Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Haiku: Conversation

Our eyes meet. Silent
Words pass between us. We need
No conversation.
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

2000 Jeep XJ Power Window Fix

Boredom warning! This post has nothing to do with my usual topics of choice. Unless you came to this page by some internet search for "Cherokee power windows don't work" or "Jeep XJ driver door module" or something similar, time to hit that 'Next Blog' button up there at the top of your browser. What's that you say? Yep, no prob... see ya.

Still here? Okay.

I recently worked on my 2000 Jeep Cherokee XJ to correct an issue that intermittently prevented the passenger power window controls from working. I had such a hard time finding any useful information on this issue (except that lots of people have it), I decided to share my solution for others who might have the same problem.

Disclaimer: I'm not an engineer of the mechanical or electrical nature. I'm not necessarily handy with electronics, and I'm ignorant of most of the proper terms and meanings of things like "wire harness." My greatest strength is that I'm resourceful, detail oriented, and (sometimes) patient. If you follow my advice and your car catches fire, starts jolting you when you touch metal parts, or spontaneously becomes a beacon for extraterrestrials, it's not my fault.

The problem:
The passenger power window switches wouldn't work most of the time. Sometimes they would, but I could never figure out what made the difference.

The actual problem is a fault in the lockout button that keeps it in 'lock out' mode and cuts power to the passenger controls.


Here's one solution from YouTube's mrkvickasteve, the same guy who helped me save >$400 on my ignition lock cylinder. I was very near to trying his method until I thought to look through the service manual I downloaded somewhere (can't remember where). I created a .zip file of the PDFs and uploaded it to my Google Docs. The link is here: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzTEn4Ef4A2BZE1jX3ZQd09uRkk. It doesn't have everything (part numbers are of notable absence), but it's an excellent place to start with any problem.

The solution:
Group 8S of the service manual covers power window systems. It shows the wire connectors that attach to the Driver Door Module (DMM). Here's the one-glance answer:

When the lockout is off (meaning the passenger controls should work), power flows from pin 8 in connector 1 to pin 9 in connector   2.

To bypass the lockout button, you have to keep the power flowing. I used a length of 16-gauge wire about 7 inches long taken from an old lamp power cord.

Keep in mind this image corresponds to the back of the DMM (part number 56004994AC--or 56009461AC, which I was told was a "production part number"), not the positions on the back of the plugs, where the wires come together, which is where I made my connections.

To bridge these connections, you'll need to know the wire colors:
C1 pin 8: biggest yellow wire
C1 pin 9: big tan wire.

The wiring on the plugs is held tight by light blue clips which can be removed by prying up three sides. I stripped about 3/8" from both ends of my wire, twisted the copper, and twisted it into the square receptaple alongside the yellow and tan wire connectors. You may have more skills and better tools than me, so by all means get as creative as you need to. Putting the light blue clips back on was an exercise in patience, especially if you're working in failing daylight like I was.

Should you be having any other issues with the power windows, the rest of the wire colors can be found in the service manual in Group 8W-60.

So here are the steps:
1. Remove the driver door panel: first pop off the plastic trim surrounding the lock/door handle (do not remove that screw!), then remove three large screws in the armrest and one small screw at the top right. Pry up the bottom left corner of the panel with a wide, flat tool and pull gently to release all the retainer clips. It may take some coaxing around the door handle. Once the whole panel will swing along the top edge, gently lift it straight up and off.

2. Disconnect the wire connectors from C1 and C2 at the back of the DMM. You need not remove the DMM. If you know what you're doing, maybe you can do something similar to what Mudderoy did to make your repair. The service manual tells you to disconnect the negative battery terminal first. I didn't.

3. Remove the light blue clips from the wire connectors.

4. Connect C1 pin 8 (large yellow wire) and C2 pin 9 (large tan wire) with your wire. Ideally, you would remove each wire from the connector, somehow join your new wire to the contact end, and reinsert it into the connector. I had not the skill, tool, nor time to do it that way.

5. Reassemble. Replace light blue clips, reinstall wire connectors, and put the door panel back on. I haven't been able to get the door handle trim back on completely yet; if you have tips, please share!

6. Test it. I haven't done this part yet, but it involves volunteering to drive when I go out to lunch with my work buddies and waiting for them to complain about their windows.

7. If all else fails, either (a) spend the $174 on a new dealer OEM part, (b) risk a cheaper aftermarket or second-hand OEM part, or (c) keep putting up with complaints from your work buddies and family.

Good luck!



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Haiku: Annoyance


Lying in the grass
Gazing up at starlight. Then--
Oh no, mosquitos!
* * * * *
You know, that blog?
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Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Haiku: Happiness

Sunlight, morning dew,
Warbler sings the day's first song,
Spring flowers break ground.
* * * * *
(Late addition:)

Eudomonia:
Aristotelianist
word for HAPPINESS.

A new venture for me: Sensational Haiku Wednesdays!
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Friday, April 6, 2012

Peer Pressure

“Life’s a bitch,” he told me as he lit up, “then you die.” He took a drag and I looked at him through the smoke. He was my hero: older, cooler, confident. He offered me the cigarette. “You try.”

I inhaled and almost lost my lunch. He laughed. “You’re thirteen now,” he said, “man up.”
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FFF-55 Vol. XXXIII. Tell a story in exactly 55 words. Go see G-Man.