1996 Grand Cherokee electrical troubles

From : greta

Q: ive been watching this group for a while but i havent posted much and you guys seem pretty helpful so ill see what you make of this problem. i just bought a 96 grand cherokee 5.2 and it has a very annoying electrical problem. sometimes the battery goes dead for no apparent reason. the battery was load tested and it was fine but i dont really trust the person who did that. before it dies the gauges will often flicker as im driving and the abs and check gauges light come on but other than that everything seems fine. if i go out a few hours later and try to start it the engine wont turn over but theres often enough juice to make a relay in the dash a buzzer perhaps click like mad. i boost it and its fine for 3 weeks or more then the same thing happens. cant do much right now its in the shop for a new rear-end -$2600- because the previous owner took it swimming apparently but anything you guys can tell me would be great. thanks a bunch! .

Replies:

From : dick puter413atyahoo commike simmons

i noticed in a jeep grand cherokee brochure today that there is a optional 4.7 high output engine. its rated at 265 hp & 325 ft. lbs torque. apparently it replaces the 360 as the hemi is not mentioned. wonder if they will put that ho in rams or dakotas i talked to a worker from the durango plant & he said that 1/3 of durango production had hemis. dick --- outgoing mail is certified virus free. checked by avg anti-virus system http//www.grisoft.com. version 6.0.525 / virus database 322 - release date 10/9/2003 .

From : mike simmons

greta the symptoms you describe still sound like a bad battery. if a plate inside the battery becomes loose it can test good at times when the plate is in the proper position and then fail to start at other times when the plate is shorted against another. if the battery is fairly old i would replace it and ill bet your problem goes away. hope this helps! chryco service manager member sae ive been watching this group for a while but i havent posted much and you guys seem pretty helpful so ill see what you make of this problem. i just bought a 96 grand cherokee 5.2 and it has a very annoying electrical problem. sometimes the battery goes dead for no apparent reason. the battery was load tested and it was fine but i dont really trust the person who did that. before it dies the gauges will often flicker as im driving and the abs and check gauges light come on but other than that everything seems fine. if i go out a few hours later and try to start it the engine wont turn over but theres often enough juice to make a relay in the dash a buzzer perhaps click like mad. i boost it and its fine for 3 weeks or more then the same thing happens. cant do much right now its in the shop for a new rear-end -$2600- because the previous owner took it swimming apparently but anything you guys can tell me would be great. thanks a bunch! .

From : greta

i think its about three years old. i may try a new battery soon. thanks! mike simmons wrote greta the symptoms you describe still sound like a bad battery. if a plate inside the battery becomes loose it can test good at times when the plate is in the proper position and then fail to start at other times when the plate is shorted against another. if the battery is fairly old i would replace it and ill bet your problem goes away. hope this helps! chryco service manager member sae ive been watching this group for a while but i havent posted much and you guys seem pretty helpful so ill see what you make of this problem. i just bought a 96 grand cherokee 5.2 and it has a very annoying electrical problem. sometimes the battery goes dead for no apparent reason. the battery was load tested and it was fine but i dont really trust the person who did that. before it dies the gauges will often flicker as im driving and the abs and check gauges light come on but other than that everything seems fine. if i go out a few hours later and try to start it the engine wont turn over but theres often enough juice to make a relay in the dash a buzzer perhaps click like mad. i boost it and its fine for 3 weeks or more then the same thing happens. cant do much right now its in the shop for a new rear-end -$2600- because the previous owner took it swimming apparently but anything you guys can tell me would be great. thanks a bunch! .