Temporary fixes for annoying problems

[Victor]

I have a 94 J30T with 191,400 miles on it and it has a few annoying problems that don't keep it from driving, and I don't want to spend a whole lot of time and money trying to fix when the car is nearing the end of its life. But anyway, here are some of them and quick fixes. If anyone has any permanent fixes please post them, or if you know any other quick temporary fixes post them too.

1. Dashboard instrument lights go out. Tap on dimmer control to fix.

2. Remote control door locks won't work. Fix, use the key.

3. Power door locks try to lock you in the car. Pull out the manual door lock lever, even as it tries to fight you making a buzzing noise.

4. Windshield wipers get stuck in up position when turning them off. Quick fix, keep turning them on and off and try to turn them off while they are moving down, Eventually the will stop where you want them to. On another thread someone said the windshield wiper relay is the cause.

5. Right low beam headlight sometimes won't light even though bulb is good. For some reason switching the bulbs from the left and right sides of the car fixed my problem permanently. I didn't put in new bulbs, just swapped them.

6. Parking brake on light lit even though you pulled the brake release. Stick your toe under the parking brake pedal and lift it upwards while pulling on the parking brake release. If it moves it was sticking.

[gr8scott72]

How about my crappy sunroof that doesn't work? Too much trouble for me to want to fix it as it doesn't affect the way the car drives.

[brandonjustice93J30]

hrrrm...I dont know why swapping the bulbs worked....but strange thing worked a similar way on mine for about 6 months after i replaced my bulb b/c I thought it had burned out, then it progressivly got worse...then both headlights would go out while I was driving.

I eventually replaced my relay for $96 including labor (could have done myself but no garage and was having other repairs done so just threw it in to be done)

and Scott...about that sunroof issue...I feel you on that one.

[gr8scott72]

hrrrm...I dont know why swapping the bulbs worked....but strange thing worked a similar way on mine for about 6 months after i replaced my bulb b/c I thought it had burned out, then it progressivly got worse...then both headlights would go out while I was driving.

I eventually replaced my relay for $96 including labor (could have done myself but no garage and was having other repairs done so just threw it in to be done)

and Scott...about that sunroof issue...I feel you on that one.

I'm not even driving it right now. The wife is driving it until the baby gets here and then she'll probably start driving the Durango since we will then have 3 kids. I get to drive whatever I want to off the lot and am enjoying an 03 G35 right now. Once she starts driving the Durango, the J will probably just sit there except for an occassional spin to keep it running ok. The sunroof doesn't even make it on to my priority list. lol

[fogged306]

Maybe it was sheer coincidence, but I never had many problems with my J until I let it sit. I drove it maybe once a month over the winter and have had a laundry list of problems since. Now that I've fixed most of them, I drive it at least once or twice a week just as a precaution.

[xxcrashxx]

for number 1 and 5. the cause to those problems are cold solder joints. ive actually seen this alot with j30's on here. the real fix to that problem is to take the component apart, and just rewet every solder point, or even add more solder to it. that will fix most problems of like "when i hit a bump it goes on/off" about 99% of the time.