Cause of gauges to be all over the place?

Joseph

Joseph

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 20, 2018
Messages
392
Location
North Jersey
I’m really not quite sure how to explain this. My no start in park issue is persistent. I recently had a mechanic replace my NSS which didn’t fix the issue.

I came out to the Jeep after work Monday to a dead battery, completely dead. I blamed this on the radio since smoke came from behind it and removed it. Seemed to have cured my issue.

I came out to the Jeep today after work to again, a dead battery. This time I jumped it and let it run, got on the highway and check gauges come on. Everything was normal aside from my battery voltage jumping up to the dot past 14, maybe a little higher. It kept fluctuating and when I came to a stop off the highway it went to normal and the check gauges went away. I start driving, it does this again and the check gauges light comes on.

I make it home, shut it off. My key is in the off position now. All my gauges start fluttering, it’s going “beep beep beep” as if I have the ignition in “run” without it actually running.

I’m really at a loss here. I don’t know if these mechanics messed with my Jeep somewhere as they told me my front end is falling apart and that they’d get rid of it if they were me. I highly doubt that but what are the chances? They did my water pump and I had to go back in two days later for brake line fittings leaking. Not even a few days later I begin having the issues described above.

Can’t catch a break with this thing. I’d really like to sell it but not the condition it’s currently in. Can anyone at least give me a few pointers? I’m not even sure where to start..

If it helps, I have a new starter, new NSS, I think my ignition control behind the actuator is aftermarket, I don’t remember if I stuck the Mopar one back in. Alternator hasn’t been changed as far as I know. Battery is from 2016. Any help would be much appreciated!
 
I'd pull the instrument cluster and carefully check the wiring between the cluster and the radio area. Also check the grounds down by the driver door strap up to the cluster. Smoke can mean burned and shorted wires in the harness which can cause issues all over. The Jeep draining the battery and the cluster staying on could also be a failing ignition switch or actuator pin. Does the key feel normal when it's in and solidly click between positions or is it loose?

If your mechanic told you the front end is falling apart and you should get rid of it that could be rust, if it's bad it can be dangerous to drive. Make sure you have somebody take a good look at it that can assure you it's safe. No fun to have the steering go out on the freeway.
 
pagrey said:
I'd pull the instrument cluster and carefully check the wiring between the cluster and the radio area. Also check the grounds down by the driver door strap up to the cluster. Smoke can mean burned and shorted wires in the harness which can cause issues all over. The Jeep draining the battery and the cluster staying on could also be a failing ignition switch or actuator pin. Does the key feel normal when it's in and solidly click between positions or is it loose?

If your mechanic told you the front end is falling apart and you should get rid of it that could be rust, if it's bad it can be dangerous to drive. Make sure you have somebody take a good look at it that can assure you it's safe. No fun to have the steering go out on the freeway.
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I was going to check out all the grounds and pull the battery to have it load tested. I’ll check out the instrument cluster because I did recently pull it about a month ago to do all LEDs. Wiring behind the radio looks alright. I’m going to get rid of this junky walmart harness to see if maybe that’s the issue (I just left the radio itself out). Gonna see if the ignition switch somewhere in my garage is the Mopar one or aftermarket one because I can’t really tell just by looking at the one in there. Hopefully this gets solved! Looking to get myself a Tacoma to do some plumbing sidework.
 
Will this ground being torn to shreds have anything to do with it or just the hood light? I’m cleaning all the grounds under the hood and inside as we speak. Just wanted to point this out

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Zorba said:
I would replace that hot mess in any event.
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Okay I’ll check that out. I’ll add that the mechanic did not tighten the battery ground nearly enough as I could loosen it by hand. There were also two additional newer looking washers behind the ground going to the body that I did not put there myself.

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I really hope it was something as stupid as the ground cable to the battery being loose. I went ahead and cleaned both the posts and ring part and put them back on. Jeep started under its own power, which it didn’t before I tightened the battery terminal and cleaned some grounds..

This is the reason I hate going to mechanics, specifically stupid mistakes that are overlooked and leads you to go down the rabbit hole thinking of issues. Last time I had the Jeep at the mechanic was for the head gasket. I don’t really consider the fab shop that did my frame to be “bringing it to the mechanic,” but he did remedy the screw up of the guy who did my head gasket. Got it back and two weeks later the Jeep was stumbling like crazy, almost stalling. The fab shop guy fixed the issue..

Left a 94 XJ at one mechanic and it wouldn’t start when I went to pick it up later.. He had disconnected something under the hood and it fired right up. This cumulation of things is where my weariness comes from..
 
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