced it in. I noticed that the other side had already been replaced.

[james750]

Yeah, now I've replaced all sockets in the harness, something is askew in the harness and at this point it is probably easier and more worth my while to just change out the whole harness. Electrical is such a PIA :wall:

[carnuck]

You might have a bad ground wire from the battery to the frame.

[HKB3]

I have a similar problem going on in my YJ, the turn signal indicators and high beam indicator "glow" very dimly all the time(head lights on or off). The headlights are dim also & when the turn signals are on all the other lights pulse with the turn signals.

So far the ground wires look ok, but I have some less then spectacular "custom" wiring going on under the dash. Right now everything works so I going to leave it alone until I get my comanche back on the road, then I will probably pull the dash & see whats going on up close.

[james750]

Replaced the front wiring harness, problem fixed