my xj has had this strange problem and it has been happening alot more recently. to me it seems like some sort of kill switch is activating if i turn it off a certain way (like leaving the wipers on or something). right now it's sitting in a grocery store parking lot because i had to walk home with some cold groceries.

it's not my battery, i have plenty of juice in it, and i don't think it's the starter (because after a while i can get it to start from fiddling with it)

i need some sort of advice asap please

 

is it cranking and not starting or not cranking ?

 

not cranking, i turn the key, my electricals light up but no action from the engine.

fyi it's a auto 98 with power everything

 

if your sure the battery and starter are ok I'd check the ignition switch

 

Try and start it in neutral if it does then it is the neutral safety switch

 

X2 on the start it in neutral or just turn the key on and put it in reverse if no reverse lights its the NSS.

 

Could be the security system. Try going to the driver's side door and locking/unlocking manually with the key. Try starting again. If it doesn't work - unplug the battery, wait a few seconds, and reattach the cable. Lock and unlock again and try starting. Works for me when mine freaks out. Isn't obvious either, give it a shot.

 

x3 start it in neutral

 

i've tried the neutral thing and it doesn't work. i tried the unplug the battery thing last night, but it didnt affect it either. im startin to lean towards the ignition switch

 

sounds like you are on the right track

 

get a new starter
if starting in neutral doesn't work

 

when its acting up jump the terminals with the orange lines to them
if it wont crank that way its the starter

 

well i managed to get it started and get it home. but, when i turn it off and try to turn it back on same deal and it wont crank. i'm gonna try and figure more out tomorrow. right now i think im looking at cleaning up the NSS (it's thrown codes for it b4, plus my reverse lights dont work) and if that doesnt take care of the problem ill replace the ignition switch. if it's not that then we'll go from there

 

Just went throught the NSS thing, PIA... If your reverse lights don't work, and you have had codes for the nss, that is the first place I would start. Good luck.

 

Let us know if the NSS solved the problem.