I went to start my Jeep to move my Patty out and I literally saw the odometer on my jeep disappear. I heard a beep and everything died. Jeep does NOTHING. I tried jump starting it but no help. Still no odometer. Looked at cables, and fuses but nothing seems out of the ordinary. What could it be? Please help me get it started again.
No odometer, no lights, no crank, Jeep is dead
- Thread starter Mike2324
- Start date
That should be enough to lite up something - have you tried the headlites?
Check your voltage at the posts and at the battery clamps , could be as easy as a loose / slightly corroded connection. Stay cool and check one thing at a time you'll figure it out I bet !
No headlights it's absolutely dead. I'm thinking it could be the ignition switch maybe?
Headlites should just work - they're independent of the ignition switch. Do check those battery connections as @ColoJeep recommends. Otherwise, you'll have to start tracing wires from the battery.
I disconnected the battery ables and reconnected them and it works again. I think I need new cables but not sure what I need to buy. Any idea on what I need? Any help or input is much appreciated. Thanks 👍
Make sure each clamp sits securely on the terminal post. Once I had intermittent start problems on a Nissan Frontier and found that the negative cable was barely contacting the post even though the bolt on the clamp was fully tightened. I crimped the base of the clamp with channel locks and got a tight fit.
C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
You had some corrosion built up between the posts and the terminals. When you removed them, the corrosion broke. Remove the terminals again and wire brush them shiny. Do the same with the posts.
I got a little ahead of myself and thought it was okay when I disconnected the cables and got the odometer back on but I was wrong. Same thing happened again when I tried to turn it on, I heard a click and Jeep completely died again. Nothing works at all when it does it's as if there is no battery installed. Again. I disconnected the cables, cleaned everything and connected one more time this time I checked my head lights and radio and both worked but when I tried to start it died again...no headlights, no odometer, no radio absolutely no response when I turn the key. By the way I checked the voltage and it's good to go I have no idea what's the issue.
At this point I'm just going to throw parts at it. I ordered a new ignition switch and also lock cylinder. I need to get my Jeep running 😩
At this point I'm just going to throw parts at it. I ordered a new ignition switch and also lock cylinder. I need to get my Jeep running 😩
KennethS
TJ Enthusiast
Throwing parts at it won’t solve the problem. You have a connection issue. Fix that and you’re g2g. I’ve had the exact same thing. Thought it was good. Not
C.J. Roberts
TJ Addict
Is THAT what that is?
O.P., Zorba is probably right. When you initially moved the cables, you made just enough of a connection to get things started again. Check the ground on your main negative battery cable. Do the same clean up that you did to the battery terminals.
I had a very similar problem. I could drive for an hour, park it and run into the convenience store, and when I came back to start it - nothing at all - no lights/dash/radio/noises - nothing. I jumped it twice, but my voltage was always high, so I found it odd that it would be a dead battery. I figured out that I could wiggle the loose terminal, and it would typically start fine after that. I replaced my terminal, and haven't had the problem since.
Ahhhhhh 🤦I have to head out for work but will return later to work on my Jeep. I ordered those parts just in case, I don't know why I keep thinking it's the ignition switch. I really don't know what to look for the cables look good I don't see major corrosion anywhere. I'm going to grab some new terminals and throw them on I think the ones on there now are crap. What exactly am I looking for when you say a bad ground. Sorry brother but I got no idea. I have attached some pics.
I'm thinking perhaps - PERHAPS - where the battery ground connects to the chassis and/or engine block. Or other high current ground problem.
Check voltage at the battery with the headlights on. Sometimes voltage looks good with no load and drops to nada under load.
Next, the actual copper cable looks pretty tarnished at best at the battery terminals. That needs to be all cleaned up on both + and - sides.
Then check where negative side goes to engine and chassis grounds. Same where cable connects to starter.
Next, the actual copper cable looks pretty tarnished at best at the battery terminals. That needs to be all cleaned up on both + and - sides.
Then check where negative side goes to engine and chassis grounds. Same where cable connects to starter.
I haven’t looked at the wiring diagram but the wires to the headlights don’t go anywhere near the ignition switch in the steering column.
The problem is under the hood, not in the cab.
The ends of the negative clamp are touching, so the bolt is tightened, but that doesn’t mean it is necessarily clamping the post securely.
Wiggle and try to rotate the negative cable around the negative terminal post. If there is any movement at all, then remove the negative wire, use a big pair of pliers to compress the clamp enough so that when it’s reinstalled ion the battery the bolt tightens while leaving a tiny gap at the end of the clamp.
The problem is under the hood, not in the cab.
The ends of the negative clamp are touching, so the bolt is tightened, but that doesn’t mean it is necessarily clamping the post securely.
Wiggle and try to rotate the negative cable around the negative terminal post. If there is any movement at all, then remove the negative wire, use a big pair of pliers to compress the clamp enough so that when it’s reinstalled ion the battery the bolt tightens while leaving a tiny gap at the end of the clamp.