2001 Jeep Wrangler Electrical Problems

While driving with the air conditioner on, you smelled burning plastic and saw smoke coming from the air vents. After turning off the AC and pulling over, the smoke stopped after about 15 minutes. When you inspected the AC system later, you found that the electrical connector to the blower motor resistor had caught fire. The repair will likely involve replacing the burnt connector and the blower motor resistor, and inspecting the wiring for damage.

The electrical wiring connected to your climate control panel and blower motor fan switch gets too hot and melts the switch, preventing you from turning on the heat, air conditioning, or adjusting fan speeds. This means you can't use the defroster, which can create poor windshield visibility and make driving unsafe. The fix will likely involve replacing the melted blower motor fan switch and potentially rewiring or repairing the electrical connections to prevent overheating.

Your horn doesn't work at all, and your airbag warning light is on. Chrysler confirmed there are no recalls for your vehicle, but you should contact Jeep about the airbag light to get it diagnosed. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the airbag system and possibly replacing a faulty sensor or module.

I HAD A FIRE DUE TO A RECALLED IGNITION SWITCH THAT WAS NEVER REPAIRED, I HAD NO IDEA WHEN I BOUGHT THE USED JEEP FROM THE DEALER. CHRYSLER IS NOW DENYING ANY REQUEST TO FIX THE PARTS DAMAGED BY THE FIRE

I LEFT MY TOP OFF OF MY JEEP WRANGLER AND IT RAINED HARD INTO THE NIGHT AND NEXT MORNING. I HEARD THE HORN GOING OFF RANDOMLY SO I RAN OUTSIDE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE DASH AND STEERING COLUMN WERE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I QUICKLY OPENED THE HOOD, DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND THEN PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH THE HOSE. THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN AND SURROUNDING DASH AND WIRING HARNESS ARE COMPLETELY MELTED. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE THE JEEP WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY

WHEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING I NOTICED A BURNT ODOR SMELL FROM THE DASH AREA. THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS RUNNING ON HIGH BLOWER AND ON THE MAX SETTING OF INTERNAL AIR FLOW. THE BLOWER STOPPED WORKING SHORTLY AFTER THIS HAPPENED. UPON INSPECTION OF THE BLOWER SWITCH I FOUND THE SWITCH HAD STARTED TO BURN AND MELT AT THE CONNECTION FOR THE MAX BLOWER SPEED. I HAVE REPLACED THE SWITCH TWICE NOW WITH THE SAME PROBLEM,THE CIRCUIT NEEDS A RELAY IN IT TO PREVENT THE BLOWER SWITCH FROM OVER HEATING AND CAUSING THE WIRE FROM BURNING UP. AT NO TIME WAS THE FUSE BLOWN ON THE CIRCUIT.

THE HVAC SYSTEM IN MY 2001 JEEP WRANGLER WAS BURNT AND MELTED, DUE TO LACK OF PROPER EQUIPMENT. THE HVAC BLOWER FAN, DUE TO BEING OLD, CAUSED RESISTANCE, SENDING TOO HIGH OF A CURRENT TO THE CLIMATE CONTROL HEAD UNIT, MELTING AND BURNING ALL WIRES, CONNECTORS, AND THE HEAD UNIT ITSELF. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN REMEDIED WITH THE EXISTENCE OF RELAYS FOR EACH SOURCE OF POWER HEADING INTO THE HEAD UNIT. *TR

I WENT TO START JEEP THOUGHT DEAD BATTERY AND TRIED TO CHARGE BATTERY GAUGES ON DASH JUMPED AROUND FINALLY BATTERY ENOUGH TO TURN OVER BUT WOULD NOT START SAW WARNING LITE FOR KEY ON DASH.ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT NOT START.TOOK TO JEEP DEALER REPLACED COMPUTER MODULE AND FOUND CORRODED MAIN POWER FEED IN ENGINE WIRING HARNESS SPLICED IN NEW WIRE AND SERIAL DATA ALL CAME BACK.I WAS RETURNING HOME JUST PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY ENGINE LITE CAME ON ALONG WITH OTHER LITES ENGINE STALLED TRIED TO START SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE.RETURNED JEEP TO DEALER CURRENTLY WAITING FOR ANSWER TO PROBLEM COMPUTER DOES NOT ACCEPT MY KEY?I BROUGHT THIS JEEP USED THAT IS WHY I AM LOOKING INTO ANY RECALLS OR KNOWN PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE. *TR

JEEP WRANGLER SPORT, 4.0L WAS PURCHASED AS SUBSEQUENT OWNER IN 2003(?) IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO. THE PROBLEM APPEARED IN MAYBE 2008 AFTER MOVING TO PANAMA CITY (PANAM). AN AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS OBSERVED, INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN FIRST STARTING. USUALLY A SECOND ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL. GRUPO Q CHRYSLER JEEP REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, AT MY EXPENSE. I WAS UNAWARE THAT CHRYSLER DAIMLER HAD RECALLED THESE VEHICLES FOR IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS IN 2003/04, I THINK. MY RESEARCH REVEALED THAT GM/AC-DELCO WAS OEMING THESE SWITCHES TO CHRYSLER-DAIMLER, AND MAYBE OTHERS. THE ONLY THING I EXPERIENCED WAS AN ANNOYANCE, BUT THOSE SYMPTOMS SEEMED TO SUGGEST THAT I MAY HAVE BEEN DRIVING WITH DISABLED AIR-BAGS, HAD I NOT NOTICED THE LIGHT, OR IF HAD BEEN NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE QUESTION IS HOW MANY PEOPLE MIGHT STILL BE DRIVING NON-GM CARS WITH THESE DEFECTIVE SWITCHES, AND WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN PUBLICIZED? *TR

THE BLOWER MOTOR SWITCH GROUND, CONNECTED TO THE MODE SELECTOR HAS MELTED IN MY JEEP. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. BACK IN JULY 2013 THE CONNECTION TO THE MODE SELECTOR MELTED. I REPLACED THE HVAC AC A/C & HEATER CONTROL WITH BLOWER MOTOR SWITCH ONLY TO HAVE IT MELT AGAIN ONE YEAR LATER. *TR

KEY DISENGAGES AND FALLS OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AND CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING. *TR

LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS A SMALL FIRE BEHIND THE HEATER CONTROLS ALL THE WIRES AND THE BACK OF THE SWITCHES ARE MELTED THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE FAN MOTOR CONTROL SWITCH HAS BEEN MELTED. *TR

THE DASH BLOWER CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. WHEN THE MECHANIC CHECK IT AND THE SYSTEM, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BLOWER HAD OVER HEATED THE PIGTAIL CONNECTORS AND MELTED THEM. THE BLOWER CONTROL WAS VISIBLY MELTED AND MULTIPLE SIGNS OF OVERHEATING WERE APPARENT. THE BLOWER CONTROL, ALL PIGTAIL CONNECTORS AND THE BLOWER HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS CAUGHT JUST SHORT OF ME HAVING TO DEAL WITH A FIRE BEING CAUSED BY THIS OVER HEATING OF THE ELECTRICAL PARTS OF THE A/C-HEATER SYSTEM. THIS IS THE SAME SITUATION AS REPORTED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS. REFER TO ODI ID NUMBERS: 10364281, 10283272, 10181912 AND 10145512. *TR

THIS IS ONE MORE CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING THE HEATER/FAN/BLOWER WIRING DESIGN FAILURE FOR THE 2001 MODEL OF THE JEEP WRANGLER. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CONTINUES TO OCCUR IN OTHER TJ MODEL YEARS AS WELL SO I THINK IT IS A SYSTEMIC DESIGN PROBLEM THAT IF NOT CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. MY CASE IS TYPICAL OF THE FAILURES DESCRIBED BY OTHER 2001 WRANGLER OWNERS IN THAT THE HEATER BLOWER FAN SWITCH BEGAN TO DROP SPEEDS UNTIL ONLY THE HIGHEST SPEED WAS LEFT OPERATIONAL [WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS HOW THE UNDERLYING ELECTRONICS SPECIFICALLY A RESISTOR BANK FAIL IN THIS MODEL]. RECENTLY, THIS 4TH SPEED HAS FAILED AND I AM NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL I CAN RECEIVE SOME ASSURANCE THAT THE HEATER BLOWER WILL NOT CONTINUE TO HEAT UP UNTIL IT CATCHES FIRE AS HAS BEEN REPORTED IN OTHER INSTANCES. AS I WRITE THIS COMPLAINT, IT IS ABOUT 25 DEGREES OUTSIDE, SO DRIVING MY 2001 WRANGLER WITHOUT HEAT IS NOT AN OPTION. I GUESS I AM LUCKY THAT (A) IT FAILED COMPLETELY IN COLD WEATHER FORCING ME TO (B) RESEARCH THE ISSUE LEARNING THAT (C) THIS OBVIOUS VEHICLE DEFECT CAN RESULT IN THE WRANGLER CATCHING FIRE WHICH HAS FORCED ME TO (D) GO WITHOUT THE USE OF THE WRANGLER UNTIL A FACTORY DESIGNED AND SPONSORED FIX IS ENGINEERED AND INSTALLED. SO, IN SUMMARY, 2001 WRANGLER ' FAILED HEATER/FAN/BLOWER SWITCH ' MANY OTHER CASES FOR THIS MODEL YEAR AND SURROUNDING MODEL YEARS ' HAS A HISTORY OF CAUSING VEHICLE FIRES ' THIS NEEDS TO BE A FACTORY SPONSORED RE-ENGINEER AND RECALL, AND NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW BEFORE A FIRE SITUATION CAUSES A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR INJURY OR DEATH ! *TR

THERE IS A SERIOUS PRODUCT DEFECT IN THE FAN MOTOR-SWITCH-RESISTER ASSEMBLY IN MY 2001 JEEP WRANGLER. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN REPAIRED SEVEN TIMES, SIX TIMES UNSUCCESSFULLY (THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 2004, THE YEAR I BOUGHT MY JEEP FROM A DEALERSHIP) AND THE LAST ONE ACCOMPLISHED AUGUST 20, 2009 AND WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS WILL LAST. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE FAN SWITCH SUDDENLY FAILS TO OPERATE AND WHEN THE MATTER IS INVESTIGATED THE MECHANIC FINDS THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR, RELAY AND SWITCH HAVE MELTED. THERE IS SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OR SURGE WHICH SIX REPAIRS HAVE FAILED TO CORRECT AND MY FEAR IS MY JEEP WILL CATCH ON FIRE AS HAS BEEN REPORTED IN A NUMBER OF CASES. *TR

WIRES FOR HVAC CONTROLS ARE MELTING IN THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR BEHIND THE DASH. SOME OF THE CONTROLS DON'T WORK RIGHT ANYMORE. WIRES COULD SHORT AND CAUSE FIRE. *NM

A/C HEATER BLOWER WIRING CAUSES FIRE AT CENTER OF DASHBOARD. WHEN A/C OR HEATER IS PLACED IN HIGH BLOWER SWITCHS ARE SELECTOR WIRING OVER LOADS AND CAUSES BURNING. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE. NOTED AT SALVAGE AUCTIONS MANY 2000 AND UP JEEP WRANGLERS CATCH FIRE IN THIS AREA AND BURN COMPLETE. HARD TO FIGURE AFTER FIRE WHAT HAS HAPPEN. IM SURE INSURANCE COMPANYS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS DEFECT. DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY INJURYS, BUT IM SURE THERE HAS BEEN SOME. I HAVE DICONNECTED THE HIGH POSITION WIRE SO THAT OVERLOAD WOULD NOT ACCURE TILL I COULD FIGURE A FIX OR JEEP WILL ADMIT TO A PROBLEM AND A FIX. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH SMELL OF BURNING STYROFOAM PERMEATED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. A FEW SECONDS LATER, HEATED STYROFOAM BEGUN TO BE EJECTED FROM DRIVER'S SIDE AIR VENTS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED IN A FIRE, IN WHICH FIRE OFFICIALS STATED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE DASHBOARD, HOWEVER CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE IGNITION SWITCH AND FELT THE FIRE DAMAGE WAS A RESULT OF THE RECALL.*JG *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE REPAIRS FOR RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 02V075000 RELATING TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO PARTS. EACH WEEK FOR 3 WEEKS CONSUMER HAS CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE ARE OVER 400 PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE PARTS, THERE IS NO DELIVERY DATE FOR THE PARTS. CONSUMER CONTINUES TO DRIVE VEHICLE WITH A POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE PART WHICH COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE. *TT

WHILE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF CONSUMER WENT INTO THE STORE, AND WHEN COMING OUT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THAT DAY CONSUMER DROVE ONLY 18 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER ,AND THE DEALER WAS TAKING A LOOK AT VEHICLE.*AK

SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL START AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T.*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION (02V075000) AND UPON MAKING THE APPOINTMENT, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THAT IT WOULD BE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE PART WOULD BE ORDERED.*JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 02V075000 CALLING FOR REPLACEMENT OF IGNITION SWITCH. HOWEVER THE RECALL REPAIR CAN NOT BE DONE DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. *TT

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A SHORT TIME WHEN A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD, NEAR FUEL RAIL AND FUEL INJECTORS. DAMAGE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE CONSUMER WAS INSIDE. VEHICLE WAS NOT TURNED ON. CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

IGNITION SWITCH OPERATES POORLY. *AK

VEHICLE BURNED DOWN TO THE FRAME. WHILE DRIVING THE WHEEL COLUMN STARTED TO SMOKE.

MY JEEP STARTED ON FIRE AROUND/IN THE STEERING COLUMN. VEHICLE HAD SAT UNSTARTED FOR 4 DAYS WHILE ON VACATION WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 2001, IT HAD RAINED AND THE WATER BEING ON THE WIRES IS THE "CAUSE" OF THE ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH RESULTED IN THE FIRE. THE SOFT TOP WAS ON AND THE WINDOWS WERE REMOVED. ALL CONTENTS OF THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT WERE DRY.*AK

THE JEEP WAS DRIVEN 6 MILES, PARKED IN OWNERS YARD. WITHIN 5 MINUTES OWNER SMELLED PLASTIC AND LOOKED OUT TO SEE FIRE AND SMOKE COMING FROM JEEP. MOTOR WAS MELTED. VERY OBVIOUS ELECTRICAL ORGIN. SWITCH WAS OFF . EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. HAD OWNER NOT BEEB QUICK WITH HOSE HIS HOME WOULD HAVE BURNED ALSO.OWNER BURNED HAND RAISING HOOD. MOTOR NOT RUNNING, SWITCH OFF JEEP CAUGHT FIRE QUICKLY. REPOORTS OF ANOTHER JEEP BURNED AT BUCANNON AUTO MALL IN BUCANNON WV THIS MAKES 3 THAT I KNOW OF.*AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING THE AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 MPH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT FOR UNKNOWN REASON. LATER ON, AFTER RESTARTING VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS CAME BACK ON. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF PROBLEM. BUT NO KNOWN CORRECTION HAVE BEEN FOUNDED AT THIS TIME. *AK