[ChicityZJ]

My name's Matt and I am new to Jeeps and this forum. Excited to start working on this new to me car - a 1996 GC Laredo 4.0L!

I need some help with the remote start/battery draining issue.

I got this vehicle from my sister who was having an issue with the battery draining. She took it to a shop and got a new battery, didnt work. Took it back and they "tore it apart"...disabled the remote start by cutting some wires. They told her the issue was the BCM, which I just replaced. The vehicle still drains the battery. I need to reconnect the remote start but I can't see where they cut it.

I need to figure out if the new BCM fixed the drain or if it's the remote start/another issue that's still draining it. My questions are:

Is there a way to easily bypass the factory alarm (don't know if it's still functional) AND the remote start? Pull a fuse or something?
Is there anyone local that is good with wiring that can come help me out?

I'll go ahead and put this on the main forum as well. Thanks in advance guys!

 

[ChicityZJ]

bump - anyone out there?

 

[ChicagoYJ]

bump - anyone out there?

I live in Chicago and have a 96 ZJ 5.2. I too had the battery drain when I got the ZJ and previous owner cut and grounded the purple/yellow wire which deactivates the factory alarm system.
Problem is that on the 96-98 ZJ's this still leaves the interior lights on. Work around that is to pull the I believe #7 fuse from the panel on the passenger side kick panel. So you don't have interior lights when you pull the fuse.
The purple/yellow wire trick works on the 93-95 ZJ's, since the factory alarm is not part of the BCM as with the 96-98 ZJ's. To this day I have not found any info on how to properly and permanently disable the factory alarm system on the 96-98 ZJ's.
What worked for me was to reconnect the two ends back together of the purple/yellow wire and on every door I pulled out the inner black plungers from the outer ones and reset them. I noticed they weren't making proper contact with the doors once the doors where closed. This might be the same problem you are having. I don't have remote start so can't help you there. If they cut and grounded the purple/yellow wire check the harness at the driver side door or driver side kick panel. The purple/yellow wire is for the factory alarm system. If you reconnect it and don't have a factory remote you can arm it and disarm it by locking and or unlocking either one of the passenger side door or tailgate with the key.
Hope this helps you out.
Ricky