I have a 1992 jepp cherokee laredo with auto trans 4wd and 4.0L engine. I have a bad neutral safety switch, when I do get started my jeep runs bad like power cutting off to the coil or something, can a bad neutral safety switch cause this problem too besides no backup lights and having to move shifter around until it starts.

 

If your shifter cable/mechanism is not adjusted properly it will cause no back up lights (when shifted in reverse) and no start in park/neutral.
It would not cause poor running tho, That sounds like a separate problem.

 

Olivegreen is correct... Mine is bad also (I did not have cash to replace so I spliced the two black wires together in the harness... circuit will be completed... WARNING this is not a suggested fix though as it will then crank in any gear) Even with it bad, my jeep still runs very good.

 

I'm not concerned about the cranking in any gear...I just want mine to crank in "a" gear like park or neutral. Right now it won't crank in any gear and my Jeep is stuck at work in a snowy, sloppy wet parking lot. Are there only two black wires and where do I splice them together? On the NSS side of the plug or the engine side of the plug? I'm just looking for a quick fix...down to one vehicle and it would me much easier to work on this if I could get one more start and be able to drive it home and get it in the garage. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

Yes, only two black wires from switch... It is on the passenger side just above the pan. You do not have to remove it from the tranny but it does give you a bit more room to work if you do. One wire is solid black and the other is black with a yellow stripe. Just splice them above the switch and you will completely bypass the neutral section of the switch. My friends also did the same thing about two weeks ago and we did the same thing to his and both are fine. Hope that helps.

 

This suggestion worked great for me. I have been trying to get the NSS off the tranny for days with no luck, so when I saw this I thought I would try it and I did it in 5 min when I got home from work and it worked like a champ fired right up with no hesitation. Good luck on getting your problem fixed up, I think you may have something on top of the NSS but getting that fixed and reliable will allow you to focus on the next problem.

 

I just replaced my got one from team cherokee for $129 which is alot cheaper than many auto parts stores.

 

I have a crotchedy neutral safety switch as well. Intermittent starting in park and back-up lights. So far, it always starts in neutral when it won't start in park. My XJ runs like a scalded Jackalope, though. I agree with the other guys. If you have hard to start or poor running, that is a totally separate issue from your NSS. How long has it been since you tuned it up? I have found that all 4.0s like to run in good tune. My 4.0 HO power and MPG go to crap just from having a dirty air filter. It really gets bad when the cap and rotor or plugs are crappy. I also toss in a bottle of fuel injector cleaner about every 4th or 5th fill up. If you fill up at Chevron it's not necessary because that Techron stuff does the job pretty good.

 

Try this link http://jeepin.com/features/nss/index.asp ...Tj

 

Hey trekker, like the link but in my case, I had already pulled mine apart and one of the contacts for the neutral circuit were broke off so I just decided to bypass it and save time (and $$$)

 

I bypassed mine and it still wouldn't start...so I did some more checking and found out that the starter was bad as well. I do believe my NSS was causing some problems since it would start in Neutral when it wouldn't start in Park. So I have eliminated that causing any problems in the future by bypassing it and I replaced my starter last night so I am good to go now!

 

Great link, Trekker .... I have been toying with mine for several years, starting it in neutral when it won't crank and of course, no reverse lights unless I wiggle the shifter. I tried but could not separate the plug .... hate to pry on these things too. Who knows an old Indian Trick for separating these siezed connectors?

 

That is one of the links I used when I rebuilt my NSS.

Took all of about 1/2hr.

Main difficulty is getting the wires out.
There is a zip-tie up HIGH from below and down low from above...ya get the picture.

For re-install, I put in R. Set parking brake and had the Mrs stand behind and I adjusted it until the lights came on.
Locked it down and haven't had any problems since.

BTW: This was ONE of the reasons the DAPO sold it.
Mechanic said to fix the NSS problem would cost him $450!!!
Suggested since the catalytic converter was bad, had rear main oil leak (was the oil filter housing), 2nd starter was on its way out (cables were loose) and the NSS was BAD, he should get rid of it

Whoa... Glad I don't go THERE.

Hey there Vista, fellow-PA'er.
Are you referring on how to loosen them w/o removing the NSS? OR how to loosen them after?
Forgive me, I was just outside for 1/2hr tinkering on BOTH our XJ's...mind is still a little numb

 

I get code 41 so mechanic took off alternator and is getting tested, but may also be in my engine computer he suggested that the voltage regulator is there. Code comes up when it starts running bad like a short or something.

 

I was just musing on some of my own interesting electrical gremlins when encountered this thread. I have reseated and cleaned all connectors under the hood but the two big ones on the right side of the engine ... one of 'em is the NSS harness ... couldn't separate the plug or the other one right next to it either .... so that's what prompted my question about separating seized connectors... this thread probably wasn't truely the correct place to ask it .... sorry 'bout that