When to crank lost all power to my jeep

Keith1138

Keith1138

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2015
Location
Harrisburg NC
I went to drive to main campus tonight. Got in my jeep and went to crank it and my vehicle lost all power. Interior lights wouldnt even come on. But my light bar still works at full power. I replaced my cps and few weeks ago with a mopar one. Jeep Cherokee 2000 4.0

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
Sounds like a bad connection at the battery. I'm betting the light bar is separately powered, and one of the main battery cables is failing. It might work to power the radio or turn on the dome light, but when you crank it, the big load causes the resistance across the bad connection to surge upward, and the whole vehicle goes dead.
 
Yeah, so I disconnected the battery for about five minutes and reconnected and it fired right up. And I cut her off and cut her back on a few times when I drove her to the end of the road and back

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
CasterTroy said:
Echo Shawn. Check your terminal connections, ground and starter.
Click to expand...
I might go ahead and pull the trigger on mil spec terminals and replace the ground wire from my negative terminal to my firewall with a heavier gauge

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
So this might be a stupid question can I replace the main cables going to my battery?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
Make sure the battery terminals on the ends of the cable are clean and tight. I made the mistake once of jamming them down over the terminals on the battery, then forgot to tighten the bolts. That worked for a while, until it didn't. Same symptoms.
 
a_kelley said:
Yes. You can get replacements off the shelf or make your own.
Click to expand...
If I was to make my own what all would I need?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
shawn said:
Make sure the battery terminals on the ends of the cable are clean and tight. I made the mistake once of jamming them down over the terminals on the battery, then forgot to tighten the bolts. That worked for a while, until it didn't. Same symptoms.
Click to expand...
Thanks I'll do that in the morning before I head to class. Just some light grit sand paper, a brush, and terminal grease?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
Unless there is something significantly wrong with yours, a clean factory made cable and lug is going to be better than anything you make up to put on there. Go to your local auto parts store, buy one of the little battery cleaning wire brush things that they sell for like $3, and buy the chemical stuff they sell for cleaning the terminals. Clean em up real good and you should be good to go. Probably also the cheapest and easiest way to go.
 
If the simple things (cleaning and dielectric grease) don't fix it, it is usually very simple to troubleshoot with a multimeter to search around for where the voltage drop is. Resistance is often constant for whatever state of corrosion, etc., and the voltage drop is proportional to the current trying to get through that resistance. That's why lower current devices may work fine just sitting there, but everything dies when you go to start the engine.
 
grapehead said:
With age, corrosion can appear in factory cables, and you don't know it until you cut the cable to crimp a new end on, and discover the wire is green or black or powdery. Seen this many times.
Click to expand...

I had a new battery and replaced two starters in 10 degree weather before calling a friend who cut the cable and found corrosion. Replaced the cable and rolled out.
 
Keith Odom said:
If I was to make my own what all would I need?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Not to discourage you but given your situation at college I would be more inclined to buy them made from someone reputable on Jeep forum or NAXJA.

I made my own because while I was at it I was relocating a winch solenoid box, but buying the materials and tools is probably just the same amount people are asking online for them made and shipped to your door.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just pay $10 for a new one at Autozone.

Not rocket surgery.
 
Back
Top