2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4-door 4.0L 4x2

I was driving the damn thing around not two hours ago and it was working just fine, battery was strong, and everything was working. Now I just went out to go make a cookout run and the damn thing is acting very weird (thus the electrical gremlins comment). The battery seemed OK based upon the fact that the brake lights and interior lights were damned bright (I'm still suspecting the battery though. It's died a couple of times thanks to me fucking up once and thanks to the dealership fucking up a couple of times). After that when I tried to start it the lights dimmed down to nothing, you could hear a very faint, quiet ticking sound if you held the key to ignition for a bit, and if I set it back to off the lights stayed dim. I thought the battery was dead here, but I then closed my door and opened it again, and the interior lights went from dim (before) to fully lit again (after). The door wasn't even closed for half a second, so am I looking at something like a partially hosed fuse or something? Or is my battery just fucked? I tried this a couple of times, same result each time. I also set the key to accessory to see if that would fuck up the lights again, and sure enough it did (though I didn't have the radio on, faceplate is detached so the unit should've been passive).

Anybody ever heard of anything like this? Should I just pull the battery and replace it?

[Edited on April 3, 2007 at 9:40 PM. Reason : fixing]

4/3/2007 9:35:35 PM

Quote :

"4x2"

well there's your problem

4/3/2007 9:44:16 PM

^ hahah gg.

You've already troubleshot it most of the way, take it the rest of the way. Swap the battery.

4/3/2007 9:49:46 PM

sounds like loose/corroded terminals to me, take em off and clean em good

[Edited on April 3, 2007 at 9:51 PM. Reason : (batery terminals, just to clarify)]

4/3/2007 9:51:29 PM

Yeah, battery terminals are both tight and clean. I'm starting to think it was just my battery's way of saying BYE! However, checking the water levels in the battery, looks like those are low. At least according to my friend that I'm also troubleshooting this with right now over the internets.

Anybody have any distilled water? :/

BTW, I didn't choose to buy the 4x2. I honestly think it's fucking stupid that it's a 4x2, but I didn't have a say in buying the car. :/ Hey, free car though...

[Edited on April 3, 2007 at 10:06 PM. Reason : aaa]

4/3/2007 10:05:47 PM

fill it with regular water for the time being, and replace it soon.

my .02

4/3/2007 10:19:21 PM

Ahh... OK, talking to my friend, the water levels are stupidly low and it's probably leaking acid all over the place. The water/acid levels in the battery are low enough that I can see a metal element and then the fluid underneath it. I guess I'll go fuck with it now...

EDIT: Yep! Corrosion all up in the battery tray, currently neutralizing it and cleaning out the engine. Taking the battery in tomorrow for a swap. Thanks guys...

[Edited on April 3, 2007 at 10:47 PM. Reason : dun]

4/3/2007 10:20:28 PM

mmm inner fender rot

4/3/2007 10:50:47 PM