[Davecat]

While I was hopeful that it was just the bulb when the passenger side headlight recently went out on my 2008 Patriot I was not so lucky. The local Mechanic almost immediately laid the blame on the TIPM (Total Integrated Power Module) and hit me with the replacement price YIKES! upwards of $700 was more or less out of the question! I suppose that luckily for me that mechanic was not prepared to do the work. I ended up calling around and one dealer informed me that a "reconditioned" unit could be installed for $500. Finally I contacted a local Automotive Electronics company and was told a $78 reprogram "could" help, biting the bullet I took the Jeep there and an hour and a half later the service manager came in and informed me that the problem was a broken ground wire to that headlight, difficult to reach but the final $148 for diagnostic and repair was better than it could have been. Had I just let the dealer change the TIPM I would have had to pay for it AND still would have needed the grounding lug repaired. Moral of the story, always let the professionals diagnose Electrical problems.

 

[moparnumber1]

Glad you got it sorted without being totally raped in the process. When it comes to ANY electrical issue on vehicles, always check grounds first!

 

[jack.allwardt]

Glad you got it sorted without being totally raped in the process. When it comes to ANY electrical issue on vehicles, always check grounds first!

Ditto on the grounds comment! In the early days of computers--bad grounds were the cause of nearly all intermittent problems!

 

[ijeep]

Hi all. Thanks for this post Davecat! I have the same problem. When confusing things happen I always jump to this forum.

Wondering if anyone can help locate this ground wire (passenger headlight) via the service manual illustrations (or photos). I've got an '07 (the rust rocket) so a failed ground is a likely culprit.

Thanks in advance for any help that can be offered.

 

[srun]

Help I have an 08 patriot same problem.Do you know where the ground wire was broken?

While I was hopeful that it was just the bulb when the passenger side headlight recently went out on my 2008 Patriot I was not so lucky. The local Mechanic almost immediately laid the blame on the TIPM (Total Integrated Power Module) and hit me with the replacement price YIKES! upwards of $700 was more or less out of the question! I suppose that luckily for me that mechanic was not prepared to do the work. I ended up calling around and one dealer informed me that a "reconditioned" unit could be installed for $500. Finally I contacted a local Automotive Electronics company and was told a $78 reprogram "could" help, biting the bullet I took the Jeep there and an hour and a half later the service manager came in and informed me that the problem was a broken ground wire to that headlight, difficult to reach but the final $148 for diagnostic and repair was better than it could have been. Had I just let the dealer change the TIPM I would have had to pay for it AND still would have needed the grounding lug repaired. Moral of the story, always let the professionals diagnose Electrical problems.

I have the same problem on my 08 patriot do you know where the ground lug is so I could trace it back to the head light. Thanks

 

[The4WDPatriot]

Glad you got it sorted without being totally raped in the process. When it comes to ANY electrical issue on vehicles, always check grounds first!

OH my gosh lolololol. Over 100,000,000 posts? You the man!!

 

[ijeep]

Hi all, just giving this a bump as srun and myself are still looking for the passenger headlight's ground location.

 

[Terasec]

OH my gosh lolololol. Over 100,000,000 posts? You the man!!

with a join date of 1991
he sat around posting for 16 years before that Pat even came out

 

[jack.allwardt]

Hi all, just giving this a bump as srun and myself are still looking for the passenger headlight's ground location.

Well, just go to the headlamp, remove the plug that goes to the bulb and trace the black wire back, and back, or just get a VOM out and test the ground to chassis. You'll have a lot more information for the rest of us to speculate on..

 

[jack.allwardt]

We MUST appreciate the ease of changing our headlamp bulbs. Case in point: 2009 VW New Beetle. The DRL/low beam lamp went out and there was NO WAY I was going to get my crippled hand behind all the stuff in the way to release two clamps to remove the headlight ass'y. So went to a shop that works on foreign cars, and with a half hour of labor, the mechanic removed the air filter box, the battery, the electrical panel--that lives on the battery just to remove the bulb. Then a little fiddling around to find the correct bulb--the original bulbs marking didn't agree with any cross-reference chart, but he did have an appropriate one in stock. Long story short--an hour of time, and $72 to change the bulb. I can't wait to dump this albatross...'cept---it runs well and fast.

 

[ijeep]

Durp.
...no luck, there's no power going to the headlight. A while ago I had a MIL code that came up with an "improbable wheel size" or some such thing. I remember reading that this can accompany a bulb failure (passenger side) as there is some type of commonality with the wires...does that ring a bell for anyone??

 

[DJMurphy]

The commonality is the TIPM and the wiring harness that feeds it. A 2008 seeing lots of road salt will have issues in the drivers footwell wiring, the relay box and a host of other exposed connections.

It has to be traced back by a professional with the proper diagnostic equipment. It sucks but these aren't the vehicle of old, everything is canbus now.

 

[freshair4ever]

Had same problem: passenger side headlight went out along with the passenger fog light. The passenger headlight ground is located at the bottom of the antifreeze reservoir. You can see it without removing anything but you need a flashlight as it's in deep mounted on the frame between the antifreeze reservoir and close to some of the belts. There's about 6 wires crimped onto 1 eyelet connector and you cannot tell that it's rusty without removal, but mine was. I cleaned the eyelet in a salt and vinegar solution, then a baking soda solution to neutralize. This didn't restore the ground but cleaned it well. Going to snip the eyelet and recrimp all ground wires tomorrow.

EDIT: Yep, fixing that ground connector resolved my headlights, fog lights and e-brake dashboard warning!!