I have a 1987 Jeep Cherokee with the 4.0 Liter I-6 engine. I
have started having troubles with the electrical system. The
car starts just fine but as soon as I turn any electrical
accessory on such as lights or heater/ac, etc…

The enginehesitates and dies. I am thinking it is the alternator, but I
checked the votage at the battery when the car is running with
nothing electrical on and it reads 14.6 volts as does the dash
mounted volt meter. Could the alternator still be bad..not
putting out enough amps? or could it be something else? Please
help me!
Thanks,

Corey

Hey Corey

Yes, I think you probably have a bad alternator or a bad voltage
regulator…which should be inside your alternator (some models
had an external voltage regulator). I would get a rebuilt
alternator from your local auto parts store or have yours rebuilt
by a local alternator rebuilder shop.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Hello again Austin

I took my alternator into my local Schucks store and they put in on their machine and it passed all of their tests. I put the alternator back in and it started and i turned on the lights and it did not hesitate or stall.

But after driving for about 15 mins with the lights on it started to choke itself and it died. I turned the lights off and it started back up, but i heard a hissing and discoverd the vacuum line for the MAP sensor to the throttle body had popped out of the throttle body.

I put it back in and when i turned the lights off and it started to hesitate I could hear it pop back out again. Whats going on! Please help.

Thanks,
Corey

Hello again Corey,

I have seen a lot of really strange things, but this is going to take the cake. You really need to get the alternator checked ON the vehicle, that is the correct way to check the charging system. Can you get a mechanic to run an electrical test on the vehicle for you?

I am not sure what is going on with your vacuum hose…is it oily feeling, if so it might need to be replaced so it fits tighter. Oil and rubber do not mix, and it causes the rubber to swell and work its way loose. there might be an oil leak that is dripping onto the vacuum hose??

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Dear Austin,

I have an older (1994) Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.2L V8.

The engine temperature-gauge rises dramatically when climbing long, steep hills.

Normal city and highway driving or small hills are never a problem.

My local radiator shop quickly diagnosed a ‘plugged rad’ and offered replacement to the tune of $500.

I’m a little skeptical and would like an experienced second opinion: Could it possibly be something else?

Faulty thermostat? Fan clutch?

Would a cooling system pressure-test help determine the cause?

- Wayne

Howdy Wayne,

I think I would concur with the radiator shop….a plugged up radiator is probably the problem here. The pressure test is the first place to start with overheating problems…you are correct, but I don’t think you have a coolant leak since the overheating only occurs under a heavy load.

These radiators are hard to look inside and inspect, but you can sometimes run your hand along the center part of the radiator when the engine is at normal operating temperature and see if there is a considerable temperature difference between the top and bottom of the radiator. If there is, you have a restriction in the radiator.

I would also check to make sure the radiator is FULL of coolant, since low coolant levels can cause this AND if this model is equipped with a distributor I would make sure the base timing is not set too high. If the ignition timing is “advanced” too much it can cause engine pinging noise/clatter noise like bad gas and cause the engine to over heat under a heavy load.

Advancing the ignition timing is a quick way to add a little more power to the engine…which is normally fine to do unless there is a secondary problem like pinging or overheating.

A restriction in the exhaust system like a clogged up catalytic converter or muffler will not allow the hot exhaust gases to escape…thus over heating the engine. Usually if this is the case, a check engine light is illuminated and engine performance is not what it used to be due to the restriction.

I would not be surprised to see a restricted radiator with a 14 year old vehicle, and it is usually standard practice to replace the thermostat and radiator cap when replacing the radiator.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Hello Austin ,
I have a 2002 Jeep Wrangler Sport with 40,000 miles on it. It has always been very reliable until this past week when our temperature has been around and over 100 degrees everyday. I noticed that when I parked my car in the sun, the fog lights would turn on and stay on all by themselves.

I had to wiggle the control knob to get them to shut off, but they would come back on again. Now that has lead to my battery dying and when I try to jump start the vehicle, it will not staying running by itself. Do you have any idea what is happening with my Jeep?

Hello there

OK you got me on this one, I have never heard of this happening before. The fog light problem sounds like a bad switch, since you CAN get them to shut off if you wiggle the switch around. The other issue could just be a bad battery that will no longer hold a charge OR something has happened to your alternator and it is not charging the battery.

I would get an electrical system test to see what is or is not happening. This should include a battery “load test”, a drain test to see if something is draining the battery besides the fog lights being left on, and an alternator output test to see if the alternator is charging properly. If this battery is more than4 years old I would replace it regardless.

Does anyone have a suggestion for this visitor?

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Hi Austin, Just wanted to know your opinion on a problem I’m having. I currently own a ‘94 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo and its been a worthy on and off-road vehicle. Lately I’ve been noticing the Jeep “lugging” when I turn the wheel 3/4 to a full turn.

Its usually more evident when I’m coming into my driveway or pulling into a parking stall. When backing out of a space, I don’t notice the lugging. Could this be a problem with my front axle?

Hope to here from you soon,
Jon

Howdy Jon,

I think what I would first do would be to clean your throttle body. This should be part of your routine maintenance anyway, and a dirty throttle body causes all kinds of low speed/idle complaints.

It’s pretty simple and fast to do and any fast lube place should be able to do it for you while you wait. We charge $80 in my shop. If nothing else, you should notice a much smoother idle and faster starts.

Here is more info on the throttle body

Dirty Throttle Body

Blessings,

Austin Davis

-linda

Hi There Linda,

When you turn the key to start and the headlights and other accessories go OUT then you have a bad battery cable connection. If the lights dim low, you could either have a bad battery or a bad starter motor…or a problem with the wiring to the starter, although that is rare.

If the headlights stay nice and bright AS you crank the key to the start position, you might have a bad neutral safety switch on the transmission or you could have an alarm problem or ignition switch or wiring problem.

I always start this diagnosis with cleaning the battery cables, making sure they are TIGHT, you should not be able to move them on the battery with your bare hands. Then I do an standard electrical test

1. Load test battery
2. Check starter voltage draw
3. Check powers and grounds to starter motor

Here is more on the subject
Why Wont My Car Start

Hope this helps,

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Summary
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is a sports utility that can seat five passengers. It has four doors.

Price
MSRP: US$20,530-US$29,240
Invoice: US$19,317-US$26,659

What is New in 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited?
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is a completely new model with elaborate convenience and safety features and a more powerful engine.

Introduction
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited carries forward the heritage of Jeep, although it has undergone sea changes in convenience and safety features.

2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited picture (front view)

2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited picture (side view)

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited is available in five trims ranging from X 4X2 to Rubicon. Options include navigation system, satellite radio, six-disc CD/MP3 player, keyless entry, sunroof-equipped soft top, power windows, cruise control, and tow hooks.

Powertrains and Performance
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited offers standard 202hp 3.8-liter V6 engine with six-speed manual transmission and overdrive. Four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. It delivers 17 to 18-mpg in city and 19 to 22-mpg on highway.

Interior Design and Special Features
Rear seat is very spacious and offers sufficient cargo space. Interiors are not very attractive with cheap-looking controls, gauges, and lot of hard plastic.

Safety Features
Improved safety features include standard stability control with rollover sensor and antilock brakes. Front seat-mounted side airbags are optional.

Driving Impressions
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited offers good drive with better performance on highways. Handling requires improvements. Huge size and weight cause problems in turnings and difficult trails.

Pros
Excellent off-road ability, superb navigation system

Cons
Insufficient acceleration and poor handling dynamics

Summary
2007 Jeep Wrangler is a sports utility with passenger seating capacity of four. It has two doors.

Price
MSRP: US$18,610-US$26,695
Invoice: US$17,535-US$24,359

What is New in 2007 Jeep Wrangler?
2007 Jeep Wrangler is a completely new design with V6 engine, more safety and convenience features, and new four-door body style.

Introduction
2007 Jeep Wrangler has many new and refined features while maintaining its off-road ability, image, and heritage.

2007 Jeep Wrangler picture (front view)

2007 Jeep Wrangler picture (side view)

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
2007 Jeep Wrangler is available in three trims ranging from X to Rubicon. Options include satellite radio, six-disc CD/MP3 player, keyless entry, power windows, sunroof-equipped soft-top, and cruise control.

Powertrains and Performance
2007 Jeep Wrangler offers standard 202hp 3.8-liter V6 engine with six-speed manual transmission and overdrive. Four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

Interior Design and Special Features
Interiors are spacious in most models with increased cargo space if second row-seats are folded. However, drawbacks include cheap quality plastic for interiors, small cup holders, and irrelevant gauges.

Safety Features
Standard safety features include stability control with rollover sensor and antilock brakes. Front seat-mounted side airbags are optional.

Driving Impressions
2007 Jeep Wrangler offers a good drive. However, size and weight make it difficult to tackle corners and ride comfortably on difficult terrain.

Pros
2007 Jeep Wrangler has good navigation system with choices of long or short wheelbase and soft or hardtop.

Cons
Interiors’ material quality cheap, insufficient acceleration

Summary
2007 Jeep Patriot is a sports utility that can seat five passengers. It has four doors.

Price
MSRP: US$14,550-US$21,555
Invoice: US$13,721-US$20,095

What is New in 2007 Jeep Patriot?
2007 Jeep Patriot is a completely new and compact SUV.

Introduction
Excellent off-road capability and low base price helps 2007 Jeep Patriot stand out among other SUVs.

2007 Jeep Patriot picture (front view)

2007 Jeep Patriot picture (side view)

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
2007 Jeep Patriot is available in four trims ranging from Sport 4X2 to Limited 4X4. Options include navigation system, CD changer, satellite radio, hands-free phone connectivity, special off-road package, and moonroof.

Powertrains and Performance
2007 Jeep Patriot offers standard 172hp 2.4-liter I4 engine with five-speed manual transmission and overdrive. Variable speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional.

Interior Design and Special Features
Gauges and controls are simple and large with faux aluminum finish and two-tone leather seating available in select models. Cargo space is insufficient and interiors lack exquisite finish.

Safety Features
Standard safety features of 2007 Jeep Patriot include stability control with rollover mitigation, traction control, antilock disc brakes, side curtain airbags and tire-pressure monitor on select models. Front-seat side airbags are optional.

Driving Impressions
Stiff suspension and good handling dynamics offer smooth and quiet ride on 2007 Jeep Patriot with easy tackling of corners. Low-range gear allows easy drive across off-roads.

Pros
Smooth ride and excellent handling dynamics

Cons
Cargo capacity insufficient and cheap quality interiors

Summary
2007 Jeep Liberty is a sports utility that can seat five passengers. It has four doors.

Price
MSRP: US$21,600-US$26,745
Invoice: US$20,236-US$24,938

What is New in 2007 Jeep Liberty?
Changes include discontinuation of 2.8-liter diesel engine and Renegade trim level. Otherwise, it is same as 2006 model.

2007 Jeep Liberty picture (front view)

2007 Jeep Liberty picture (side view)

Introduction
2007 Jeep Liberty proves to be a sturdy and compact SUV. It suits urban and rural environments perfectly.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
2007 Jeep Liberty is available in four trims ranging from Sport 4X2 to Limited 4X4. Options include leather upholstery, sunroof, and in-dash six-disc CD audio system with Infinity speakers, heated seats, satellite radio, navigation system, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Powertrains and Performance
2007 Jeep Liberty offers standard 210hp 3.7-liter V6 engine with six-speed manual transmission and overdrive. Four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. In some models, four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. It delivers 17 to 18-mpg in city and 22-mpg on highway.

Interior Design and Special Features
2007 Jeep Liberty offers spacious interiors with chrome-ringed gauges and satin aluminum accents. There is sufficient cargo space. Rear entry doors are small and uncomfortable for entry and exit.

Safety Features
Standard safety features include stability control and antilock disc brakes while side curtain airbags are optional.

Driving Impressions
Good suspension and acceleration offers smooth ride. However, heavy steering makes it difficult to maneuver corners. Fuel economy is low.

Pros
High towing capacity, powerful engines

Cons
Low fuel economy

Summary
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a sports utility that can seat five passengers. It has four doors.

Price
MSRP: US$28,115-US$43,140
Invoice: US$25,802-US$39,210

What is New in 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Important changes to 2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee include increased powertrains, flexi-fuel engine option, and more safety features.

2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee picture (front view)

2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee picture (side view)

Introduction
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a perfect combination of rugged characteristics for handling difficult terrain and exclusive comfortable interiors with extreme luxury.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee is available in seven trims ranging from Laredo 4X2 to Overland 4X4. Options include navigation system, upgraded leather seating, satellite radio, power-fold mirrors, rear park assist, remote start, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

Powertrains and Performance
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee offers standard 330hp 5.7-liter V8 engine or 210hp 3.7-liter V6 engine with five-speed automatic transmission and overdrive. It delivers 14 to 17-mpg in city and 19 to 22-mpg on highway.

Interior Design and Special Features
Supportive and comfortable seats with leather upholstery having wood trims and chrome accents offer an elegant look. Controls are comfortably placed and offer easy operation.

Safety Features
Safety features include standard four-wheel antilock brakes, side curtain airbags with roll-detection system, and stability control.

Driving Impressions
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee has supple suspension, excellent grip on tires, swift acceleration, and precise steering offer an enjoyable and smooth ride. However, fuel economy is low.

Pros
Flexi-fuel engine and diesel engines, simple controls

Cons
Bouncy ride and cramped backseat