Dodge Dakota Sport 2001 Service Manual page 1022

AN
JUNCTION BLOCK (Continued)
Fig. 6 Junction Block Location
1 - FUSE ACCESS PANEL
2 - JUNCTION BLOCK
3 - INSTRUMENT PANEL
electrical current to many of the accessory systems in
the vehicle. It also eliminates the need for numerous
splice connections and serves in place of a bulkhead
connector between many of the engine compartment,
instrument panel, and body wire harnesses. The JB
houses up to nineteen blade-type fuses (two stan-
dard-type and seventeen mini-type), up to two blade-
type automatic resetting circuit breakers, and two
International Standards Organization (ISO) relays
(one standard-type and one micro-type).
The molded plastic JB housing has integral mount-
ing brackets that are secured with two screws to the
left instrument panel end bracket. The left end of the
instrument panel cover has a snap-fit fuse access
panel that can be removed for service of the JB. A
fuse puller and spare fuse holders are located on the
back of the fuse access cover, as well as an adhesive-
backed fuse layout map to ensure proper fuse identi-
fication.
The JB unit cannot be repaired and is only ser-
viced as an assembly. If any internal circuit or the JB
housing is faulty or damaged, the entire JB unit
must be replaced.
OPERATION
All of the circuits entering and leaving the JB do
so through up to nine wire harness connectors, which
are connected to the JB through integral connector
receptacles molded into the JB housing. Internal con-
nection of all of the JB circuits is accomplished by an
intricate combination of hard wiring and bus bars.
Refer to Junction Block in the index of this service
manual for the location of complete JB circuit dia-
grams.
8W-97 POWER DISTRIBUTION
REMOVAL
WARNING: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR-
BAGS, DISABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BEFORE
ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING
COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENT
DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. DISCONNECT AND ISO-
LATE THE BATTERY NEGATIVE (GROUND) CABLE,
THEN WAIT TWO MINUTES FOR THE AIRBAG SYS-
TEM CAPACITOR TO DISCHARGE BEFORE PER-
FORMING FURTHER DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. THIS
IS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO DISABLE THE AIRBAG
SYSTEM. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRE-
CAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIR-
BAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL
INJURY.
(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative
cable.
(2) Remove the fuse access panel by unsnapping it
from the left outboard end of the instrument panel
(Fig. 7).
Fig. 7 Fuse Access Panel Remove/Install
1 - INSTRUMENT PANEL
2 - FUSE ACCESS PANEL
3 - SCREW
(3) Reach through the instrument panel fuse
access panel opening to access and remove the one
screw that secures the Junction Block (JB) to the left
instrument panel end bracket.
(4) Remove the steering column opening cover
from the instrument panel. Refer to Steering Col-
umn Opening Cover in the index of this service
manual for the location of the steering column open-
ing cover removal procedures.
(5) Reach through the outboard side of the instru-
ment panel steering column opening to access and
disconnect all of the wire harness connectors from
the JB connector receptacles (Fig. 8).
8W - 97 - 7