TROUBLE SHOOTING - BASIC PROCEDURES :: 1984 - 1991 :: Jeep Cherokee (XJ) :: Jeep Cherokee

Online Manual Jeep > Jeep Cherokee > Jeep Cherokee (XJ) > 1984 - 1991 > TROUBLE SHOOTING - BASIC PROCEDURES

to be specific to any unique situation or individual vehicle configuration. The purpose of this Trouble Shooting information is to provide a list of common causes to problem symptoms. For model-specific Trouble Shooting, refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available in the section(s) you are accessing.

ACCESSORIES & ELECTRICAL

CHARGING SYSTEM TROUBLE SHOOTING

NOTE: This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended

BASIC CHARGING SYSTEM TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART

CONDITION POSSIBLE CAUSE CORRECTION

Vehicle Will Not Dead battery Check battery cells,

Start alternator belt

tension and alternator output

Loose or corroded battery Check all charging
connections system connections

Ignition circuit or switch Check and replace as
malfunction necessary

Alternator Light Loose or worn alternator Check alternator drive

Stays On With drive belt tension and

Engine Running condition, See Belt

Adjustment in TUNE-UP article in the TUNE-UP section

Loose alternator wiring Check all charging
connections system connections

Short in alternator light See Indicator Warning
wiring Lights in STANDARD

INSTRUMENTS in the ACCESSORIES & EQUIPMENT section

Defective alternator stator See Bench Tests in
or diodes ALTERNATOR article

Defective regulator See Regulator Check in

ALTERNATOR article

Alternator Blown fuse See WIRING DIAGRAMS

Light Stays Off With Ignition Switch ON

Defective alternator See Testing in

ALTERNATOR article

Defective indicator light See Indicator Warning
bulb or socket Lights in STANDARD

INSTRUMENTS in the ACCESSORIES & EQUIPMENT section

Alternator Short in alternator wiring See On-Vehicle Tests
Light Stays OFF in ALTERNATOR article

With Ignition Switch ON

Defective rectifier bridge See Bench Tests in

ALTERNATOR article

Lights or Fuses Defective alternator wiring See On-Vehicle Tests
Burn Out in ALTERNATOR article

Frequently

Defective regulator See Regulator Check in

ALTERNATOR article

Defective battery Check and replace as

necessary

Ammeter Gauge Loose or worn drive belt Check alternator drive
Shows Discharge belt tension and

condition. See Belt Adjustment in TUNE-UP article in the TUNE-UP section

Defective wiring Check all wires and

wire connections

Defective alternator or See Bench Tests and
regulator On-Vehicle Tests in

ALTERNATOR article

Defective ammeter, or See Testing in
improper ammeter wiring STANDARD INSTRUMENTS
connection in the ACCESSORIES &

EQUIPMENT section

Noisy Loose drive pulley Tighten drive pulley

Alternator attaching nut

Loose mounting bolts Tighten all alternator

mounting bolts

Worn or dirty bearings See Bearing

Replacement ALTERNATOR article

Defective diodes or stator See Bench Test in

ALTERNATOR article

Battery Does Loose or worn drive belt Check alternator drive
Stay Charged belt tension and

condition. See Belt Adjustment in appropriate TUNE-UP article in the TUNE-UP section

Loose or corroded battery Check all charging
connections system connections

Loose alternator connections Check all charging

system connections

Defective alternator or See On-Vehicle Tests
battery and Bench Tests in

ALTERNATOR article

Add-on electrical accessories Install larger exceeding alternator capacity alternator

Battery Defective battery Check alternator

Overcharged- output and repair as

Uses Too Much necessary

Water

Defective alternator See On-Vehicle Test and

Bench Tests in ALTERNATOR article

Excessive alternator voltage Check alternator output

and repair as necessary

IGNITION SYSTEM TROUBLE SHOOTING

NOTE: This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended

Ignition Secondary Trouble Shooting Chart

STARTER TROUBLE SHOOTING

NOTE: This is GENERAL information. This article is not intended

BASIC STARTER TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART

CONDITION POSSIBLE CAUSE CORRECTION

Starter Fails Dead battery or bad Check battery charge

to Operate connections between and all wires and

starter and battery connections to starter

Ignition switch faulty Adjust or replace

or misadjusted ignition switch

Open circuit between Check and repair wires

starter switch ignition and connections as

terminal on starter relay necessary

Starter relay or starter See Testing in STARTER defective article

Open solenoid pull-in See Testing in STARTER wire article

Starter Does Not Weak battery or dead Charge or replace
Operate and cell battery as necessary

Headlights Dim

Loose or corroded battery Check that battery
connections connections are clean

and tight

Internal ground in See Testing in STARTER
starter windings article

Grounded starter fields See Testing in STARTERS

Armature rubbing on pole See STARTER article shoes

Starter Turns Starter clutch slipping See STARTER article but Engine Does Not Rotate

Broken clutch housing See STARTER article

Pinion shaft rusted or See STARTER article dry

Engine basic timing See Ignition Timing in
incorrect TUNE-UP article

Broken teeth on engine Replace flywheel and
flywheel check for starter pinion

gear damage

Starter Will Not Faulty overrunning See STARTER article Crank Engine clutch

Broken clutch housing See STARTER article

Broken flywheel teeth Replace flywheel and

check for starter pinion gear damage

Armature shaft sheared See STARTER article

or reduction gear teeth

stripped

Weak battery Charge or replace

battery as necessary

Faulty solenoid See On-Vehicle Tests in

STARTER article

Poor grounds Check all ground

connections for tight and clean connections

Ignition switch faulty Adjust or replace
or misadjusted ignition switch as

necessary

Starter Cranks Battery weak or Charge or replace

Engine Slowly defective battery as necessary

Engine overheated See ENGINE COOLING

SYSTEM article

Engine oil too heavy Check that proper

viscosity oil is used

Poor battery-to-starter Check that all
connections between

battery and starter are clean and tight

Current draw too low or See Bench Tests in
too high STARTER article

Bent armature, loose pole See STARTER article

shoes screws or worn

bearings

Burned solenoid contacts Replace solenoid
Faulty starter Replace starter

Starter Engages Engine timing too far See Ignition Timing in
Engine Only advanced TUNE-UP article

Momentarily

Overrunning clutch not Replace overrunning
engaging properly clutch. See STARTER

article

Broken starter clutch See STARTER article

Broken teeth on engine Replace flywheel and
flywheel check starter pinion

gear for damage

Weak drive assembly See STARTER article thrust spring

Weak hold-in coil See Bench Tests in

STARTER article

Starter Drive Defective point assembly See Testing in STARTER
Will Not Engage article

Poor point assembly ground See Testing in STARTER

article

Defective pull-in coil Replace starter

solenoid

Starter Relay Dead battery Charge or replace

Does Not Close battery as necessary

Faulty wiring Check all wiring and

connections leading to relay

Neutral safety switch Replace neutral safety
faulty switch

Starter relay faulty Replace starter relay

Starter Drive Starter motor loose on Tighten starter

Will Not mountings attach bolts

Disengage

Worn drive end bushing See STARTER article

Damaged engine flywheel Replace flywheel and
teeth starter pinion gear for

damage

Drive yolk return spring Replace return spring broken or missing

Faulty ignition switch Replace ignition switch

Insufficient clearance Replace starter between winding leads to solenoid solenoid terminal and main contact in solenoid

Starter clutch not Replace starter clutch disengaging

Ignition starter switch Replace ignition switch contacts sticking

Starter Relay Faulty solenoid switch, Check all wiring
Operates but switch connections or between relay and
Solenoid Does Not solenoid or replace

relay or solenoid as necessary

Broken lead or loose Repair wire or wire soldered connections connections as

necessary

Solenoid Plunger Weak battery Charge or replace

Vibrates When battery as necessary
Switch is Engaged

Solenoid contacts Clean contacts or

corroded replace solenoid

Faulty wiring Check all wiring

leading to solenoid

Broken connections inside Repair connections or
switch cover replace solenoid

Open hold-in wire Replace solenoid

Low Current Draw Worn brushes or weak Replace brushes or

brush springs as necessary

High Pitched Whine Distance too great Align starter or check

During Cranking between starter that correct starter

Before Engine pinion and flywheel and flywheel are being

Fires but Engine used
Fires and Cranks
Normally

High Pitched Distance too small between Whine After Engine starter pinion and flywheel

Fires With Key Flywheel runout contributes released. Engine to the intermittent nature Fires and Cranks Normally

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