Gauges don't work 1998 Grand Cherokee Laredo

[center528]

About 6 months after I bought my 98 Laredo, the gauges started going off intermittenly. The power windows didn't work either, but the moonroof did. The mechanic couldn't find the problem. Eventually they went off permanently. I brought the car in to an auto electrical specialist. Everything worked when I got the car back. I was told it was the body control modulator. They also replaced the ignition switch because the car was stalling. They cleaned the wires to the fuse box too.

The next morning, after starting the car, the gauges didn't work again. The car also stalled. By the end of the day everything was working again. I am trying to find out if anyone else had a similar problem and knows how to fix this. I paid almost $800 and still have the same problem. I think that the problem might be in a connection which eventually burns out the body control modulator. If anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate them.

[Cam7]

Iam guest guessing that you might have a bad Body Control Module. I cant tell you how to test it with out a Scan Tool.The only other thing I can tell you to do is to pick up a used one at a salvage yard. Shouldnt be too much around $50. I would think you might have a bad Instrument Cluster but with the door locks not working leads me to the BCM. You might try to check the connections on the BCM it is located on the left side of the Instrument pannel. Make sure you disconnect the Battery before you try to change it.

[center528]

They just replaced the BCM, but the mechanic told me that it cost him $350 at the junk yard. Said Chrysler wanted $700 for the same part.

Thanks for your reply. I will tell the mechanic to check out the connections.

[Cam7]

That is a lot of money at salvage yard got all my Computers for under a Hundred never had one charge that much. Since he replaced the BCM my next guess is in the wirring. Ive had electrical problems before where there was a break in the wirring harness that drove me crazy. Dont know if that is your problem. Instrument Clusters can cause problems like you stated except yours have power window issues Too. Ill try and think of something else. Keep me informed on what happens.

[center528]

It just so happened that my father needed a new window for his car and I had to call around to salvage yards, so I priced the BCM for my car. Turns out not one of them was more than $100. I went back to the car electrician today and asked him how much he trusted his salvage yard because they seriously overcharged him ($350). At that point, he offered to change all of the connections in the wiring on my car for no additional cost.

I am going to bring the car in on Friday to have him work on it. Hopefully this time everything will work consistently. My concern is that the gauges and windows still stop working from time to time and I hope if it is a short, that it doesn't burn out the BCM again.

Thanks again for all of your help. The electrician thinks I have an idea of what I'm talking about due to what you've told me.

[mx52nv]

I can get an ECU for around $50 for petes sake. he was jacking you up big time.

[center528]

I asked this guy for the name of the salvage yard he got the BCM from, but he wouldn't give it to me. I am bringing the car back in on Friday. I will see what he's going to do for me then. If I'm not satisfied then I will stop the payment on my credit card.

Before I do that, I will wait and see what he does first. This was my first experience with a BCM, so I had no idea how much they were. Bad (and expensive) mistake on my part.

[center528]

Got the car back in worse shape now than when I originally brought it in. Now..when I step on my brake the car stalls.

Mechanic claims that he put in all new connections, but I doesn't appear that way. Either he didn't do it or he doesn't know what he's doing.

If anyone has had the problem with the gauges on their jeep, or any of the problems I've described previously and have had it fixed CORRECTLY, please let me know what you did to get it working. I've already paid out close to $800 and my car is no where NEAR fixed.

Thanks!!

[97GRANDCHEROKEE]

I'm The New Guy (first Post) Seems We Shaired The Same Problem
That I Was Able To Fix (fixed Sunday Jan 16, 2005) Total Cost For Fix $zero. Purchased Last Week This 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 76k Miles, Sweet In & Out New Rubber Thru A Dealer Paid $4641 Retailed For Over $8000. This Jeep Didn't Have The Problem When I Test Drove It Twice But Happened 3 Short Miles As I Was Driving Home. All Gauges Readings Would Kick Off And On, Power Door Locks Would Click, Overhead Console Display On/off. When The Gauges Were Not Responding The Power Window Function Would Quit. When The Gauges Turned On All The Engine Check Lights Would Light As If You Were Key Starting The Vehical Followed By The Door Lock Click. So What Did My Fix Involve? I Sought After The 1st Creature Comforts I Found Wrong With The Vehical During My Test Drives, The Computer Display W/ The 4 Map Lights. After The Gauges Failed I Noticed By Pushing The "set" Button On The Overhead Computer Seemed To Effect The Gauges (if They Were Working I Could Make Them Fail / If They Were Not Responding They Would Come To Life With 1 To 3 Taps To The "set" Button. One Screw (under The Rear View Mirror) Holds The Console In. I Removed It, Inspected It, Tightened One Screw To Secure 1 Of The 4 Map Lights. Before Installing I Decided To Turn The Key And After 10 Min On Failure. Reinstalled The Console, Now All The Maps Lights Work! & All The Functions To The Computer. So The "short" Of It I Would Say It That Some One Probable Removed The Overhead Console At One Time And Did Not Firmly Seat The 6 Wire Red Plug-in Harness. Hope This Concludes Your Nightmare!

[center528]

I am going to see if this works. If it does, BLESS YOU BLESS YOU BLESS YOU.....

Right now I am disputing the bill with the mechanic because I don't think he did anything he stated he did and he charged me almost $800.

I hope all things are well with you now.....

Thanks again...will keep you posted....

[Cam7]

Does your Jeep have a remote start? If it does the connections might have gone bad since you mentioned the brake stall issue.

[97GRANDCHEROKEE]

WANTED TO CLARIFY ONE STATEMENT I MADE ON MY FIRST POST (THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE) I OMITTED ONE WORD, < NO > SEE BELOW

. . . .I Removed It, Inspected It, Tightened One Screw To Secure 1 Of The 4 Map Lights. Before Installing I Decided To Turn The Key And After 10 Min On << NO >> Failure. Reinstalled The Console, Now All The Maps Lights Work! & All The Functions To The Computer. So The "short" Of It I Would Say It That Some One Probable Removed The Overhead Console At One Time And Did Not Firmly Seat The 6 Wire Red Plug-in Harness. Hope This Concludes Your Nightmare!

[ponchonutty]

Without being able to look at the car, I would say that you definately have a grounding problem. Just like what was stated above. Mechanics have no idea what can happen when you have something "searching" for a ground.

[wwheeler84]

First time posting. The Fix involving the upper console, worked brilliantly!!! Thank you so much!!