Light Bar Difficulties

[digital e]

I just purchased a used Liberty Renegade, 03, with 44K miles. So far so good. Seems to be a nice ride. However, the previous owner told me he had the off road lightbar "disabled" by his mechanic so his kid wouldn't drive it and blind people. He thought that he just pulled a fuse, but I checked both fuse boxes and they all seem fine. I have also opened up the light cover ontop of the light bar to see if he disconnected anything there--also appeared fine. I checked the switch too and it is connected and fine.

Does anyone else have any ideas? I'd hate to take this to a delearship and get charged up the ace only to find out it is something simple.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[especko]

maybe they cut some wires somewhere??

 

[digital e]

I'll check it out, but I hope that a mechanic would not do that when there are so many better options if you didn't want them to turn-on.

Anybody have any other ideas?

 

[Trodo]

There was a recent topic in the how-to section talking about a connector, inside the driver side A-piller. You access that by removing the "jesus hand'e" with a deep socket and pop off the trim. There's also the connection switch behind the switch with a relay. Use a plastic puddy knife to pop off the trim peice.

 

[Gentleman]

Just some suggestions
Did you check to see if there were bulbs in the lights, also does the indiciator
on the dash light up, maybe the wire to the switch were disconnected

Bob

 

[MoladoGuy]

Like Trodo said and here is the link:

http://jeepkj.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3833

 

[digital e]

Checked the bulbs--they are all in place.

Took apart the light bar cover--they are all wired up.

Looked behind the switch on the dash--looked good too.

And I just took off the left grab handle--that was also connected.

I am getting power to my switch since it lights up when the headlights are on but I do not get the dash indicator when I press the switch so the circuit must not be completing.

Arrrghh! This is frustrating! Thanks for the tips so far, I may just have to bite the bullet and take it in.

 

[Trodo]

While some fuses might look okay, they could actually be blown, do you have a fuse tester?

 

[Gentleman]

Are you trying the lights with the headlights on and on low beam, my neighbor has a reny with the light bar and I was talking with him, and he mentionted about the headlight thing

Thers is also a blurb in the service manual about the bcm sending a signal to the pci to illuminated the on dash indicator, perhaps they were disabled at the bcm if that can be done.

BOb

 

[especko]

Are you trying the lights with the headlights on and on low beam, my neighbor has a reny with the light bar and I was talking with him, and he mentionted about the headlight thing

Thers is also a blurb in the service manual about the bcm sending a signal to the pci to illuminated the on dash indicator, perhaps they were disabled at the bcm if that can be done.

BOb

On my 02 i dont need the headlights on for the light bar to work, and they light bar stays on whether the high beam or low beam is on. Just have to have the key in the on position or the engine running for the light bar to work

 

[digital e]

The bar doesn't light up with the headlights on low, high, on/off, etc. I tried it all.

I haven't check the BCM, but I wouldn't be able to. I am guessing that he couldn't disable it there.

And I did swap fuses anyways even though it didn't look blown and still no lights.

The only thing I can think of now is maybe a bad switch? Like I said it lights up, so it is getting power but that doesn't mean anything. The circuit board on the switch doesn't have any burn marks or anything obviously wrong with it, but it does look like it has been taken out once before.

May be time to give up on this one and have it looked at. Probably something simple somewhere. I mean there lights--there's a switch, some power, a fuse, wiring, and bulbs. What else could it be? Everything else in the car works fine.

Oh well, thanks for tips anyways.

 

[Gentleman]

I am curious about this problem, .

The FSM also says there is a relay internal to the switch, perhaps, but since they were supposedely disabled by a mechanic, think that would eliminate this as a cause
Have you checked all fuses, the fsm says it is fuse 5, but there have been postings about fuse locations not being accurate and it does show the switch feed coming off the low beam relay

BOb

 

[digital e]

I have only visually inspected the fuses and replaced the 10A fuse under the hood that is suppossed to be for the light bar.

Tonight I am going to check them all. I'll let you know what I find.

 

[Gentleman]

Check the fuses on the left side of the dash, thats where the fsm says it is located, 10 amp

Bob

 

[Corwyyn]

This might help:

You must be registered for see images attach

The one that stands out to me is the 'faulty lamp bar sense circuit'. Maybe the tech disconnected something so the BCM doesn't sense the light bar. Another thing you might consider is to ask the previous owner which mechanic did the work (dealer or independent) and then see if the mechaninc remembers what he did?(Aeh) (dunno)

 

[Trodo]

The ground circuit could be it, maybe the mechanic disconnected the ground.
And the reason I mentioned the fuses initially, is my manual stated a wrong location for the fuse, supposedly this is a common thing, meaning the manual stating the wrong posistion for the fuses.

 

[digital e]

OK--checked all the fuses--not it.

I also checked to make sure it was grounded.

At this point, I think it may be the switch itself. It looks like it has been tampered with in the past so maybe that is it.

It is $35 to replace but the dealership won't let me try it out before I buy it. Oh well, I may have to gamble and hope that is the issue.

Thanks for everyone's help. I'll let you know when I resolve this.

 

[especko]

OK--checked all the fuses--not it.

I also checked to make sure it was grounded.

At this point, I think it may be the switch itself. It looks like it has been tampered with in the past so maybe that is it.

It is $35 to replace but the dealership won't let me try it out before I buy it. Oh well, I may have to gamble and hope that is the issue.

Thanks for everyone's help. I'll let you know when I resolve this.

you could always try and find someone else with a renegade willing to let you try their switch. Hell if you were closer to me i would be willing to help you out, but it would be about a 6 hour drive for me.

 

[digital e]

Fixed it

Thanks again to everyone for the tips. After a few hours of tracing wires, testing things, checking fuses, I finally got the volt meter out and tested the switch and it's connection. Yup, it was the switch. Apparently when the previous owner told me he had them "disabled" he was just full of it. Oh well, cost me $40 from the dealer, but at least I avoided the delearship labor and diagnosis fees and my lightbar works... sweet! \/