ShadowAngel

Thought i'd ask you all, since i'm having a hard time figuring this out. 9 times out of ten, my Cherokee starts up just fine. 3 times since i've bought it, however, it did nothing when I tried to start it. It's generally after i've let it idle for some time, or drove a short distance. For instance, today was Walmart.. drove up there to get some groceries, and was back out of the store in ten minutes. When I turn the key, it chimes as usual, the number son the clcok light up, and the radio starts, but when I turn the key, it doesn't even attempt to turn over. No cranking, no click. All three times this has happened, I kept trying and eventually it'd crank up and start, but today it took a few minutes. I ended up turning the key to crank it and just leaving it there even though it wasn't doing anything, and after about ten seconds it started to crank.

If it helps... when I turn the key to crank it, the battery gauge dips down into the red and the numbers on the clock vanish until I stop trying to start it. Any suggestions..? Possibly just a battery going bad? I have no idea how old the battery is. Thanks.

mike albo

The lights dimming and the meter moveing is normal. Its sendind the power to the starter.What it sounds like is a bad selinoid or a flat spot on the comentator in the starter.

89whiteXJ

I have a similar problem but If I just move my gear shifter around while it is still in park mine will start. Some times I have to move it to Neu.

keith two tone cherokee

when it does that put it in nuetral if it starts then your nuetral safty switch is messing up

ShadowAngel

Yeah, I tried messing with my shifter and putting it into N to rule out the NSS, but no dice.

Is the starter hard to get to, or pretty easy? Also.. is there any way to check to see if that is what the problem is?

89whiteXJ

Not sure about checking it but Yes it is easy to get to. Pass. side and just two bolts.

ShadowAngel

I suppose i'll start cheap and replace the starter relay. If that doesn't fix it, i'll have to try the next cheapest thing, and so on.

mike37

when its having the start problem jump the terminals with the green line pointing to them
if it starts is the relay if not its the starter

ShadowAngel

I see a blue line and an orange line. This will help me narrow i down, though.

mike37

sorry the orange lines guess i shuld have looked at the pic and not gone from memory

Skreed

I had the same problem it turned out to be the wire that runs from the small post on the started to the starter relay. The wire is usualy green in color. Try to trace the wire back to the relay and disconnect it at the starter and the relay. Jump it with fresh wire and some gator clips. Try it a few times I noticed right away that this was the prob.

Or it can be a number of other probs.

Possible sticking starter which can be fixed by cleaning and re greasing the contact and bushes.

Or you could take it to Autozone and get it tested. While your there get your alt and batt checked.

JeepinChick

we were havin issues like that in the snow here. Of course I dont remember the technical name for it but does yours have a porclein connect by the inside of the fenders with 2 wires that was my issue. when pops gets home i will ask but look for that little porcelin peice

jimlask

Sounds like it could be a Starter Problem. I had the same issue with my Jeep, where it would do nothing when i tryed to start it, just out of the blue, then after a few more attempts it would fire up again.

I just replaced the whole starter. I didnt mess around with the Circuts on the starter, or the Cylinoids..

It fixed the problem. My jeep also starts faster then it used to (1-2 seconds now, and like 6-8 seconds then).

ShadowAngel

Sorry for the bump of a 2 month old topic, here! Had it happen again a few days ago (don't drive it often at the moment, so it doesn't have an opportunity to happen frequently.) Drove around for a bit, stopped to run into a store, and wouldn't start when I got back out. I replaced the starter relay, and it still wouldn't work. Absolutely nothing when turning the key. Got down and jumped the terminals on the starter, and it fired right up. Got home, parked, killed the engine, and tried it again and it started fine. Seems like something might be moving while i'm driving and causing the issue, since it always seems to happen after i've driven somewhere. Bad connection, maybe? Ignition switch?

Ideas? I'm wanting to use this vehicle for camping trips, but if I randomly can't start it, that makes me pretty uneasy about driving it into the middle of nowhere.

ShadowAngel

No ideas?