Battery dying with doors off

9nick0

9nick0

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I have a 1997 tj that I just bought. Has a 2 month old battery and I just did a check on the alternator and it appears to be fine. I took the doors off the jeep and didn't drive it for a couple of days and the battery went dead on me. I am guessing this is because the radio or dome lights are staying on because the doors are off? Whats a simple fix for this? I've read everything from pulling a fuse to installing a switch to trick the jeep into thinking the doors are on. Thanks in advance.
 
If I pull fuse 4 on mine the dome lights turn off, but so does the warning beep that I left my head lights on. So you have to remember not to leave the lights on. I drove into work at sunrise and had a dead battery at 5.

I'm going to add tabs to my steel doors so they push the connection shut. I trade the doors for those because nobody will ride with me without doors of some sort.
 
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9nick0 said:
Gotcha, thats what I read as well. Fuse 4. Thank you. Any other options?
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Fuse 4 disables the door switches so the interior lights won't go on when the doors are open or off. So if that is what is draining your battery that'll fix it. You'll still be able to turn the interior lights on with the dashlight dimmer control as usual.

However, the interior lights don't draw much out of the battery so have your battery "load tested" too to make sure it's good and not just going bad.
 
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get a couple a small clamps put them over the pegs, push the plunger in and tighten the clamp just enough to hold it for you.
 
someguysjeep said:
get a couple a small clamps put them over the pegs, push the plunger in and tighten the clamp just enough to hold it for you.
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Pulling one small fuse is both easier and faster than placing clamps on both door switches to hold their buttons in.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
Pulling one small fuse is both easier and faster than placing clamps on both door switches to hold their buttons in.
Click to expand...
^This...

I have never understood the extraordinary efforts to design/defeat something the factory took the time to so easily override in 15 seconds.
 
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I used the Quadratec fuse tap as well, but wired it to a switch on the dash panel (far right). So when the doors are off (or if I need to leave a door open for an extended period of time) I just flip the switch.

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I just remembered that I had another issue. My key and tumbler were worn out. So I could pull my key out when it was in the on or auxiliary positions.

The Jeep is different from my other vehicles were off is rotated all the way down. In the Jeep that is the auxiliary position.

So I was leaving the Jeep power on. I would test it by turning on the wipers. If the tumbler was in the correct off, they wouldn't come on.

I replaced the tumbler and got a new key made.
 
There is a handy mod that a co-worker of mine did. He found this on Youtube and it seems like a very elegant solution to the problem. I will be doing this to mine soon as well. All the info you need should be in the video. There is some 3D printing involved.

Video

Link to Part
 
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