Electrical system: switch
Free remedy
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WATER AND IMPURITIES CAN ENTER INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
37 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Jeep Wrangler cite electrical system, 22% of all 170 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.
“There is a known problem with the electrical wiring to the climate control panel including the blower motor fan switch. The wiring attached to the assembly gets too hot and melts the blower motor fan switch. When this happens, you are unable to turn on any heat/ac/air speeds. You are not able to select any speed to turn on the air which means you can’t use it to defrost the windshield. This can lead to a poor visibility situation. I am the original owner of my 2001 TJ and I’ve had to have this problem fixed multiple times. There are several videos & discussions about this problem in Jeep forums. Chrysler should’ve recalled it years ago..”
“TL-CONTACT OWNS A 2001 JEEP WRANGLER--- SPOKE WITH CHRYSLER --- CHRSYLER STATED NO RECALLS ON VEHICLE---HORN IN VEHICLE DOES NOT WORK AT ALL AND AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON... CONTACT WAS GIVEN NUMBER TO JEEP REGARDING AIR BAG LIGHT....0 RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VIN”
“I WAS DRIVING WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON WHEN I SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC, THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE AIR VENTS. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER ABOUT 15 MIN THE SMELL DISSIPATED AND I CONTINUED ON WITHOUT THE AIR CONDITIONING. LATER I REMOVED THE COVERS AND FOUND THAT THERE HAD BEEN A FIRE IN THE PLUG THAT GOES TO THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR”
“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.”
Showing 6 of 37 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WATER AND IMPURITIES CAN ENTER INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.