Ok, for a couple of weeks now the instrument cluster on my '98 TJ has been acting funny. Every now and then the gauges would quit working and the air bag lite would come on. Most of the time the tach and speedo would quit but the temp, oil, volts and gas gauge would keep working. It looked like a short because when it quit, it would usually start working again when I hit a bump just right. Well, a couple of days ago the entire cluster quit working. The odo is still working and the air bag light stays on, but everything else is dead. I checked all the fuses, but couldn't find one blown. Has anyone come across this before? any ideas?

sound like could be a ign switch problem.

Yes - This happened to me except I can smack the top of the instrument cluster and it starts working again so I have not messed with it yet. Just recently this was a thread on Colorad4x4.org. The culpret is the harness behind the instrument cluster. Here is the thread.

http://www.colorado4x4.org/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=009958

This happened on mine when the Jeep was still under warrantee. The entire cluster was replaced. Pushing on the cluster usually fixed it in the short term.

Occasionally my fuel gage fails to work now. Either pushing on the lowerleft corner of the instrument cluster or restarting the Jeep solves the problem. I do not want to replace it again as it sounds expensive.

Thanks guys. It came back up when I hit the top of the dash, so that appears to be the problem. I'll dig into it this weekend and fix the wiring.
Thanks again for the leads.

At least on late model XJ's, the gauge cluster problem you describe is common, and is attributed to the gauge harness plug. The plug connector comes loose, and connection pins sometimes corrode. Unplug it, clean out the contacts, and put it back together... or just keep smacking the dash...

you can also pull the defrost vent cover to expose the screws for the cluster, pull the cluster, and look for the connection pins... i just took the male connections and spread them/opened them up a bit and pinched the female ones togeather a little bit, so that they would contact better, (you don't have to open them up very much) and carefully put the cluster back on, if it doesn't slide in don't force it, just check whats hanging it up... i did that about 15,000 miles ago on the DD (00 TJ). haven't had the guages take a shit on me since then. (i also used a littl ebit of rubbing alchol to clean the terminals. )

you can also pull the defrost vent cover to expose the screws for the cluster, pull the cluster, and look for the connection pins... i just took the male connections and spread them/opened them up a bit and pinched the female ones togeather a little bit, so that they would contact better, (you don't have to open them up very much) and carefully put the cluster back on, if it doesn't slide in don't force it, just check whats hanging it up... i did that about 15,000 miles ago on the DD (00 TJ). haven't had the guages take a shit on me since then. (i also used a littl ebit of rubbing alchol to clean the terminals. )

Ditto, it seems it is a common problem. Just make the connections tighter and it will solve your problems, it is not a ground but the loose connections that make your gauges go dead.

when i installed a head unit in my brothers XJ, the same thing happened. the intermittent loss of fuel and speedo (basic trim cluster). i told him he was high.... cuz everytime i would look at it, they were working fine. so then one day i was driving it and it appeared as though the car had been turned off. i guess when i stuffed the adapter harness for the stereo behind the cluster, i may have moved the plug. ill have to pull the radio and see if i can get my hands back there.
good info.

When my 97 did that I took the cluster out and gave every pin on the back of the cluster a very slight twist with a pair of needlenose pliers... haven't had a problem since.