Electrical problems in YJ!!! Help!

[cornhusker]

Alright guys, here's the deal. I bought a second jeep yesterday, an 89 6 banger. I needs some work. The biggest thing is the wiring in the dash....it's all there but there's a short somewhere. I've already "tried" to make sense of the Hayes wiring guide. Hopefuly you guys have a solution. Here's what won't work: instrument illumination, heater/ blower motor, heater control backlights, dimmer, cig lighter, horn.
What DOES work: headlights, turnsignals, hazards, light panel just above stearing column, instruments (speedo, coolant temp etc.)
There is no radio at this time...may or msy not work/ have power.
Does this sound familiar to anybody???
Please Help

[ZUK]

corn----check all the fuses near the battery?

[AlexYJ]

The fuses that relate to the dashboard are on the driverside underneath the dash. Check them all out.

[jerryr]

If it's not fuses, the instrument and heater lights work off of the panel light dimmer switch, by headlight switch. See if it's working. Is this what you mean by the "dimmer" that doesn't work or are you talking about the headlight dimmer. If it's the headlight dimmer that doesn't work, but your headlights work, it's probably a bad dimmer switch.

Horn could be a bad horn or switch, check for 12V at the horn when you activate the switch.
Check for 12V at blower motor, under battery tray (I think). There is also a micro switch on the heater control that supplies power to the blower switch when you turn the heater/defroster on. This could need adjusting.

Cigarette lighter could be corroded.

I hope it's just fuses. Good luck.

[phatjeeps]

I believe there is a separate fuse for interior illumination. Make sure the fuse isn't blown in the box on the driver-side. I'm pretty sure you already checked that.

Another thing to check, make sure no water is leaking behind the dash (a common problem), it could have fried some wires or blown some fuses that are run inline under the dash (not on the fuse box).

Good luck! http://jeepsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

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88 YJ Sahara Edition-4" Superlift, Pirelli Scorpion ATs
72 CJ-5 currently restoring
Cary, NC & Lynchburg, VA

[trouble]

I had a similar short in my 94 YJ , it turned out to be the harness that supplies the cluster had been rubbing on the steering column mounting bracket and had worn through and shorted the dash illumination circuit . This was a huge pain to find becuase every time i tool the cluster out to look for the short or wiggle the wires , i was in advertently moving the wires away from the offending bracket . As soon as i re-assembled the cluster I recreated the short . This short caused a lot of weird problems much like what you describe becuase they all share a common ground and power origination . Hope this helps .