Dreaded cluster issue

Thomzania

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Aug 28, 2024
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Illinois
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I’m new to the group here and have searched all related cluster forums and can’t find a fix.



I just inherited the 2001 TJ

The radio and cluster did not work. I have fixed the radio issue. It was wired wrong but now fixed and works perfect. I bring this up because I have read that sometimes radio issues can cause issues in the cluster.



Here’s what I have tried and found so far with the cluster.

I have tried cleaning, wiggling, smacking, nothing even triggered it to work. All fuses are good and I replaced them just to check. All grounds and battery terminals clean and look good. I have tried a reset of the cluster and all gauges reacted and moved. Which leads me to believe the cluster is working fine. I have a no bus message that flashes every few minutes. So I assume I have something in the jeep causing the issues.



The lights that do come on in the cluster are seatbelt, check engine, fuel, and airbag light.

Seatbelt goes off when I plug in the seatbelt. Fuel I assume will not turn off until the gauge moves. Check engine which I have three messages for o2 sensors. And airbag I can’t get it to go off even with turning off the passenger airbag, or with unplugging both airbags.



There’s lots of plugs inside the cab, and under the hood that are plugged into nothing. Someone cut out the air condition compressor and removed the a/c relay, the lightbulb at passenger feet is missing, and there’s a broken wire on the turn signal switch that controls the dimmer. I will replace this when the switch comes in. There also is a blue/white wire that I have traced from behind the cluster that leads to nowhere and I can’t figure out where it goes. (I can’t find a diagram of the wires. I’ll try to attach a photo of the wire. The blue white wire is paired with a blue/green that goes to the window defrost but do not see where the blue white goes.

Under the hood there’s also a white/red or white/pink that is cut under the hood.

The vehicle does start and run just fine.

If anyone can tell me if what I have found could have any impact on the cluster, where to find a wire diagram, or any other things I can try.



Thanks everyone
 
Sounds like you have quite the job ahead of you.

Look in the Resources Forum. There are factory service manuals in there for every year (I believe) and there should be wiring diagrams in there for what you need.
 
Is it possible for you to find a used '01 harness? there are a lot of burned/melted wires in those pictures you posted... not to mention a shit ton of spliced and butted wires... a new harness (or good used one) may be what you need to avoid a ton of hours diagnosing, chasing, and repairing each and every wire in there...

It looks like the engine was replaced at some point, and they just cut and spliced the new one in, instead of unplugging and reconnecting properly.
 
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It looks like the engine was replaced at some point, and they just cut and spliced the new one in, instead of unplugging and reconnecting properly.

Which begs the question of which engine was installed that someone felt they needed to do that butchery.

-Mac
 
Man, I see so many things wrong from the PO, but I couldn't help but noticed the burned insulation from a wire that got a bit too toasty. You can see it was laying horizontally across what looks like four wires 🔥



IMG_1588.jpeg
 
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Is it possible for you to find a used '01 harness? there are a lot of burned/melted wires in those pictures you posted... not to mention a shit ton of spliced and butted wires... a new harness (or good used one) may be what you need to avoid a ton of hours diagnosing, chasing, and repairing each and every wire in there...

It looks like the engine was replaced at some point, and they just cut and spliced the new one in, instead of unplugging and reconnecting properly.

I have been looking at getting a new wiring harness for the inside and under the hood. But I’m not sure that is even worth it. I also noticed today they removed the o2 sensors completely and the holes are plugged. I’m now wondering if 02 sensors can affect the no bus.
 
Man, I see so many things wrong from the PO, but I couldn't help but noticed the burned insulation from a wire that got a bit too toasty. You can see it was laying horizontally across what looks like four wires 🔥



View attachment 554453

I actually removed this entire wire harness today and checked continuity for each wire. Everything on this harness checked out, but somehow still getting a no bus. The connection must travel somewhere under the hood. Or a bad computer.
 
Yeah that's got all the tell tale signs of a desperate engine swap and a frantic, desperate and uninformed hack job of wiring.

I think we need to start unraveling the mess...and I think I would try and identify what engine you have...


-Mac
 
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Everything on this harness checked out, but somehow still getting a no bus.

you may want to re-crimp all those connectors and see if that fixes the no bus... one of them could have a bad crimp causing a short. I'd start with the cluster closest to/going to the PCM...
 
Mac, Does this even make sense for an engine code?
The 1st digit is the year (7 = 1997)
The 2nd digit is the month (01-12)
The 4th and 5th digits are the engine (MX = 4.0 Liter)
The 6th and 7th digits are the day the engine was built (01 - 31)

So it is a 4.0l built on Jan 10 2000...

Next have to figure out what vehicle it's from... TJ, XJ, GC...

edit: that leading 0 could also be 2010, but that is unlikely...
 
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Ho
The 1st digit is the year (7 = 1997)
The 2nd digit is the month (01-12)
The 4th and 5th digits are the engine (MX = 4.0 Liter)
The 6th and 7th digits are the day the engine was built (01 - 31)

So it is a 4.0l built on Jan 10 2000...

Next have to figure out what vehicle it's from... TJ, XJ, GC...

edit: that leading 0 could also be 2010, but that is unlikely...

w would I figure that out