I've had problems with this Jeep for a long time now from installing a new clutch to new wheel bearings, and it has been driving great until recently. One day as I was pulling into a gas station, I noticed some lights on the dash started flickering. I parked the and turned off the vehicle only to find it wouldn't start again. Putting the key in the ignition I would hear 1 click, lights on the dash would come on briefly, flicker, and then go off. I tried this again until the lights wouldn't even come on.
I called AAA who sent a battery technician who came about 2 hours later and asked me to try and start again. The engine started like no problem making me feel like I was crazy. He checked my battery and alternator and found that both were in great shape. Right before he left he asked me to try and start again and boom no start. At this point he thought it might be the starter or terminals. He noticed some corrosion and loosening on my battery terminals and unscrewed the negative terminal and retightened it and then the car started with no problems. He advised me to bring it in anyway and I brought it in to a local shop who found no issues with the battery, alternator, starter, or any of the wiring.
The car drove great for a couple weeks until this past week where the issue happened again randomly one morning where the car wouldn't start. I waited about a minute and tried again and it started with no problem. I took it in again and they couldn't diagnose the issue and claimed to have started it multiple times and found all the connections intact. They didn't charge me and I assumed it must have been a random event. Weirdly after driving a bit my AC randomly went off once and my wipers went on but this occurred only one time.
3 days later I'm driving about 20mph and random dash lights start popping up ACS, the E-break light, and the seatbelt chime comes on. The speedometer and all my instruments on the dash were going haywire too and falling to 0 while I was driving. I pulled over turned off the car and weirdly the temperature gauge did not go down. The car then wouldn't start, not even a click when turning the key. I waited a minute tried again and it started again no issue. I drove a bit more and the problem happened again with random dash lights coming on and off and after parking and turning the car off it would not start again. My key fob also wouldn't even work to lock/unlock the vehicle. After waiting a couple minutes the car started again like nothing had happened.
I'm thinking it has to be some electrical issue I just don't know what. Could it possibly be the battery terminals? The negative pole connection is a bit rusty and loose but why wouldn't the mechanics have figured this out after me bringing it in 3 times and them saying it was fine. Could it be the TIPM? After researching online and seeing how many TIPM issues there are with these cars it seems to fit some of the symptoms. Or maybe its a short circuit? I may try just replacing the terminals first to see if that helps but if anyone has any thoughts, please let me know.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I've had problems with this Jeep for a long time now from installing a new clutch to new wheel bearings, and it has been driving great until recently. One day as I was pulling into a gas station, I noticed some lights on the dash started flickering. I parked the and turned off the vehicle only to find it wouldn't start again. Putting the key in the ignition I would hear 1 click, lights on the dash would come on briefly, flicker, and then go off. I tried this again until the lights wouldn't even come on.
I called AAA who sent a battery technician who came about 2 hours later and asked me to try and start again. The engine started like no problem making me feel like I was crazy. He checked my battery and alternator and found that both were in great shape. Right before he left he asked me to try and start again and boom no start. At this point he thought it might be the starter or terminals. He noticed some corrosion and loosening on my battery terminals and unscrewed the negative terminal and retightened it and then the car started with no problems. He advised me to bring it in anyway and I brought it in to a local shop who found no issues with the battery, alternator, starter, or any of the wiring.
The car drove great for a couple weeks until this past week where the issue happened again randomly one morning where the car wouldn't start. I waited about a minute and tried again and it started with no problem. I took it in again and they couldn't diagnose the issue and claimed to have started it multiple times and found all the connections intact. They didn't charge me and I assumed it must have been a random event. Weirdly after driving a bit my AC randomly went off once and my wipers went on but this occurred only one time.
3 days later I'm driving about 20mph and random dash lights start popping up ACS, the E-break light, and the seatbelt chime comes on. The speedometer and all my instruments on the dash were going haywire too and falling to 0 while I was driving. I pulled over turned off the car and weirdly the temperature gauge did not go down. The car then wouldn't start, not even a click when turning the key. I waited a minute tried again and it started again no issue. I drove a bit more and the problem happened again with random dash lights coming on and off and after parking and turning the car off it would not start again. My key fob also wouldn't even work to lock/unlock the vehicle. After waiting a couple minutes the car started again like nothing had happened.
I'm thinking it has to be some electrical issue I just don't know what. Could it possibly be the battery terminals? The negative pole connection is a bit rusty and loose but why wouldn't the mechanics have figured this out after me bringing it in 3 times and them saying it was fine. Could it be the TIPM? After researching online and seeing how many TIPM issues there are with these cars it seems to fit some of the symptoms. Or maybe its a short circuit? I may try just replacing the terminals first to see if that helps but if anyone has any thoughts, please let me know.
- Gordon H., Huntington, NY, US