XJ shutting off when using signal/wiper lever.Still lookin' for HELP!New probs

[dubbleJs]

The other day I signalled left and my XJ completely shut off. After hittin the steering column and tappin fuses around it fired up again. Now it kindof has power when it wants, and if it does run the second I signal or try to use the windshield wiper lever (both are on the same lever) it will shut off, and regain power within 3 seconds.
I unplugged the ignition switch and it will still run, also allowing me to signal without stalling. Now the ign switch is unplugged and it runs, but doesnt signal or windshield wipe at all.... Its gotta be some bad wires or something somewhere but....anyone had a similar problem??

[Immortal]

have not had that problem.
maybe a tricky little shorting problem?

[dubbleJs]

Yup definitely some sort of a short or something.


Bump, anyone?? I need to get this thing running the snow is coming.....

[barmanjay]

I wouldn't chance looking for a gremlin,.. I would swap out the whole steering column,.. just my guess

[Immortal]

problem is probably in the switch...
whole steering column... Jay you crazy!! LOL!!!

[barmanjay]

Well,.. I've had a couple steering columns apart (different makes),.. there could be a problem with the switch itself,.. but shorting and shutting the car off isn't good,.. so the problem would be morelikely where the main plugs are, a little further down the steering column,.. somewhere something is burnt out and shorting,..

That's why I would assume to replace the steering column, incase some of the hidden wiring is burnt/arcing

otherwise the problem would be in/around your fuse panel,.. check for non factory wires entering the fuse panel area,.. look for any charring of wires and etc.

I had a dodge at one point and the previous owner wired the stereo up to the wipers through the fuse panel,.. dough-head burnt all those wiper wires right up through to the ign switch.

[dubbleJs]

Hmmm... thanks for the reply Jay.

The column on my XJ is quite inaccessible. Looks like I can replace the turn signal switch, but i have to pull off the steering wheel and all the rest of stuff that will be in my way.
The jeep stalls if I either use my signals or wipers, and it stalled when I turned on my rear wiper as well, which is controlled by a switch on the lower dash panel...not even on the steering column. Sometimes if I just flick one of the switches it will stall and fire up right away on its own.

I started tearing into wiring tonight, unplugged all the harnesses on the column looking for any loose or burnt wires. Nothing yet. I think im going to try and replace my ignition switch, and then try tearing into the column and replace the signal switch....we'll see what I find.

Any other ideas or opinions appreciated!!

[barmanjay]

......, and it stalled when I turned on my rear wiper as well,....

hmmmm that is strange

not column related,.. I would start with that wiring,.. follow it right to the fuse panel

[dubbleJs]

Oh man, this is really starting to get me down! 

So, I found that if I pulled the fuse for the rear wiper, I could signal and use my windshield wipers without stalling. I took a good look at a most of the wiring under the dash and didnt see anything unordinary. I removed a bunch of old alarm/stereo wiring that I thought may have been messing with it, but to no avail.
I drove it around the block no prob, then went to take it out a day later and it stalled outside my house.
Now it will only start sometimes if you hold the key in the on position for 5-10 seconds. If it does start, you have to hold the key in the starter position or it will stall right away.
I did an Igntion switch from a parts XJ I have and it still stalls after random start ups.
I tried a new computer, nothing.

I think Im going to do one more ignition switch just to make sure the spare I put in wasnt screwy as well.

I'm stumped, and frustrated! 

Anyone got anymore wisdom?

Thinking maybe a TPS, or a CPS? Dont know if those sensors going bad would affect my rig this way...

[barmanjay]

check through the wiring harness from the firewall?

could be a couple of bad wires arcing together?

[LifesGrand]

The other day I signalled left and my XJ completely shut off. After hittin the steering column and tappin fuses around it fired up again. Now it kindof has power when it wants, and if it does run the second I signal or try to use the windshield wiper lever (both are on the same lever) it will shut off, and regain power within 3 seconds.
I unplugged the ignition switch and it will still run, also allowing me to signal without stalling. Now the ign switch is unplugged and it runs, but doesnt signal or windshield wipe at all.... Its gotta be some bad wires or something somewhere but....anyone had a similar problem??

I'm not sure if you have done this yet or not, but when I had electrical issues with my cherokee, everyone & their grandmothers advised me to start with the battery connections. Apparently our cherokee's are really finicky with low power & amps. I would suggest starting with the connections at the battery, ensuring that there is a good connection at the post's & when I say a good connection, I mean pulling them off, etching the metal to ensure a good contact will be made, spread the post terminal connectors +  - apart a bit to re-bite fully on the battery when you re-clamp down. Check all grounding from that end as well. Gremlins live in the Jeep if you are lacking a full connection from this point.. Everything I recieved on this advice came dirrectly from Jeepforum . com

I really hope this helps as simple as it sounds... Not saying this will be the fix, but it's the cheapest & easiest thing to try...

[BEZZ]

My vote is  for CPS or TPS. I had a similair problem with my 96 Ram. It seem that everytime I turned my lights on it would stall...spent hours trying to figure it out and was on a wild goose hunt.  Turned out to be the CPS, resulting in random stalling and hard starting.  Swapped that out and it was all good.

[yjcanibul]

I put a 4L wiring harness for fuel injection on my yj,  it was a closed harness that doesnt have anything todo with existing circuits like headlights/signals/cig lighter/interior lights etc in the jeep except it does need a power source - for computer and fuel pump ...

so - when it shuts off did you notice loosing power to radio or other acc like heater fan etc ?

does it generate any trouble codes after shutoff ? 

[dubbleJs]

As far as I remember, when it was shutting off I would lose power to everything and then it would come back randomly.. sometimes immediately and sometimes a few seconds later. I flashed the signal once really quick and it tried to stall but fired itself right back up.


Thanks for the suggestions! Ive got no time nowadays so at any chance I get im pickin away at this and trying to locate the wild goose....

CPS might be next on the list...they are a PITA to change!

[Rookie]

CPS is a 10 minute job on a snow covered driveway

It sounds to me like you have a bad ground somewhere It will be a bitch to find because there are ground conections everywhere start with the battery to block connection then the block to body strap at the rear of the engine compartment

All the lights , radio,wipers,etc ground to the body then the body is grounded to the engine block and then the block to the battery

I worked on a buddy's car that had electrical gremlins it was all caused because his ground cable  from the battery to block broke so he used a shorter cable and connected the battery to the body replaced the cable with a longer one to the engine and all the gremlins went away

Worth a try