When ever I start my 2000 Grand Cherokee jeep the warning comes on that the back hatch is’nt closed. When this happens at night I can’t see the gauges because with this warning the interior lights stay on till this warning goes out. I can turn them off but that is when i loose the gauge lights. This just started happening a couple of weeks ago, like I said though, the warning goes usually after a time
I don’t know the arrangement of the door latch mechanism. But somewhere in that door latch mechanism is an electrical contact that is designed to turn on the interior lights (and the light on the dash) when the door is unlatched.
The place to start is a thorough cleaning of the whole door latch mechanism. I’d start by spraying it out with electronics cleaner and then lubricate everything using whatever is prescribed by the owners manual.
Also, the hatch switch might be out of adjustment; or, the wiring might be frayed in the area where the wire bundle flexes near the hatch opening.
Many hatch and door contact switches are inside the actual door or lock mechanism. I found if you take a can of WD-40, with the little red straw and shove the straw into the latch mechanism, then spreay like there is no tomorrow, moving it around to saturate everything, using a rag to collect whatever drips below that area. I have done that for the past 10 years with great results. I know for a fact the car I did it on (one time) 10 years ago still works fine (because it’s my car), and it’s lasted for 10 years and counting. Regardless of what you read on this forum, WD-40 will not “gunk” up, or “clog up” or cause any negative problems. At least that is my experience, I cannot speak for everyone, I can only pass on what I learned.
Thanks for all the advice. I’ve tried to spray everything with WD 40 but warnings still on. Maybe I have to wait a little that it works into the latches- Oh yea, before I did this I took off the inside plastic covering also. It’s funny though when I drive around a little or when there is alot of snow on the truck it stays off or does’nt appear at all.
Do you have the pop-up glass ? If so, check the electric click connector (mine was just on the drivers side left on the latch mechanism). They can come lose or go back over time. I just disconnected mine and problem solved, or at least you’ll know if it’s the hatch or the glass.
Thankx, I’ll try that. I’ll Let ya all know if it worked or not.