Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Unusable Interior Lights

Christian.mers

Christian.mers

Point A to Point B
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May 7, 2024
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339
Location
Huntington, West Virginia
I only a 97 TJ, my interior lights do not work at all. Bulbs are perfect, the actual lights are fine. The issue seems to be electrically, the dealer put in a tracker of some sort (I don’t know where it is) but my OBD port and all interior lights just do not work at all. Fuses are all working, OBD Port isn’t getting 12v but the Radio and Cluster work perfectly fine! (Same Engine Bay Fuse)

Anyone know what it may be?

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Check fuses, door switch continuity and get a roll of the heavy duty foil we use for theatre lighting...makes much better hats than that thin crap. And it comes in flat black.

-Mac
 
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That pink/white wire should be the output for the IOD fuse, #17 (10A).

The IOD fuse supplies under hood and courtesy lamps, OBD port, and radio/dash/PCM for memory retention.
My gauges do not work if the IOD fuse is removed.
If your radio and gauges work/trip odo doesn't reset on ignition off, then they have power from a different source, but if power was tapped to the pink/white wire from another source to the cluster/radio the same feed should go to the courtesy lamps and OBD port.

Might be worth getting the PDC open and seeing if something has been tapped into that pink/white wire at the fuse terminal, and seeing if there is anything obvious under the dash behind the glove box and radio or under the steering wheel. It's possible the pink white wire has been cut and spliced to a different source behind the cluster and radio.
 
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jonny jeep said:
That pink/white wire should be the output for the IOD fuse, #17 (10A).

The IOD fuse supplies under hood and courtesy lamps, OBD port, and radio/dash/PCM for memory retention.
My gauges do not work if the IOD fuse is removed.
If your radio and gauges work/trip odo doesn't reset on ignition off, then they have power from a different source, but if power was tapped to the pink/white wire from another source to the cluster/radio the same feed should go to the courtesy lamps and OBD port.

Might be worth getting the PDC open and seeing if something has been tapped into that pink/white wire at the fuse terminal, and seeing if there is anything obvious under the dash behind the glove box and radio or under the steering wheel. It's possible the pink white wire has been cut and spliced to a different source behind the cluster and radio.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much, I’ll absolutely look into it!
 
CharlesHS said:
Since you own a '97; have you checked the interior light dimmer on the headlight switch ?
Rotating the dimmer will either turn off, dim or brighten the interior lights.
Which fuse are you referring to that is good ?
Have you checked Fuse Block #12 (5A) that powers the dimmer?

https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/1997-jeep-wrangler-service-manual-pdf.308365/
Click to expand...

Thank you for the suggestions about using the dimmer! The dimmer does in fact work to dim the cluster and the lights illuminating my Automatic shifter gear selector. But twisting it all the way to turn interior lights (Curtosey Lamps, Sound Bar Light, Under the Hood Light) on doesn’t work. I was referring to IOD #17 (10A) being in good order as it is the fuse for “Dome Lamp, Instrument Cluster, Data Link Connector, Radio, Courtesy Lamp, Underhood Lamp, Sound Bar Dome Lamp”. But all fuses in my engine bay and Interior fuse box are all in perfect working order. If there was a fuse in it when I got it I left the fuse in there unless it needed replaced. This is what I’m looking at

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Inspect the wiring on the headlight switch; there may be an issue with the connector.
When the headlight switch is switched to energize the dome light circuit; the headlight switch allows the circuit to be grounded. Test the headlight switch for continuity thru the headlight switch (yellow wire) and also verify ground (black wire) to the chassis is present.
If ground is not present; inspect ground wiring and termination at the front speaker under dash mounting screws.
Verify there is 12V present on the pink/white stripe coming from C108 going to the dome lamp and courtesy lamps.
The PDF for the Factory Service Manual for your year TJ is available in the Forums TJ Resources section and the schematics are on 8W-44-3,4 and 5.

https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/1997-jeep-wrangler-service-manual-pdf.308365/
 
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CharlesHS said:
Inspect the wiring on the headlight switch; there may be an issue with the connector.
When the headlight switch is switched to energize the dome light circuit; the headlight switch allows the circuit to be grounded. Test the headlight switch for continuity thru the headlight switch (yellow wire) and also verify ground (black wire) to the chassis is present.
If ground is not present; inspect ground wiring and termination at the front speaker under dash mounting screws.
Verify there is 12V present on the pink/white stripe coming from C108 going to the dome lamp and courtesy lamps.
The PDF for the Factory Service Manual for your year TJ is available in the Forums TJ Resources section and the schematics are on 8W-44-3,4 and 5.

https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/1997-jeep-wrangler-service-manual-pdf.308365/
Click to expand...

How would I get to accessing the wires of the Headlight switch? Remove the below steering wheel covers (keeps your knees from bashing into and just dig around in there? Or are there other parts I would need to remove?
 
Christian.mers said:
How would I get to accessing the wires of the Headlight switch? Remove the below steering wheel covers (keeps your knees from bashing into and just dig around in there? Or are there other parts I would need to remove?
Click to expand...

I believe the '97 TJ headlight switch is the same as the switch on the 97-01 Cherokee XJs.
There is a colored pushbutton on the headlight switch body that when pressed will release the knob and shaft from the switch body; then a nut can be unscrewed releasing the headlight switch from the bezel. You can then lower the headlight switch to inspect and perform tests.
 
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Sooo, I’m about to look into the dimmer but currently I’ve figured something out. IOD Fuse #14 (40A) seems to be where they have wired in the Tracker. IOD Fuse 17 (10A) seems to run to Pin 3 on my A/C Relay. Any thoughts?

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