chasing dash gremlins
WHAT THE EFF?!
After a few days of running my TJ, the BRAKE light on my dash started to flicker again—almost like before I swapped out the ignition switch. Going through the general “why did I buy a Jeep” rhetoric, I figured I’d dive into some of the gremlins of the TJ since it was going to be one of the last warmer days of the fall.
DIAGNOSIS
I started with the ignition switch again; inserting the key and listening to the audible ‘ding’ that usually occurs, as well as play with some of the other lights on the dash that I could control, like the SEATBELT and BRAKE lights. Working the key from just insertion to ‘ON’ and ‘RUN’ positions, the SEATBELT light stayed on just fine—the BRAKE light, on the other hand, kept fizzling off and on.
I leaned over and reached my hand up behind the dash to start the tried-and-true method of “get a handful and wiggle the shit out of something to see if anything changes” approach.
Up toward the gauges—get a handful and wiggle—nothing. Make my way down toward the back of the column switch—grab what I could and wiggle—nothing again.
While slouching and dropping my hands in utter defeat, I bumped into some wires down behind the little light by the brake pedal toward the floor—and the BRAKE light fizzled on the cluster. I started with a larger group of wires, wiggling and checking, and made my way down to a single wire that plugged into a block of connectors located behind the dash, mounted onto the tub to the left of the brake pedal.
Pinching close to the connector’s base, I thought to myself that this ware was obnoxiously loose for being in a secured connector. After applying some choice expletives—because I don’t want to have to de-pin and re-pin a connector that is behind the dashboard—I happened to push on the connector and ‘CLICK’…it seated all the way.
I worked my big head around the column and noticed the BRAKE indicator was in fact solidly illuminated on the gauges.
Dumbfounded that something as dumb as this has occurred, I racked my brain on how this connector could simply pop out. Let’s ignore the fact that a few weeks prior I had the dash out to replace the A/C condenser and heater core and it could have been bumped with my gentle removal of the dash. Instead, let’s chalk it up to the jerkoff that worked on the vehicle beforehand did something stupid. Yes, that sounds more realistic—someone else did it. {cough cough}
While down there, looking at the block, I took it upon myself as a gauge of good measure to put some pressure onto the other connectors in that bank...and wouldn’t you know, most of them weren’t totally seated.
As each one clicked into place, I wondered what the hell else wasn’t working right that now instantly works—I recalled the TJ’s state emissions test where the shop couldn’t get the OBDII reader to work. So, I grabbed my scanner, plugged it in, and it read as it should. Now I don’t need to install that new OBDII port and re-pin that sucker, too.
CONCLUSION
Jeeps are dumb in the sense that their problems are pretty simple to figure out; with the open areas that are associated with the TJ and older versions of Wranglers, it’s a little easier to trace a lot of these elements that would otherwise be buried in carpets and other body elements associated with newer cars (and Jeeps). It also helps to get a factory manual to work on the vehicle, too.
So if you see a clip—press on it to make sure it is connected securely. Same kind of mindset goes with seeing a ground to the frame or the body that is loose or hanging around.
And just like anything else, a little patience goes a long way.