Jeep cherokee 1989, Owner'S Manual

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Troubleshooting
Contents
Symptom
Section Symptom
Section
Engine and performance
Alternator light fails to come on when key is turned on
1 3
Alternator light stays on 1 2
Battery will not hold a charge
11
Engine backfires 1 8
Engine diesels (continues t o run) after being turned off 21
Engine hard t o start when cold 4
Engine hard to start when hot 5
Engine lacks power 1 7
Engine 'lopes' while idling or idles erratically 8
Engine misses at idle speed 9
Engine misses throughout driving speed range 1 4
Engine rotates but will not start 2
Engine stalls 1 6
Engine starts but stops immediately 7
Engine surges while holding accelerator steady 19
Engine will not rotate when attempting t o start 1
Excessive fuel consumption 2 4
Excessively high idle speed 1 0
Excessive oil consumption 2 3
Fuel odor 2 5
Hesitation or stumble during acceleration 1 5
Low oil pressure 2 2
Miscellaneous engine noises 2 6
Pinging or knocking engine sounds when engine
load 2 0
Starter motor noisy or engages roughly 6
Starter motor operates without turning engine 3
Cooling system
Abnormal coolant loss 31
Corrosion 3 3
External coolant leakage 29
Internal coolant leakage 3 0
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overcooling 2 8
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27
Poor circulation 3 2
Clutch
Clutch pedal stays on floor when disengaged 3 9
Clutch slips (engine speed increases
with no increase in vehicle speed)
3 5
Fails t o release (pedal pressed t o the floor . shift lever
does not move freely in and out of Reverse) 3 4
Grabbing (chattering) as clutch is engaged 3 6
Squeal or rumble with clutch disengaged (pedal depressed)
. .
38
Squeal or rumble with clutch engaged (pedal released) 3 7
Manual transmission
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Difficulty engaging gears 4 5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Noise occurs while shifting gears 4 6
Noisy in all gears 41
Noisy in Neutral with engine running
4 0
Noisy in one particular gear 4 2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4 4
Slips out of gear 4 3
Automatic transmission
Engine will start in gears other than Park or Neutral 5 0
Fluid leakage 47
General shift mechanism problems 48
Transmission slips. shifts rough. is noisy or has
no drive in forward or Reverse gears 51
Transmission will not downshift with the
accelerator pedal pressed t o the floor 4 9
Driveshaft
Knock or clunk when transmission is under initial
. . . . . . . . . . .
load (just after transmission is put into gear) 53
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Leaks at front of driveshaft
5 2
. . . . . . .
Metallic grating sound consistent with vehicle speed 5 4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scraping noise 56
Vibration 55
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Whining or whistling noise 57
Rear axle and differential
. . . . . . . . . . .
Knocking sound when starting or shifting gears
59
. . .
. Noise
same when in drive as when vehicle is coasting 58
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Noise when turning 6 0
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6 2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vibration 61
Transfer case models)
Difficult shifting 6 4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gear jumping out of mesh 63
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Noise 65
Brakes
Brake pedal feels spongy when depressed
6 9
Brake pedal pulsates during brake application 72
Brakes drag (indicated by sluggish engine performance
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
or wheels being very hot after driving)
7 3
Excessive brake pedal travel
68
Excessive effort required t o stop vehicle
7 0
Noise (high-pitched squeal) 67
Pedal travels t o the floor with little resistance 71
Rear brakes lock up under heavy brake application 75
Rear brakes lock up under light brake application 7 4
Vehicle pulls to one side during braking 6 6
Suspension and steering
Excessively stiff steering 8 0
Excessive pitching rolling around
corners or during braking
7 8
Excessive play in steering
81
Excessive tire wear (not specific to one area) 87
Excessive tire wear on inside edge
89
Excessive tire wear on outside edge
88
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lack of power assistance 8 2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Miscellaneous noises 86
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Noisy power steering pump 85
Shimmy. shake or vibration 77
Steering effort not the same in both
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
directions (power system) 8 4
Steering wheel fails t o return t o straight-ahead position
8 3
Tire tread worn in one place
9 0
Vehicle pulls t o one side
7 6
Wandering or general instability 7 9
This Section provides an easy reference guide t o the more common
problems that may occur during the operation of your vehicle
.
Various
symptoms and their probable causes are grouped under headings
denoting components or systems. such as Engine. Cooling system.
etc
.
They also refer t o the Chapter Section that deals with the
problem
.
Remember that successful troubleshooting isn't a mysterious 'black
art' practiced only by professional mechanics. it's simply the result
of knowledge combined with an intelligent. systematic approach t o
a problem
.
Always use a process of elimination starting the
simplest solution and working through t o the most complex
-
and
The Motor Manual Guy