airbag & low fuel light

[Tomahawk674]

Hello everyone,

We were on our way home from work when our 2003 jeep liberty's dash started doing an impression of a Christmas tree.

The Airbag light, low fuel, parking brake, and almost all others were coming on randomly. Also, our headlights would flicker and the radio would could out for a second. After that incident, we got the codes read, and the only one is the speed sensor (which I need to fix that cable).

After that incident, it didn't do it quite like that. However, the airbag and low fuel light still come on. Actually, I can get them to come on with the engine off, and the ignition switch to on (they'll come on for a second, go off, maybe come on again, so on and so forth).

I know this has to be purely electrical. The car itself runs just fine. Any similar experiences?

 

[Tomahawk674]

My apologies, this needs to be in the KJ forum, not this one.

 

[Dave]

(I moved your thread to the KJ section)




First thing to do is check your battery. Sometimes when they need replacing they do funny things with the lights, etc.


Dave

 

[Tomahawk674]

My inclination was that as well, but I used a battery tester and all is fine. The alternator is also charging. The car cranks very well when starting.

I looked under the hood and found some cables that had lost their outer protection, yet still had insulation. I wondering if any water has made its way where it is not supposed to.

 

[Porkchop]

Have you checked the battery cables and connections as well. Curious how did you check the battery?

 

[Billwill]

Test the cluster by holding the odometer reset button in while turning on ignition. This switches all the lights on and excercises the gauges such as tach, speedo and fuel gauge.

This does not check for any errors but at least you can see what lights, gauges etc. are working.

You may need to pull the cluster out and re-plug the connector on the rear of it...I would also unplug the battery and disconnect and re-plug the PCM connectors.

Most of these signals are fed to the cluster from the BCM...which sits on the rear of the internal fuse panel....I would likewise unplug and re-plug the BCM connectors. There are some connectors under the floor carpet and inside the side kick panels up front...if you have a wet carpet then beware that these connectors may have gotten wet!

 

[Tomahawk674]

Hello again,

I have performed the cluster test and it checks out just fine, all lights work fine, the needles cycle, and the numbers cycle as well. I checked my battery with a cigarette lighter that checks voltage with engine off, and it checks to see if it is charging while engine on.

I was working on something else in the car, I had the hood opened. I wiggled some cables near the passenger side close to the windshield. I have no idea what they were. I closed the hood and hit the road. No more ABS or low fuel lights. I noticed the area was wet. I still think water's splashing something in there.

I also notices that the outer protection of some cables had failed, leaving the inner cable exposed, but the inner cable still had insulation...

Here is an interesting symptom: with the engine off, with the headlights ON, I hear electrical buzzing coming from the dash. Headlights off, no buzzing.

 

[Billwill]

Hello again,

I have performed the cluster test and it checks out just fine, all lights work fine, the needles cycle, and the numbers cycle as well. I checked my battery with a cigarette lighter that checks voltage with engine off, and it checks to see if it is charging while engine on.

I was working on something else in the car, I had the hood opened. I wiggled some cables near the passenger side close to the windshield. I have no idea what they were. I closed the hood and hit the road. No more ABS or low fuel lights. I noticed the area was wet. I still think water's splashing something in there.

I also notices that the outer protection of some cables had failed, leaving the inner cable exposed, but the inner cable still had insulation...

Here is an interesting symptom: with the engine off, with the headlights ON, I hear electrical buzzing coming from the dash. Headlights off, no buzzing.

There are normally some connectors in that area of the engine bay for the harness...you may have water in them or some corroded contacts.

You will need to trace where the buzzing is coming from...the cluster or the internal fuse box? If it is the internal fuse box then it could be a relay buzzing.
The High beam relay is on the front of the fuse panel and there are several others relays on the rear side.
With engine OFF the BCM may be trying to turn the lights OFF after the normal delay time.....do the lights go out as they should after a certain time?

 

[Tomahawk674]

Thank you for the info! I think you are on the right track, my wife says she has a hard time turning the lights off (she tells me that she has to turn them on and off again after the car is off, I don't know if that's a standard feature?).

I'll look into the relay thing.

 

[CzarKJ]

Thank you for the info! I think you are on the right track, my wife says she has a hard time turning the lights off (she tells me that she has to turn them on and off again after the car is off, I don't know if that's a standard feature?).

I'll look into the relay thing.

That's a jeep thing. If you turn off the jeep before turning off the lights they stay on for a minute before they eventually go out. So advise her to turn off the lights before turning off the jeep. They will go out right away.


Sent from my iPhone using Peanut Butter

 

[AVR2]

That's a jeep thing. If you turn off the jeep before turning off the lights they stay on for a minute before they eventually go out

On my 2005 KJ, you can choose the headlight switchoff delay (up to 1 minute) or turn it off completely. You do this through the overhead console.