HELP!! 97 grand cherokee won't start

My 97 grand cherokee loredo won't start. There is a short somewhere in the system. When I turn the key to the run position, I get nothing for a few seconds, then maybe the gas guage will move, or I get dim dash lights. They will flicker on and off. I checked my ground wires, and battery cables seem to be fine. In the start position, I'll get some clicking under the hood, but that's it. What would be my next step?

My 97 grand cherokee loredo won't start. There is a short somewhere in the system. When I turn the key to the run position, I get nothing for a few seconds, then maybe the gas guage will move, or I get dim dash lights. They will flicker on and off. I checked my ground wires, and battery cables seem to be fine. In the start position, I'll get some clicking under the hood, but that's it. What would be my next step?

Make sure that your battery cables are touching anything metal from the batter to the starter. For instance, make sure they are rubbing up against an exhaust manifold or something metal. This can cause it to ground out.

My neighbor had the same problem with his 88 Cherokee and it turned out the battery cables were not on tight enough. Make sure they are pushed down far enough. Did you try to jump it with another car? See if that works. If not, they you are grounding out somewhere. I had this problem with my battery cables rubbing up against my battery cable on my 98 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited and I had very similar symptoms that you are having.

I checked all the cables, and they look good. Also, when I turn the key in the on position, I get no power to the doors, or radio. In the acc. position, I get radio, and power to the doors. Could it be the ignition switch?