Grand Cherokee HAUNTED DOOR SWITCH?!?!?!?!?

We have a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4WD Quad, V8, that has been a workhorse for our camping field trips. A few months ago I had a situation where I had a problem with the driver's side door electric window drive broke. When I took it to the shop, the control wouldn't run UNLESS I had the driver's door CLOSED. I also started noticing that the lock switch on the driver's side door wouldn't work UNLESS the driver's door was CLOSED. And once after that the window controls stopped working on the driver's side door but started again later in the day. Then a month ago I went out to check my mail at night and saw my interior lights were still on. After opening and closing doors and using the remote lock, they finally went off.

We were camping this past weekend and when returning to the site after dark, my interior lights were ON again. I finally found if I opened the passenger door, click the key switch back to ALT and then OFF, then got out and used the remote lock the lights went OFF. But right after I found that when I opened the driver's side door, the interior lights do NOT come on anymore and they still don't today.

With all this FuNkY stuff I don't know if this is door console switch unit, door switch, wiring or where to look. Any and all help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I don't care to leave for work one day and find my batteries dead because the lights wouldn't go off :O/

Thanks!!!

Reply to
infiniteMPG
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I'm thinking of a cold solder joint on the controller.

As for the driver door not locking unless the door is closed, this might actually be a desireable feature that attempts to prevent the key from laughing at you on the front seat. I have a BMW that requires the key to lock the doors -- the two front doors -- so that one has to be on the outside and have the keys in hand. Saves calling the tow truck. My Mazda can lock the doors without the key, but not if the key is still in the ignition. The keys can giggle hysterically on the seat, but not from the ignition switch. Calling the tow truck for the Mazda is conditional.

But, you have described other problems that can crop up if solder joints are defective.

I once had a Honda Accord, and the windows started to act up. Somebody hinted at the controller. I went on the search for my window control module and found it inside of the driver side door. When I opened it, several joints on the connector were cold-soldered, and a couple on a relay were the same. I hit each connection with my soldering iron, and the problem was solved.

I don't remember how much a control module costs, but I'm thinking $150-ish.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

The first place I look when the problem depends on the door being opened or closed is in the wiring harness at the front of the door - it flexes every time you open the door and broken wires are common between the pillar and the door.

Reply to
Will Honea

The flexing wires seems viable but the consitency seems to work against that theory. If I crack the door open, as soon as it's open even a little, the lock and the windows stop working. Pull it a tad more shut and they work again. If it was a broken wire or bad solder connection I'd expect it to maybe work a little less consistently, but I can test this by flexing the cable and seeing if it makes a difference.

I remember the old door open switches that ran the inside lights was a simple ON/OFF switch. Not sure if the door open switch in the Jeep runs in to the controller and it does some logic stuff to inhibit other operations.

Does ANYONE have a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo that can test the window and lock controls on the driver's side door and see if they work when the door is open? Also, with the interior lights staying on for a while then shutting off, or screwing up and not shutting off, tells me there is some logic at play. And if I recall there's not any "button" switch in the door area that gets pushed in when the door closes. There's something going on like inside the framing of the car. Any help with how the door switch works and where it might be physically located????

Reply to
infiniteMPG

This can be normal. The weird thing is that door module can be programmed to do a bunch of things. There should be a basic list that came with your vehicle. If memory serves you use the overhead console menu (or VIC menu) to program it. Might be something here about it.

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More detailed programming requiresa DRBIII scantool.

It's also possible that when they fixed the window motor they left a connector off, didn't get it on properly, or broke one of the connectors little plastic ears.

It uses a door module. A few hundred bucks of electronics to replace a few bucks of wire.

Lights not shutting off indicate the Jeep is getting a door-open signal. When you run down the road does the VIC (Vehicle Information Center) tell you your door is open? Actually it should indicate door-open with the vehicle running in park.

If it doesn't then it's possibly a problem is with contamination or a disconnected cylinder switch. (snapped to the back of the lock cylinder). When it gets a ground it disables your alarm and turns on the lights. If it's full of salt/crud or bouncing against the door frame then it could cause this.

That's the problem with electronics, they are uber sensitive to ground leaks. A bit of contamination can make the body module "think" a switch is grounded.

First thing. Close and lock/arm the jeep. Then use the driver door key to unlock/disarm the alarm. If the alarm goes off then it's likely that connector that has fallen off.

..resist the urge to spray cleaner into the lock.. Some types of cleaner are real bad on paint!

You are dealing with a "module" system. i.e. there are no direct wires like in older vehicles. The module contains the switches. It takes the DRBIII scantool to diagnose the system. (apart from the few hard wire connections)

Hard wire inputs are Door Ajar Driver door key switch Battery (12V) Ground Memory switch input Mirror horizontal signal Mirror vertical signal PCI bus

Of those the only ones you can test with a ohmmeter are door ajar driver door key switch batter ground

the others are "muxed" or logic blips.

I think you have a bad door open switch or a busted wire.

Let's not go there just yet...

Now the "fun" part. That door ajar switch isn't in the door frame. It's in the door and it's part of the door lock motor which is a big whopping glob of plastic right next to the latch. :( When you look at the door module there is an 18 gauge tan wire with a red stripe running to that block. This wire gets grounded when the door is closed.

That wire runs to the switch, turns into a 18 gauge black wire that splices with the 20 gauge black wire running from the cylinder lock switch (stuck to the back of the lock cylinder) and another 12 Gauge black wire running from the door module.

That black wire runs out through the harness. If it breaks weird things will happen.

..blink.. I think I got that right. Lots of words, eh?

Basically there is a black wire that has runs to the door flex cable, the door module, the cylinder lock switch, and the door ajar switch.

P.S.

If you have a key in the ignition and the driver door open, the door locks will not work. This is to keep you from locking your keys in the jeep. It's called "Door Lock Inhibit"

Reply to
DougW

Hey Doug, great info.

UPDATE AND MORE INFO :

- When the alarm is armed (which I know from the flashing red light on the dash) and I use the key in the driver's side door, as soon as I turn the key the inside lights come on, the door unlocks and the alarm disarms and doesn't go off.

- If I get out on the driver's side, close the door and using the remote I lock the car, the car locks BUT the alarm doesn't come on and the interior lights stay ON. From playing around (in a panic in a store parking lot) I found I can run around the passenger side, unlock the car with the remote, stick the key in the ignition, click it to ALT for a second, then turn it off, remove the key close the passenger side door and then when I lock it with the remote the lights go off immediately and the alarm arms (red light blinking).

- If the car is running, I turn off the ignition, remove the key, open the driver's side door, get out and use the key to lock the door, the locks lock BUT the alarm doesn't arm and the interior light does NOT go off.

- If I am in the car, key in ignition and car running, I can unlatch the driver's side door and everything works until the door is about an inch open at the latch end. Then nothing on the door console works. As soon as I move the door back partially shut, everything starts working again.

So if the car is running and the driver's side door closed, everything works. If I open the driver's side door and things stop working, sounds like that's functioning the way it's supposed to, too. But turning the ingition off, removing the key, getting out on the driver's side, closing the door and locking with either the remote or the key lock does NOT set the alarm or turn the interior lights off.

Does that help narrow it down???? :O/

Reply to
infiniteMPG

And just out of curiosity, if the door switch on the driver's side door wasn't making a good connection then wouldn't that prevent me from setting the alarm even if I did it after setting the ignition to ALT and then OFF and then closing the passenger side door last??? I would think the system would still think the driver's side door was not shut.

Reply to
infiniteMPG

The problem is you might have an "iffy" connection. The alarm system ignores some sensors and can ignore "bad" sensors. the scantool will be able to pull information. There used to be an alarm test mode you could enter by using the ignition key, but I doubt it will work on your Jeep.

Basically you turn the key from off to the ACCessory position three times then leave it in ACC. i.e. Off-ACC-Off-ACC-Off-ACC

At that point any opening/closing of doors will cause the horn to beep.

Turning the key back to OFF stops the test.

Reply to
DougW

Then the switch is hooked up properly then.

The lights will stay on for a while. When they turn off the alarm should then arm. This is a programmed item in the alarm controller. I don't know if it's tied to the driver door or all doors. Each door has a module and each module can be programmed differently.

The alarm shouldn't arm, the driver door switch (and tailgate switch) only disarms. As for the lights, they should go off as soon as the timer runs out. Not sure if that can be programmed via the console or not. When they did the window motor/regulator they might have flashed or reprogrammed the body controller. I'd go back and talk to the folks that did the work.

Correct. The body controller won't let you lock your keys in the car or close the window because your hand might be accidently in the frame. Although I thought it would let you open the window. Try doing the on-touch down then immediatly open the door. The window should continue down.

I'm starting to think your light timeout is set way too long, but just for grins, check to make sure your dashboard dimmer switch isn't all the way over and keeping the lights on.

The interior rear light switch will also keep the lights on. Mine is a push click thing. Hit it once with my head and the lights wouldn't go off. Eventually figured out what I did.

Reply to
DougW

Hey Doug,

Thanks for all the help. First the Off-ACC-Off-ACC-Off-ACC doesn't put the car in any test mode BUT if I have the ignition in ACC, as soon as I unlatch the driver's side door, even without opening the door at all, it starts chiming telling me my keys are still in the ignition. Next, if I start a window up or down from the driver's door console and then keep pressing it while I unlatch and open the door, the window continues to move until it bottoms out. If I let off the switch and try it while the door is open the switch won't work again until I close the door.

I checked the dimmer switch and it was in the middle of it's brightness so it wasn't fully bright. The rear hatch ceiling light switch was also not forced on. When I get out of the car and close the driver's door, walk to the passenger side and reach across, click the key to ACC and then off, then close the door and click the remote lock, the lights immediately go off and the flashing red light shows the alarm is armed. I have had times when a half an hour after I'm home I go back outside and the inside lights are still on. But just to test if it's a looooong timeout, I turned the interior lights all the way off, shut the driver's door and locked it with the remote. It locks the car but doesn't set the alarm. I'll check during the afternoon and see if the alarm ever activates.

Seems the door switch is working fine from all this, just seems that when I exit the driver's side door, close the door and lock with key or remote, the car never arms the alarm nor does it turn the interior lights off.

Getting any closer? :O) Thanks!

Reply to
infiniteMPG

Additional info....

I closed the driver's door, had interior lights completely off just to save battery, then locked the car with the key remote. Doors were locked but alarm wasn't armed. Went back out over an hour later and alarm was still NOT ARMED. If it's a timer then it's set for more then an hour :O/

Reply to
infiniteMPG

It's starting to sound like something is messed up with the body control module/door module. Could be programming and that will take the dealer or someone with a DRBIII scantool to figure out.

I still wonder if they messed something up when doing your door. I'd almost suspect a connector problem with the module. Except if it wasn't working then the disarm from your driver door would not work. They had to disconnect the module to get to the window motor.

Did the dealer do the work? If so I'd take it back and ask them to check.

Reply to
DougW

module/door module. =A0Could be programming and that will

wonder if they messed something up when doing your door. =A0I'd almost susp= ect a connector problem with the module. =A0Except if it wasn't working the= n the disarm from your driver door would not work. =A0They had to disconnec= t the module to get to the window motor.

Wasn't a dealer, was a local very good quality shop that has done all my work for me for a long time. This is Florida and the dealers charge an arm and a leg and your dreams, too. I am starting to believe it's a connector and it's just loose. Last night I grabbed the cable bundle in the door and wiggled it around and didn't change anyhing. But this morning when I got to work, just for chuckles I hit the remote lock after exiting the driver's door... the lights went off and the alarm armed. Go figure. Might pull the door panel off myself and poke around inside before paying money I don't have to have someone push a plug back on tighter :O)

Thanks!

Reply to
infiniteMPG

One word of caution on removing the door panel. Watch those plastic edges, they are amazingly sharp!

It also helps to have the window down.

Reply to
DougW

they are amazingly sharp! It also helps to have the window down.

Thanks Doug. Been there, done that :O/ When I was having problems with my window the drive feel apart and the window fell down into the door with rain not too far away. I managed to get the panel off and get a board under the bottom of the window to prop it up so I didn't ruin my leather seats. Found out first hand how sharp the edges on the plastic door panel were.

Appreciate all your help with this. Scott

Reply to
infiniteMPG

thank you all. b/c of you i found a broken ground wire in the rubber boot going in between the door of the jeep and the jeep itself. I spliced a new piece of wire, same size, back in and wouldnt you know....el worko!

Reply to
badphoneguy

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