Jeep Wagoneer Problem

Define: "a while". Hours, days, weeks?

Brake light switch. Short in wiring.

So disconnect the battery when it is not in use?

See above...

Start with the brake light switch.

It was running the day before, then the next day the battery was dead.

Hmm. Where could the short be? It's also had this brakelight problem since we first got it.

But I'd like to figure out what the problem is...

Just as Peter said, above, start with the brake light switch, both its function and its adjustment.

OK, that's a pretty heavy drain. I think you figure the brake lights went on and stayed on until the battery went dead, right?

Unfortunately could be almost anywhere. This type of short happens when someone shorts out *another* circuit, blows the fuse, and puts in a bigger fuse trying to 'fix it'. Soon the wires in the harness get so hot the insulation melts or softens enough that the conductors poke through, and contact each other. Any history of electrical problems (probalby not since I think you are not the original owner...)

I understand.

Unplug the brake light switch. See if the problem goes away.

Next, if the brake light switch doens't seem to fix the problem, pull the brake light fuse, does this change things?

Finally, one at a time, remove fuses until the brake lights go off. Which circuit is it?

Bottom line is that if it is a melted wire in a harness, it may be nearly impossible to find it. Been there, done that, and it is one PITA to say the least. (FYI, Isuzu Troopers had a relay circuit with the fuse on the *wrong* side of the relay. Guess what a short before the fuse did... )

Just to add a little, if you have a trailer hitch, I would also check at it's power plug and line. They can cause issues.

Do you have a multimeter? Taking readings at the battery when the engine is off and running can tell you if the alternator may be an issue.

Old V belts also can dry out and not grab the alternator pulley so the battery never gets a good charge. I test this by taking a cold off engine and seeing if I can hand slip the alternator pulley. If I can, the belt needs changing. The alternator takes a few HP to spin up under load, if it will hand slip, it won't charge much.

Mike

actuater at brake pedal not adjusted right?

A "heavy drain"? I mean, we were able to start it the day before. We weren't running the car over the night! :) Um?

As for the _brake light_ being on overnight I'm not sure since the last time we saw the car before that dead day, the lights were off. It could've come back on when we weren't watching, though...

That's right, this Jeep was used.

So is there any way to find the shorts?

Ooh.

Both times I've seen brake lights stuck on (bad flasher circuit in both cases) the lense and socket assembly were both melted. Tail light might not do it, but that damned brake light gets HOT - at least until you get to the new LED jobs.

Well, I'll have to report to you the Jeep is gone. It was sold off. That was why we were trying to fix it, but apparently someone bought it anyways (they were told about the problems of course). But thanks for the answers, anyway, I appreciate you trying to help.

Why get rid of it? Simple. It's a gas guzzler.

I'm lucky to get 14 MPG in a '97 TJ SE.

I think this Jeep averaged around ~11-12MPG. Yuck. (MIGHT have gotten to 14 at one point, though.) Anyway, we already had a car that gets a much higher MPG. Because of that, this thing was pretty much sitting around doing nothing.