By: Preston Young
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the saga of my 1999 Jeep Wrangler and the ongoing project it’s become — full of trial, error, and a whole lot of learning. At the time, I had just figured out the alternator had gone bad, replaced it, and still… nothing. No power, no response, no idea what was next.
Well, here’s the update.
One night after work, I rolled up my sleeves and decided to tackle the wiring. I had ordered a kit online that came with seven brand-new battery cables — everything from the starter, alternator, engine block, firewall, and more. When I opened the hood and laid out all the wires I had to replace, I’ll admit, my confidence was low. Zero, actually. It felt like one of those moments where you look at the problem, then look at yourself and think, “There’s no way I can do this.”
But I started anyway. YouTube, Google, and some good old-fashioned trial and error got me through. I left the headlights on throughout the process so I’d know if any power returned. Slowly but surely, I started connecting wires to places that made sense. After what felt like hours of crawling around the engine bay and double-checking everything, I finally connected the last cable to the battery.
The headlights came on.
It was a small moment, but it felt huge. I jumped in, turned the key, and the Jeep fired right up like nothing had ever been wrong.
The next day, I drove it to work — no issues. But the real test came a few days later when Rachel and I took it on an hour-long drive down to Noank, Connecticut. It’s a summer tradition of ours to visit Abbott’s, a spot we to hit at least once a season. The Jeep handled the ride like a champ — there and back — and for the first time in a while, everything worked exactly the way it should.
As of now, I’m happy with where the Jeep is. There’s always going to be something else down the line (there always is), but getting through this fix reminded me why I love it so much. It’s more than a vehicle — it’s a hands-on challenge, a connection to my past, and a reminder that sometimes, the most satisfying victories come from figuring it out on your own.
Tracking: 780133-1