Hi everyone. I have a 1996 Cherokee sport that has had a nss going bad for at least 10 years, but I have ALWAYS been able to start it in neutral. Except today. And in fact I'm inclined to think it's not even the nss. I've tried jiggling the gear **** lever to no avail.

I turn the key and radio/heat comes on, I have plenty of battery. When I go to start, nothing at all. Normally I can have it in this start position while wiggling the lever and hear it at least try to do something. But not this time.


What should I be looking for in terms of troubleshooting. Is there any guides on troubleshooting this? I couldn't find any but I'm not the greatest at searching.
Things I need help ruling out:
nss,
starter,
ignition itself

I say the ignition because I replaced it years ago for $11 on ebay. The key looks about the same as old one, but grooves look generic almost like luggage keys. if the pins were not making contact, would I even be able to turn the ignition?

Either way, where should I start?

I tried using some wire to jump the connection on the plug for the nss by going from black wire to black with yellow stripe wire. Nothing changed at all. Does that mean I can rule out the nss? I didn't plug it back together, just unplugged it, put some wire in the plug itself to go from black to black w/yellow.

I've seen others cut and connect those wires. And also seen where someone said just put a paperclip in the plug to jump from black to black w/yellow and no need to plug it back in to start it. Any thoughts?

 

If everything goes dead when you try to start it, check your cables and connections. Hot and ground. That's a classic bad connection symptom.

 

along with checking battery and ground connections you may want to make sure your battery cables haven't corroded under the insulating cover. Had that happen on the positive side cable after I had the same start problem.

 

It is real easy to test the NSS.

You could use the harness plug in the engine compartment to jumper the B and C terminals completely bypassing the NSS if you wanted as one way to test. It is a little dangerous when the NSS is bypassed to keep in mind should you bypass it jumpering the terminals of the connector for testing. Or, should the NSS show as being bad, and you were wanting to bypass it in order to be able and drive your Jeep. The Jeep may lurch forward on you if you ever start it with the transmission in gear when the NSS has been bypassed. You may accidentally hit somebody or something, you know.. The harness plug should be located near the center of the motor just a little bit to the passenger side.


I think this is it.

To test the NSS though.. Disconnect it at the sensor connector underneath of the Jeep. Put the gear selector into park and disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Use a multimeter set to Ohms, and check for continuity between the center switch side terminal of the connector and the chassis. One lead of the multimeter touched to the center terminal and the other multimeter probe touched to a good chassis grounding point. The multimeter should normally show continuity when doing this. If doing it like this shows as not having continuity, then the NSS is faulty needing to be replaced.

If the NSS tests okay in the test above.. Move the gear selector lever into the reverse position. Use the multimeter set to Ohms again, and check for continuity between the center switch side terminal of the connector and a chassis grounding point. In this test the multimeter should normally show it as not having continuity. If when doing this you see it as having continuity, then the NSS is bad needing to be replaced.

You can test the ignition switch in the same similar way.. if the NSS testing shows the NSS to not be the reason for the problem.

Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Remove the steering column shrouds. Unplug the ignition switch harness connector. With the ignition switch in the on position check for continuity between the two fused B(+) terminals of the switch side of the connector (terminals #1 and #7.. the two terminals at each end of the switch connector receptical). Doing this should normally show as not having continuity. The ignition switch is faulty and needs to be replaced if it shows continuity.

If the ignition switch test shows as being normal in the above.. Hold the ignition switch in the start position while you check again for continuity between those same two terminals you just tested (#1 and #7). It should normally show having continuity when the ignition switch is being held in the start position. If it does not show as having continuity, then the ignition switch is faulty needing to be replaced.

 

I like also to put a test light on the starter solenoid terminal 1st, before rooting around with the hard stuff, save annoying the pus out of you if its just a failed solenoid