Cold weather electrical gremlin

[Cyanide]

Last night here in Denver it dropped to sub zero temps. This morning when I started my Jeep it started and ran just fine but the airbag light on the dash stayed on. I also had no turn signals, wipers, radio, or heater....... Not fun on a cold a$$ day lol. This is the second time this has happened and we have more frigid days on the way. After I got to work and let it sit in the sun for a while I went and checked and everything works fine. I am just wondering if anyone else has had issues with this or if it is my own personal gremlin. Oh it is a 97 TJ Sport.

Any help or suggestions would be great!

 

[glenn beck]

this is a educated guess as i dont have a wiring diagram for your model.

all the systems you list are controlled from the ignition switch. there are 2 sets of contacts or one set and a relay. one set runs the jeep while the other set/relay runs things like radio-wipers-flasher relay.....at a guess im wondering if you have a poor contact and it has nothing to do with the weather my only surgestion is if it does it again turn the jeep off and then restart it.

 

[Cyanide]

I did try restarting it and cycling the key several times and it was still doing it. It has only done it to me 2 times and each time was when it dropped below zero during the night. After I let it sit in the sun and warm up the problem goes away. I was thinking that either ice was forming somewhere and breaking the connection or that when the temp drops that low the metal contracts enough to break the connection. I have not had a chance to get under the hood and look at any of the connections or the relays to see if they are bad. It happend this morning and I have been stuck at work all day.

 

[xt master]

Could be a relay problem.If the Jeep is warm when you turn it off and the temp drops quickly you may get some condescension in the relay which freezes on you.Could also be as you said the metal contracting further when it is colder.One way to test you theory is to go out when it is cold and having the problem and start heating up some of the relays with a hair dryer.

 

[54cj3b]

my xj used to do it wires on lower section of the colum seem to corrode fast in jeeps for some reason try cleaning all plugs and conections in colum see if it fixes your issue than spray them with white grease I just replaced my colum was easier than chasing wires sprayed white grease up in there never had prob since plus my tilt was going anyway so was faster to fix

 

[glenn beck]

try a little wd40 in the ignition key. maybe a wet was inseterted getting moisture into the contacts. wd40 (just a little) should work or 111 electrical oil.

 

[carnuck]

the contacts are about 3 feet from the key

 

[glenn beck]

i agree that the connection plug could be the problem but i was refering to the contacts in the back of the key switch. this is a real intresting problem. if its moisture thats freezing then the contacts in the ignition switch seems to be viable as a wet key might have got water into the back of the switch. if its copper shrinking then a poor contact in the connection block could be to blame. i have never heard of a electrical problem caused by freezing inside a truck but england never got that cold and now im in florida im not even sure what a choke is any more. please keep us posted if you find the gremlin.

 

[carnuck]

The Key is not on the dash. It's on the column. The switch that the key operates is about 3 feet down the column (above the brake pedal) It takes a LOT for moisture from the key to get there!

 

[glenn beck]

manual has the switch contacts mounted on the steering next to the key. jeep sites have the replacement switch at $36 accessed by removing the steering cowling. wiring diagram shows that the switch has 2 sets of contacts one for engine and one for aux like wipers etc. so im confussed but oh well i tryed.

 

[Cyanide]

Well it hit -16 last night and that is before the wind chill. Add that in and it is a balmy -32 this morning. I will see if I can locate it today since I have some spare time before work. Thanks to all of you for you suggestions!

 

[Cyanide]

Well she did not do it today, but where I parked her last night she was in the sun for about 5 hours before I started her up. I will park in the shade tonight so I can see if I can chase it down tomorrow. I think I have it narrowed down however. I think it may either be the control unit under the dash at the front of the center console or the fuse panel right behind the glove box. All the systems in question run through both and this morning there was frost on my flashlight and my sunglasses case in my glove box.