For awhile, they'd cut out when i'd hit a bump... now they're out entirely.

I apologize for the long post, but i've been at this since early June.

So far I've

Unconnected and reconnected every connection between the gauges, the dome light, the radio, and the battery. I've wiggled, jiggled, and banged every other wire i can find.

Loosened,sanded until shiny and retightened, all the grounds below the speakers, by the kick panels, and the back of the radio.

Ran my own ground from the ground points on the dash directly to the battery.

installed a new ignition switch.

I don't believe it has to do with any sort of key-jiggling situation, there's no way to move the key that makes a difference.

I still don't have radio, gauge, and dome light. Is my method suspect? I'm leaving the dome light on while I try these things. I assume i'll see the dome flicker at some point during the testing.

I have not redone the ground from engine to frame, it is very rusted, but it is a solid connection (as in the wire isn't corroded off). How would I test it without removing it? I assume that i'll twist the bolts off when i try it.


help?

you checked all the fuses right? First take a look at a wiring diagram and see what all three of those have in common weather they share B+ or have a common ground. get your self a wiring diagram,test light or a multimeter or a power probe any of those would be a great tool at helping you find the problem. Start with a wiring diagram then work from there.

what year?

newer tj's do have a BCM (body control module) could be related to that but not likely

I've checked all the fuses. What's "B+"? I'm looking through the chiltons manual right now, and i've got the FSM. applying that to the actual wiring is tough for me. I'm also not really sure how to apply my test light to this situation.

It's a 99, sorry.

Where's the BCM? First I've heard of it.

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

okay a 99 has no BCM. B+ is just anouther way of saying positive or power source. For most people looking at a diagram is hard to translate that into the real thing. Did you look at all the harness to see if there is anywhere that there is a short like wires rubbing threw. You checked all connections behind the dash? I too have a 99 so i maybe can dig up some diagrams and look at them.

Okay all i have at the moment is a haynes (sucks) My fsm is on anouther computer i can look at it tomarrow. The haynes show all three of those sharing fuse #17 a 10A So check that fuse for power at it with the test light. Also take a good look at the fuse. This is from a haynes so the fuse # could be wrong so tomarrow ill take a look the the fsm and let you now what fuses they all share.

AH HA!!! What a ******* fiasco this has turned out to be. This started happening around 5/22/09. I have worked on this at least one day a weekend, and some days after work.

I found it. The pink/white (pk/wt) wire under fuse #20 will make the dome light go on and off when wiggled.

I was determined to go through every connection in the systems involving the issue, if it took me all day. I went out to the garage this morning with my Coffee and lo and behold... the dome light was on. I turned the key so that the alarm was going on and started wiggling. When I started with the easiest places to check connections, I nudged the whole fuse block enough to make it cut out. With the fuseblock in its normal location, but the wire moved enough to make the connection, I can remove and re-insert the fuse all day long with no effect. Pull the fuseblock up and pull it apart, and I can wiggle the pink/white wire and make it go on and off.


Now I have to figure out how one replaces the fuse blade connection inside the block. Any hints?

glad you found the problem.

Did that fix all of your problems? dash and radio? I have the exact same problem, i looked for the wire you were talking about but cannot find it. Please let me know