Airbag & Check engine light help

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Ed Smith - 03 Aug 2007 20:15 GMT

I have a 2001 Cherokee Sport, 4.0, auto. Recently I have started to have the
airbag light come on for a few seconds. Sometimes the check engine light
comes on, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes (not every time) when both the
airbag & check engine lights are both on, I lose the tach and speedo. The
airbag & check engine lights go out and everything is back to normal. Then
other times the airbag, check engine stay on, I lose tach and speedo AND all
other gauges plus I get a "no buss" warning where normally the mileage shows
up..but again not every time. This occurs for usually no longer than around
30 secs or so. However recently the time seems to be getting longer before
everything reverts back to normal. I thought a loose connection someplace,
but it occurs on smooth surface streets and has not happened (yet) when I
was on a rough road. Maybe a corroded connector? If so where and which ones
would I clean? Any suggestions as to what the heck is going on or where I
should look would be appreciated. Thanks Ed

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Jeff Strickland - 03 Aug 2007 20:58 GMT

>I have a 2001 Cherokee Sport, 4.0, auto. Recently I have started to have
>the
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> would I clean? Any suggestions as to what the heck is going on or where I
> should look would be appreciated. Thanks Ed

You are losing ground to the instrument cluster. You have to remove the
cluster and polish the edge connectors with very fine sand paper or one of
those pencil-type erasers with the brush on one end. Back in the olden days
of typewriters (the devices that gave us our common day keyboards), when a
mistake was made we had to pull out the typewriter eraser -- it looks just
like a pencil, but is entirely rubber on the inside and has a brush on one
end -- to remove the errant character(s) before moving on. This eraser is
the kind you want to use to polish the edge connectors. If you can't find an
eraser like this, then something like 600 grit sand paper should do the
trick. Maybe some contact cleaner as well ...

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Ed Smith - 03 Aug 2007 23:34 GMT

Thanks Jeff. Looks like I'll be pulling out the Service Manual and see how
to remove the cluster. I'm an old guy so I know what you are talking about
as far as the eraser goes. Have to think it's not a fun or easy job. Thanks
so much for the info. Ed

>>I have a 2001 Cherokee Sport, 4.0, auto. Recently I have started to have
>>the
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
> you can't find an eraser like this, then something like 600 grit sand
> paper should do the trick. Maybe some contact cleaner as well ...

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Jeff Strickland - 04 Aug 2007 01:43 GMT

It's not really all that difficult. I removed the entire dashboard from one
of my cars to get to the heater core, the instrument cluster on your car
should have 4 screws in plain sight. The hard part of the job might be to
remove the steering wheel, but I'm not sure that needs to come off.

> Thanks Jeff. Looks like I'll be pulling out the Service Manual and see how
> to remove the cluster. I'm an old guy so I know what you are talking about
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
>> you can't find an eraser like this, then something like 600 grit sand
>> paper should do the trick. Maybe some contact cleaner as well ...

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aarcuda69062 - 04 Aug 2007 00:53 GMT

> >I have a 2001 Cherokee Sport, 4.0, auto. Recently I have started to have
> >the
> > airbag light come on for a few seconds. Sometimes the check engine light
> > comes on, sometimes it doesn't.
> >
> You are losing ground to the instrument cluster.

The buss runs independent of grounds.

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