Need help diagnosing my TJ

[JTR]

I have a 2004 TJ with the straight six manual transmission. Over the past couple of months my gauge cluster lights back lighting has been blinking on the left side once in a while.

About a week and a half ago the dash does not light up when I turn on the headlights. All other indicator lights are still working. When I turn on the rear windshield wiper for my hardtop the dashboard light up until I turn off the wiper. I’ve replaced fuses in both boxes in the engine bay and behind the glove box. Although not all the fuses I replaced the ones that I felt I had any correlation with the dash.

I’m confused at this point because I’ve replaced the fuses and it’s not the lightbulbs because it lights up on the rear wipers on. Any help would be appreciated I’m bout to go on a long road trip and this would definitely be an issue.

 

[Rcroane]

Have you pulled the instrument cluster and looked at the connectors behind? I believe there are two...one black and one white. Check to see if there is any damage to those wires or loose connections.

 

[Obi-Wan]

This definitely is not a fuse related issue.

When I turn on the rear windshield wiper for my hardtop the dashboard light up until I turn off the wiper.

This is your biggest clue. I'm suspecting a chafed wire causing a short somewhere.

 

[Gollywomper]

Either a connection behind the cluster or a ground issue would be my thought.

 

[Rcroane]

Either a connection behind the cluster or a ground issue would be my thought.

Good point on the grounds...check the ones behind the driver side speaker grill.

 

[97TJNM]

This definitely is not a fuse related issue.

This is your biggest clue. I'm suspecting a chafed wire causing a short somewhere.

The gauge cluster on my XJ gave me fits when I bought it. All sorts of weird gremlins. What finally fixed it was pulling the cluster and chasing wires behind it. On the XJ at least (not sure if it's the same on a TJ) right behind the Gauge cluster the wiring harness made a bend over a metal edge of the dash frame. 20+ years of rubbing there had worn through the insulation on a couple wires and was giving me intermittent grounds. Fixed the wires and all the problems went away.

 

[JTR]

The gauge cluster on my XJ gave me fits when I bought it. All sorts of weird gremlins. What finally fixed it was pulling the cluster and chasing wires behind it. On the XJ at least (not sure if it's the same on a TJ) right behind the Gauge cluster the wiring harness made a bend over a metal edge of the dash frame. 20+ years of rubbing there had worn through the insulation on a couple wires and was giving me intermittent grounds. Fixed the wires and all the problems went away.

I attempted to do this but everything was grounded and I couldn’t see any wear on the wires. If I Pull The bus wires the wires that give info such as rpm, fuel,etc the lights work. But obviously if I do this I have no engine information.

 

[JTR]

I attempted to do this but everything was grounded and I couldn’t see any wear on the wires. If I Pull The bus wires the wires that give info such as rpm, fuel,etc the lights work. But obviously if I do this I have no engine information.

 

[Paul Land]

I have a 2004 TJ with the straight six manual transmission. Over the past couple of months my gauge cluster lights back lighting has been blinking on the left side once in a while.

About a week and a half ago the dash does not light up when I turn on the headlights. All other indicator lights are still working. When I turn on the rear windshield wiper for my hardtop the dashboard light up until I turn off the wiper. I’ve replaced fuses in both boxes in the engine bay and behind the glove box. Although not all the fuses I replaced the ones that I felt I had any correlation with the dash.

I’m confused at this point because I’ve rep

About a week and a half ago the dash does not light up when I turn on the headlights.

I’m confused at this point because I’ve replaced the fuses and it’s not the lightbulbs because it lights up on the rear wipers on. Any help would be appreciated I’m bout to go on a long road trip and this would definitely be an issue.

I have similar issue after i added radio. I did work around by using jumper from dash + fuse out and different + in fuse slot, with safety fuse added in between.
Only down side is dash is in head lights lights on mode so odom is 1/2 bright as brighter day mode.