1990 Jeep Cherokee Laredo Electrical Problems
 

I replaced the fog lights on my Jeep (the originals rusted through).
The lights operated as they should for about 2 months. I had them on
one evening and noticed my headlights went dim. When I turned the fog
lights off the headlights regained their brightness. Later that night
I turned the fog lights back on to see what was going on and smoke
began to come from the driver side fog light. The insulation around
the wire coming out of the fog light melted. I then disconnected the
driver side fog light completely. I then turned the passenger side
fog light on to see if it was still working. Smoke began to come from
under the hood. I was able to trace its source to somewhere beneath
or around the battery. Since then the following items cease to work
(items I have found so far):

1.power door lock switches (both),
2.power seats (both),
3.fog light switch "power on " light (probably switch itself, fog
lights are no longer connected),
4.rear defogger switch,
5.digital dashboard clock, and
6.headlight 45 sec delay automatic shutoff (normally available when
headlights switched off after engine is turned off)

I have ruled out the 10 amp dome light fuse (dome light and radio
still on). I pulled the two relays behind the passenger side kick
plate and swapped them around without having any luck.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Re: 1990 Jeep Cherokee Laredo Electrical Problems
 

Check all of your fusible links. That is most likely what smoked. Its very
likely thats all it was.
KH

"DougW" <post.replies@invalid.address> wrote in message
news:t8h_a.251010$R92.185528@news2.central.cox.net ...
> Brett H. wrote:
> > I replaced the fog lights on my Jeep (the originals rusted through).
> > The lights operated as they should for about 2 months. I had them on
> > one evening and noticed my headlights went dim. When I turned the fog
> > lights off the headlights regained their brightness. Later that night
> > I turned the fog lights back on to see what was going on and smoke
> > began to come from the driver side fog light. The insulation around
> > the wire coming out of the fog light melted. I then disconnected the
> > driver side fog light completely. I then turned the passenger side
> > fog light on to see if it was still working. Smoke began to come from
> > under the hood. I was able to trace its source to somewhere beneath
> > or around the battery. Since then the following items cease to work
> > (items I have found so far):
> >
> > 1.power door lock switches (both),
> > 2.power seats (both),
> > 3.fog light switch "power on " light (probably switch itself, fog
> > lights are no longer connected),
> > 4.rear defogger switch,
> > 5.digital dashboard clock, and
> > 6.headlight 45 sec delay automatic shutoff (normally available when
> > headlights switched off after engine is turned off)
> >
> > I have ruled out the 10 amp dome light fuse (dome light and radio
> > still on). I pulled the two relays behind the passenger side kick
> > plate and swapped them around without having any luck.
> >
> > Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Hate to say this but it sounds like you smoked something in the
> power distro center. Finding the wire is going to be quite a task.
>
> It sounds like the fogs you installed may have been pulling more
> current than the OEM lamps (that is not suprising). Most folk that
> install aftermarket (even with the stock harness) use a seperate
> relay and battery connection. I should talk, my fogs use the stock
> fog harness, but the bulbs are identical to OEM so the draw is the same.
:/
>
>
>

Re: 1990 Jeep Cherokee Laredo Electrical Problems
 

UPDATE:
5.The digital dashboard clock is working, but you can't change the
time.
7.I found that the the engine compartment light under the hood isn't
working.
8.The battery is being drained. I think there is a short circuit
pulling power.
The battery and alternator were fine before this incident.

I was able to find a fusible link that was bad. The wire is all mush.
It attaches to the 2" DIA Cylinder thing between the battery and the
relay center.

Thanks for the replies,
Brett

"Kevin in San Diego" <kevin_hedstrom@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<kJi_a.10304$2g.1622@fed1read05>...
> Check all of your fusible links. That is most likely what smoked. Its very
> likely thats all it was.
> KH
>
> "DougW" <post.replies@invalid.address> wrote in message
> news:t8h_a.251010$R92.185528@news2.central.cox.net ...
> > Brett H. wrote:
> > > I replaced the fog lights on my Jeep (the originals rusted through).
> > > The lights operated as they should for about 2 months. I had them on
> > > one evening and noticed my headlights went dim. When I turned the fog
> > > lights off the headlights regained their brightness. Later that night
> > > I turned the fog lights back on to see what was going on and smoke
> > > began to come from the driver side fog light. The insulation around
> > > the wire coming out of the fog light melted. I then disconnected the
> > > driver side fog light completely. I then turned the passenger side
> > > fog light on to see if it was still working. Smoke began to come from
> > > under the hood. I was able to trace its source to somewhere beneath
> > > or around the battery. Since then the following items cease to work
> > > (items I have found so far):
> > >
> > > 1.power door lock switches (both),
> > > 2.power seats (both),
> > > 3.fog light switch "power on " light (probably switch itself, fog
> > > lights are no longer connected),
> > > 4.rear defogger switch,
> > > 5.digital dashboard clock, and
> > > 6.headlight 45 sec delay automatic shutoff (normally available when
> > > headlights switched off after engine is turned off)
> > >
> > > I have ruled out the 10 amp dome light fuse (dome light and radio
> > > still on). I pulled the two relays behind the passenger side kick
> > > plate and swapped them around without having any luck.
> > >
> > > Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Hate to say this but it sounds like you smoked something in the
> > power distro center. Finding the wire is going to be quite a task.
> >
> > It sounds like the fogs you installed may have been pulling more
> > current than the OEM lamps (that is not suprising). Most folk that
> > install aftermarket (even with the stock harness) use a seperate
> > relay and battery connection. I should talk, my fogs use the stock
> > fog harness, but the bulbs are identical to OEM so the draw is the same.
> :/
> >
> >
> >