I was having issues with my reverse lights coming on so I cleaned my NSS the other day. I reinstalled it, got it to start in Park once, reverse lights worked, no start in Neutral. So I got back underneath and nudged the NSS a little, now I have no start in any position, wiggling the shifter didn't work, all that was working was the reverse lights.

When I try to crank it, I hear relays clicking like they ought to be, but it doesn't crank.

I'm sure this is going to get me yelled at, but I also had my wife hold the key for 3-4 seconds while I was under the Jeep moving the NSS through its wiggle room, and as it moved I heard relays click but it still didn't crank.


Did I do something to damage my NSS or was it the minor case of one actually failing versus needing cleaned? I used a toothbrush and brake parts cleaner to clean it, wiped it all clean and dried it off with a dry cloth, then used 1200 grit sandpaper to make all the copper shiny again before dabbing with dielectric grease as usual for electrical components, then carefully put it back together and reinstalled it.

I took it off again and checked it over but couldn't find anything wrong. It was still visibly clean, the dielectric grease was where it ought to be. The reverse lights are working just fine, but only a ghost of a crank once with some further wiggling of the shifter, but I didn't expect it and didn't follow through with letting it fully start because it kind of surprised me, then I couldn't find the right spot again.

 

Try to bypass the NSS with a jumper wire (search)

I am pretty sure the NSS comes before the starter relay so I suspect you have some other problem like starter solenoid or the like