Headlight Wiring Issues...any Help Appreciated

[adam518]

I finally got my MJ on the road tonight. I tested all of the lights earlier and they worked fine. As a matter of fact, I have tested them at least a dozen times over the last few weeks and they all worked as they should. I drove home in the daylight, but when I got home and was showing off my handywork to the wife, I noticed that I had the following issues:

 

1. When the turn signals are turned on, both the front left and right sides blink together. If I turn the left blinker on, it blinks slightly brighter than the left. If I turn the right blinker on, it blinks slightly brighter. The rears works as they should.

2. When the headlamps are turned on, neither headlamp comes on. They do not come on regardless if I select low beam or high beam.

3. When the headlamp switch is turned on, the high beam indicator and both turn signal indicators light up on the dash.

 

I know that power is going to the headlamps. I have a pair of auxiliary lights that come on automatically with the high beams. I tapped the high beam lead to complete the signal circuit for the relay that powers the auxiliary lights. Since the auxiliary lights are on any time that I have the headlamps on, it seems as though I am getting power to the high beams even when I have low beams selected, however, the headlamps themselves never come on. Also, since the high beams are getting 12 volts, it appears that the headlamps have lost ground or they would come on.

 

Also, the auxiliary lights both flash together when I turn either blinker on and the headlights are off, which indicates that when either blinker comes on, the high beams on the headlamps are getting voltage.

 

I am perplexed.

 

The very last thing I worked on before leaving was the interior lamps. I did cross one of the grounds and power lead on one of the rear interior lights and blew the fuse, but they work fine now. I checked all of the fuses in the interior as well as the engine compartment fuse boxes.

 

I wired a new stereo and amp last weekend. Both have power leads straight to the battery. I ran both through the grommet that is slightly to the left of center on the firewall. It is above and to the right of the accelerator pedal. Since there are wires running through the grommet, I pulled it out and slid the grommet back several inches to make sure I didn't much up any of the wires when I poked additional holes in the grommet. All of those wire look fine.

 

Any ideas????

[adam518]

once again...I am an idiot.

 

My light issue was driving me crazy, so I went outside to ponder it over a couple of beers. After poking and proding about for a while, I reached down and squeezed the connection where the front header bar light harness plugs into the main harness. Low and behold, a heavenly chorus appeared and began to sing Hallelujah while the glory of my front lights appeared before me. It turns out that it was simply a loose connection!

 

Hopefully, my frustration will help someone else.

[HOrnbrod]

Thanks for sharing your heavenly experience.

[cruiser54]

once again...I am an idiot.

 

My light issue was driving me crazy, so I went outside to ponder it over a couple of beers. After poking and proding about for a while, I reached down and squeezed the connection where the front header bar light harness plugs into the main harness. Low and behold, a heavenly chorus appeared and began to sing Hallelujah while the glory of my front lights appeared before me. It turns out that it was simply a loose connection!

 

Hopefully, my frustration will help someone else.

 

That's exactly where I was thinking it was. Here's something to do in your spare time:

I suggest unplugging EVERY electrical connection in the engine bay you can find, whether engine related or not, and spraying it out with a good electronics cleaner, visually inspecting the terminals making sure they haven’t retracted into the plastic holder, and then plugging it back together. There’s a critical 10-pin connector for the front lighting system located in front of the air cleaner and behind the left headlight assembly. Don’t miss that one

. Also be sure that the connectors to the ballast resistor mounted near the air cleaner housing are clean and tight.

 

ALL of the relays should be removed, the terminals wire-brushed until shiny, and the receptacles sprayed out with contact cleaner. Then plug them back in. I do this on every Renix Jeep I purchase or work on for someone else.

 

Revised 07/23/2012