chicofuentes0224 Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Any electrical genius, I need help. How do I hook up interior lights that have two wires coming out, to the harness that has 3 wires on it. One wire is always hot on the harness. I'd like to be able to turn them on/off with the headlight switch knob. I tried last night. I can get em to light up but can't get em to turn off with either the headlight switch or the door switch. Oh by the way the hot wire on the harness is black, not the pink one. Is that supposed to be that way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 The stock MJ interior harness has 3 modes, off, on (switched at the light itself), and switched on with the doors. The "always hot" wire should be capped off. Use the other 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 The stock MJ interior harness has 3 modes, off, on (switched at the light itself), and switched on with the doors. The "always hot" wire should be capped off. Use the other 2. The hot wire is pink, the ground wire is black, and the headlight switch wire is yellow. Use the black and yellow wires for your two wire lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicofuentes0224 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 well, my black wire is hot, but only when the car is turned on. Obviously I jacked something when I replaced my harness with a cherokee one. It seems to be the only thing I messed up though. So I guess I'm gonna run new wires. Now should splice new wires from my under dash lights that work perfectly, or should I connect them to the fuse box somehow, or does anybody have a better idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 well, my black wire is hot, but only when the car is turned on. Obviously I jacked something when I replaced my harness with a cherokee one. It seems to be the only thing I messed up though. So I guess I'm gonna run new wires. Now should splice new wires from my under dash lights that work perfectly, or should I connect them to the fuse box somehow, or does anybody have a better idea? Check to see if you click on 12V on the yellow wire when you turn your headlight switch knob fully ccw (or cw, I forget). If so, then all you need to do is run a separate ground wire to the other light contact. Might can do that right in the B pillar. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicofuentes0224 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 Well it's no nothing volts at the yellow wire which I don't have. So I suppose your yellow is my black/white tracer which is getting no volts anyway and neither is the pink. The wiring is JACKED. I'm running new wires tommorow. Thanks fer all the help guys :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdesigns Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Do the under dash lights work?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicofuentes0224 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 Do the under dash lights work?? Poyfectly man, gracias. I told you on the bicker post the other night but you must have missed it. By the way did you ever get the money cause for some reason I have an xtra $10 in my account I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdesigns Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Do the under dash lights work?? Poyfectly man, gracias. I told you on the bicker post the other night but you must have missed it. By the way did you ever get the money cause for some reason I have an xtra $10 in my account I think. Yeah I missed it then,,, was alot of bickering going on in that thread,, lol Yeah alls good on my side.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armybmbsqd Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 I thought that the interior lights worked on an always hot circuit. The other two wire are ground wires and depending on how the lights are turned on determines which wire is used to complete the ground circuit. The door jamb switches ground the circuit as does the headlight switch. On a 'Manche with the side pillar lights, pushing the light one way makes the ground connection to turn the lights on and the other light position allows the door jamb or headlight switch to control the lights. With an always hot circuit and ground control (MAJ Tom) you can have both sides of the circuit on with out creating an over voltage situation or overload to the lights. At least thats what I thought :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 well, my black wire is hot, but only when the car is turned on. Obviously I jacked something when I replaced my harness with a cherokee one. It seems to be the only thing I messed up though. So I guess I'm gonna run new wires. Now should splice new wires from my under dash lights that work perfectly, or should I connect them to the fuse box somehow, or does anybody have a better idea? You just don't understand how the courtesy lights work. The door switch isn't a switched power lead, it's a switched ground. The wire(s) to the interior lights are always hot, and opening the door just closes the ground leg to complete the circuit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xjcrazy09 Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 how hard was it to replace the wiring harness from cherokee to Mj? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicofuentes0224 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 well, my black wire is hot, but only when the car is turned on. Obviously I jacked something when I replaced my harness with a cherokee one. It seems to be the only thing I messed up though. So I guess I'm gonna run new wires. Now should splice new wires from my under dash lights that work perfectly, or should I connect them to the fuse box somehow, or does anybody have a better idea? You just don't understand how the courtesy lights work. The door switch isn't a switched power lead, it's a switched ground. The wire(s) to the interior lights are always hot, and opening the door just closes the ground leg to complete the circuit. Ok, I undertand the concept now. My question is now this. I have three wires coming out of the harness. One is pink. One is black. One is black/white tracer. When I put a test light to any of the three wires with the key off or on but the MJ off I get no power at any of them. It doesn't matter if I turn the headlight switch cw or ccw or if I open or close the door. However if I start the truck, all of a sudden I get power to my black wire which I believe is the ground. At this point I connect my two wire light bulb. One wire goes to the black wire (ground which has power :nuts:) and the other wire goes to either of the other wires (pink or black/white tracer) and my light bulb turns on. However it never shuts off, even if I turn my headlight switch or close the door. The headlight switch and door switches work because I can control my underdash lights just fine. I just want to be able to turn my interior lights on and off with my headlight switch like I do with my underdash lights. WHAT AM I MESSING UP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicofuentes0224 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 how hard was it to replace the wiring harness from cherokee to Mj? Well considering the fact that the only thing I had ever done to a car before this little escapade we call a Comanche was change the oil and tires, in August of 2007 I would have told you exasperating and extremely difficult. It only took me 106 hours with no directions and a screwdriver and vicegrips for tools. However with basic mechanical skills, a magic marker and some masking tape I think the job would really only take 4-6 hours to do the WHOLE harness inside and out. The only differnce between the two is a plug that goes to the taillights and fuel pump is differnt and you have to cut, splice and figure out what goes where. I couldn't tell you for sure though because my whole harness caught on fire and melted together into one big gooey clump. In other words, find an MJ one. It will be easier :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Ok, I undertand the concept now. My question is now this. I have three wires coming out of the harness. One is pink. One is black. One is black/white tracer. When I put a test light to any of the three wires with the key off or on but the MJ off I get no power at any of them. It doesn't matter if I turn the headlight switch cw or ccw or if I open or close the door. However if I start the truck, all of a sudden I get power to my black wire which I believe is the ground. At this point I connect my two wire light bulb. One wire goes to the black wire (ground which has power :nuts:) and the other wire goes to either of the other wires (pink or black/white tracer) and my light bulb turns on. However it never shuts off, even if I turn my headlight switch or close the door. The headlight switch and door switches work because I can control my underdash lights just fine. I just want to be able to turn my interior lights on and off with my headlight switch like I do with my underdash lights.WHAT AM I MESSING UP? Okay, if you're getting 12V on the black wire onlywhen the engine is running, not hot any other time, this is bad. It means that the voltage is coming from the charging circuit perhaps, or the ignition system, an engine sensor circuit, i.e. a circuit that only has current flow when the engine is running. And the fact that either of the other two wires when connected with the hot wire energizes the light proves you have ground on both, but since the light never shuts off the ground is not being switched off by either the headlamp or door switches. It's obviously wired wrong somewhere up front. I'd start trying to isolate the black wire power source first by pulling fuses one by one until the power goes away. PITA I know, but it should lead you to the circuit causing the BLK wire 12V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicofuentes0224 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 Thanks Horny, I'll try it 2morrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 Under dash lights? I don't think these were an option from the factory (correct me if I'm wrong), so they must be after market. Maybe whomever installed these messed up the wiring for the dome lights. That would be a place to start looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicofuentes0224 Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 My interior harness is outta a cherokee of the same year. It has the harnesses for the lights. I think the comanches also have the harness but not sure. Jt got me the lights outta a junkyard that I think he got out of a cherokee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtdesigns Posted April 2, 2008 Share Posted April 2, 2008 My interior harness is outta a cherokee of the same year. It has the harnesses for the lights. I think the comanches also have the harness but not sure. Jt got me the lights outta a junkyard that I think he got out of a cherokee. Se way,,,Everything you said is correct.. MJ's have the plugs too.. I have one more set if anybody wants them,,, just pm me. I was messing around with my wiring today and that circuit goes from the rear to a large plug right beside/under the e-brake release. I had (like ellos hombre said) 12v at the pink,, ground switched at the blk/wht and constance ground at blk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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