justinnny

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Jan 31, 2023
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Location
Philadelphia
I have a 04 jeep wrangler having issues with the vehicle randomly dying. No lights on dash or error codes. I usually have to replace the radio fuse to avoid dying…. keeps blowing out. Took it to a mechanic and was told everything is fine and obviously it isn’t. Starter, battery,and alternator are all good from what i’m told
 
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I have a 04 jeep wrangler having issues with the vehicle randomly dying. No lights on dash or error codes. I usually have to replace the radio fuse to avoid dying…. keeps blowing out. Took it to a mechanic and was told everything is fine and obviously it isn’t. Starter, battery,and alternator are all good from what i’m told
I’ve noticed for a few months When i hit a pothole my radio would turn off and on…. kept ignoring the signs
 
IF the radio fuse is blowing which keeps the vehicle from restarting then there is an electrical overload somewhere such as an intermittent power wire touching ground. The radio shutting off when you hit a bump means there is a loose wire some place. The radio fuse blowing and the vehicle shutting off are just a symptoms of an electrical problem.
You should remove the radio and do an inspection of the wiring looking for chafes and melted wires.
 
@justinnny Check everything hooked up aftermarket as well as all powers and grounds. Radio, winch, lights, etc. Get the jeep up to operating temp and (gently) tap the pcm with a screwdriver handle. Have someone in the Jeep watching the cluster to see if there any changes.

Lastly, do a wiggle wire test while the jeep is running. Gently shake the harness in sections to see if perhaps you have an intermittent short.

Please let me know what you find out.

Thanks,

Mark Cantrell
 
My 97 was acting similar to yours, except it was not dying… whenever I would hit a pothole or bump my radio would turn off and back on, or turn off and not come back on and I would find a blown fuse… Started doing some checking and found that the under hood light is on the same circuit as the radio fuse, and on inspection found the PO had cut the plug off the end of the under hood light and left it hanging, and when I hit a bump, it would hit the firewall and cause a short thus causing the radio to turn off or blow a fuse… no further problems after fixing the wire…