99 Jeep Cherokee stumbles
 

My daughter told me that her Cherokee started stumbling and the check engine light turned on when she was parking it. My wife wanted to use it the next day but the horn turned on and wouldn't shut off. The horn was shut off by disconnecting the battery.

A code reader indicated that the throttle position sensor was bad. This would account for the stumbling. It was replaced but the problem persisted. An internet search provided the result that the clock spring connector in the steering wheel might be the problem. The part was replaced which corrected both the TPS fault and the horn sounding problem.

If turning the steering wheel either aggravates or stops engine stumbling. It's likely that your clock spring connector is the problem. This problem might be peculiar just for Jeep products which use the same grounding point for the horn and throttle position sensor.

The Cherokee has a 6 cylinder straight 6 and a solid front axle. It's like a throwback to the 40's. The car is now back on the road. My guess is that my daughter's troubles are just beginning. It was relatively trouble free when it wasn't running.