Need help with three minor issues

[Alex05]

I recently was fortunate enough to purchase a '05 LJ, with 23k miles on the clock! This is a 1 owner, old lady Jeep. It's in excellent condition. I really don't plan on altering it much from stock, aside from any necessary modifications to preserve and enjoy the vehicle for years to come.

I have 3 minor fixes that I'm looking for some advice on.

Issue 1: The hood alignment is off and I have no idea why. The vehicle has never been involved in a front end collision. Any idea how I can fix this?

Issue 2: The cabin fan only works on speeds 3 and 4. The internet says that I need to replace the blower resistor. Is this the likely culprit?

Issue 3: The driver side seatbelt sensor appears to be faulty. While driving and buckled up, the dash light constantly goes on/off. I can unbuckle and the light stays on constantly. I can buckle back up and the dash light goes back to previous behavior. How can I remedy this? I would like to avoid simply bypassing the sensor altogether, fooling it into thinking I am constantly buckled in.

Lastly, anything I should specifically look out for on this 15 year old Jeep as far as must-do's are concerned?

 

[Chris]

I moved your thread and retitled it. As a new member intro thread, your issues are going to get lost in that thread and people aren't going to see them.

In regards to your issues:

Issue 1: The hood looks just fine to me. Maybe it's a tad higher on the driver's side, but I've never seen a TJ that was 100% even all the way across.

Issue 2: Yes, that's a bad blow motor resistor most likely.

Issue 3: That one I can't help with. @Jerry Bransford may know the solution, so I'll tag him in this.

Anyways, welcome to the forum! In terms of things you should know or things you should do for an older Jeep, check out the TJ Resources. I've complied all the best threads and answers to the most commonly asked questions into that forum.

 

[Vidar]

For #3, there should be a connector under the drivers seat. Verify it is plugged in (and disconnect and reconnect if it is plugged in). If it’s not plugged in, I think you will always get the seat belt warning.

 

[Fonz54]

Congrats on a great find! Welcome to the forum.

 

[Alex05]

1) Body panels and hood alignment drives me nuts once I notice something off! My first thought is that the rubber bumpers/stops underneath the hood, that rest on the inner part of the grille, are simply tired?
2) Resistor ordered!
3) I've got some contact cleaner. I'll just try that on the connectors.

Regarding necessary modifications, how concerned do I need to be in the short term about the OPDA issue? Is it best to just take care of that now, rather than wait for this known issue to present itself?

 

[bstrobel64]

For the hood get something like this. If you wanna get really precise about it they are very adjustable. There's several brands that make something similar.

 

[Flivver250]

Welcome aboard, nice Jeep. Other things to look for? Any 15 year old vehicle with that low mileage may have some seal issues, watch for leaks. Check every perishable component like belts and hoses, gaskets, radiator etc. Replace every fluid and look for rust in the frame. Rust doesn't give a damn about mileage. Flush the brake fluid as well, that is often overlooked. Tires would be suspect as well, check the date of manufacture. More pictures would be nice. I suspect you only got a grill, hood and fenders.

 

[Alex05]

Welcome aboard, nice Jeep. Other things to look for? Any 15 year old vehicle with that low mileage may have some seal issues, watch for leaks. Check every perishable component like belts and hoses, gaskets, radiator etc. Replace every fluid and look for rust in the frame. Rust doesn't give a damn about mileage. Flush the brake fluid as well, that is often overlooked. Tires would be suspect as well, check the date of manufacture. More pictures would be nice. I suspect you only got a grill, hood and fenders.

I replaced both diff's gear oil, transfer case, flushed the brake system, flushed the cooling system, replaced a slowly leaking water pump, changed the oil and filter, and of course some new BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A's.
This Jeep is from out west. Aside from some surface corrosion on the fuel tank skid plate and a small area of the driver side frame, I have not spotted any rust or rot to speak of. My concern is that now that this vehicle resides in Wisconsin, it will be suddenly exposed to road salt for the first time

 

[mrblaine]

I replaced both diff's gear oil, transfer case, flushed the brake system, flushed the cooling system, replaced a slowly leaking water pump, changed the oil and filter, and of course some new BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A's.
This Jeep is from out west. Aside from some surface corrosion on the fuel tank skid plate and a small area of the driver side frame, I have not spotted any rust or rot to speak of. My concern is that now that this vehicle resides in Wisconsin, it will be suddenly exposed to road salt for the first time

Just so you know, that hood and grill are better aligned than 99% of them out there. Cut your losses on efforts there unless you want to screw it up.

 

[Flivver250]

Sad to have a rustfree unicorn like yours exposed to salt. Can it stay off the road during the salt season? Your rod your choice of course. A Vermont trick for cheap rust preventive was to mix about 10% kerosene with 90% bar and chain oil and spray the underside and inside the body panels and doors with it using a suction sand blaster (see below as example). The kerosene was just a thinner for ease of spraying. There is something about the formulation of bar and chain oil that is a great rust inhibitor, plus it is sticky. There are other products people speak highly of here that I have not tried, but get respectable testimonial. Fluid Film is a name often mentioned. If it were mine, I'd park that gem.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QF8VC5K/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[Flivver250]

Just so you know, that hood and grill are better aligned than 99% of them out there. Cut your losses on efforts there unless you want to screw it up.

I was wonder what I wasn't seeing.

 

[Alex05]

Just so you know, that hood and grill are better aligned than 99% of them out there. Cut your losses on efforts there unless you want to screw it up.

Ha! Sounds good, thanks for the insight. I'll just chalk it up to early 2000's Chrysler manufacturing.

 

[Flivver250]

BTW, good show on the maintenance.

 

[Alex05]

I was wonder what I wasn't seeing.

You can see it in that zoomed in photo I took staring right at the grille. It flares out to the driver side. It's very noticeable, once you notice it

 

[mrblaine]

You can see it in that zoomed in photo I took staring right at the grille. It flares out to the driver side. It's very noticeable, once you notice it

Not really. That is about as good as they get. If you like, I can give you several things to start comparing that will gross you out once you see them. The TJ has about the worst fit and finish for a vehicle out there. They get by with stuff that the rest of the car world would never accept because it is a flat sided Jeep. Don't go looking either or you'll never see anything else but how crappy the body work is. (body work as in fit and finish, not bondo and paint)

 

[Chris]

I agree with Blaine 100%. I've owned three TJs, and I can tell you that that grill / hood alignment is better than 99% of them.

Trust me when I say that a TJ isn't going to have everything nicely aligned and finished like an expensive European car.

 

[brewtus98]

Welcome and nice ride! Same dilemma with exposing to road salt. I think I am going fluid film route in case I have to drive in winter. Decided to hang on to the ‘18 JL for daily driver want to try to preserve the 10k mile Rubi as much as I can.

 

[Alex05]

Decided to hang on to the ‘18 JL for daily driver want to try to preserve the 10k mile Rubi as much as I can.

Whoa, and I thought 23k on the clock was nuts!

 

[billiebob]

how concerned do I need to be in the short term about the OPDA issue?

15 years later I'd ignore it unless it becomes a problem. Not every 4.0L had this problem. Many, mine included were fixed on a manufacturers recall, I think the internet has over blown the issue.

Hood, short of body & paint work, I doubt there is a fix. At least it fits way better than the original CJs.

How to preserve it, do not drive it thru a Wisconsin winter.

 

[LONGJP2]

I tried to get the doors better aligned with the rest of the body lines once. Big mistake. Screwed up two of the torx head hinge bolts, and you'll find there's no paint under the hinge plates if you move them. After a lot of effort, the doors ended up pretty much in the same place they were.

OP, I don't see your hood issue either.