Gillette1987

Hey guys, I got my 89 2-door cherokee with a push start button but I have a feeling that the way it was wired up that it interferes with ignition power and such... The jeep will not start turning the key and have to have it in the ON position to push the button and it'll start. When the key is in the OFF position, and I can still press the button it'll crank over but not start. When I have the Jeep ignition OFF, key out and wheel locked, I can still operate the wipers, climate controls and turn signals. I KNOW this isn't normal, and would like to eliminate the push start overall and return to normal operations.

I'm thinking the ignition switch is BAD somewhere inside the steering column causing the interior power to constantly be running. Would it be easier to swap out the column for something else and have the push start removed completely or does anyone have any idea how to fix this? Sure is annoying, thanks!

belvedere

My first move would be to see how badly they hacked the wiring. Hopefully they were just too cheap to buy a new ignition switch, and you can just splice the wiring back together, put a new switch in, and go.

Gillette1987

Where exactly is the ignition switch?

Turbo X_J

If it is that fouled up might just be easier to start from scratch. Backwoods electrical issues are usually fire hazards anyways......

DFlintstone

The switch is on-top of the steering column under the dash.

Yea, sounds like maybe two separate issues. Likely the button is juicing the green solonoid wire to the starter. That might not be related to your ign. switch powering accessories while it's off.

Besides the ign switch its-self, sometimes its plug get's hot and melts.

I might first trace the start button wires, see where he got power, and where he taped into the green wire that goes to the starter relay. (or maybe he went right to the solonoid with it). There is a diagram of the starter relay in my signature.

This might not be too serious. I hope it's just the ign switch, then putting the original solonoid wire back.....

There are more than a few here who know your system and can help.

Gillette1987

Well here's what I tracked down. The wire Im looking at from under the hood is indeed hooked up to a green wire, I followed it back to inside the cab and....


wait for it....



the guy rigged the power from the AMP wire that was left in here.... So, amp wire from the battery, all the way to the amp under the rear seat, and there is a joint in the middle that the push start button is connected to...


Uhhh........ crap

DFlintstone

OK, that is likely not why your accessories are powered up. The accessory wire might be ether orange or yellow, I don't know which at the moment.

Here is a stab at how the starter is suppose to work. The black "ground" wire really is only grounded while you are in park or neutral by the NSS. The green solonoid wire goes straight from the relay to the solonoid on the starter. When you turn the key to start it energizes the "ign" terminal. So when that is powered up and the NSS is grounding the black, the relay then juices the green solonoid wire.

From of your ignition switch it might be a red wire, not sure at the moment. That has no fuse, it's powered by one of the fusible links. There are about 5 of them that happen to come off, right at that stud on the relay.

Gillette1987

This is helpful, but my only problem is this.... No solenoid! Posted a picture of where it should be. Ignore the yellow/blue wire, that's old stuff from lights that the PO had on

DFlintstone

Well, it's not your only problem! Technically is IS a solonoid, but lets call it a starter relay. As far as I know mine has worked for 23 years. I mean they don't seem fragile. I might hit the JY before I went aftermarket. That's just me though. (although I might call the dealer, just for a laugh!)

Gillette1987

Let's call it whatever haha. You mentioned it's "not my only problem", what else is there you see? Haha

DFlintstone

Didn't you say stuff comes on when the key is off? Hopefully it's just hacked wiring and not a melted ign switch plug...

I wonder if you can find a wire there by where the starter relay goes that energizes then you turn the key to start. Also a Black, with a stripe that grounds in park and neutral.

Gillette1987

So I took a better look and compared to a same year/options that a local jeep junkyard has and found out that I DO have a solenoid, but the tab for the starter plug has broken off. Paying $10 for one now and swapping it in. HOPEFULLY this removes the push start!

Gillette1987

YES!!! Replaced the ignition solenoid and tore out the push start, it starts up perfectly using the key in ignition!!! Now to figure out the gauge cluster and track down the wires for my stereo. It's looking up!!! Thanks for all your help, I would've never figured this out without the ignition solenoid picture!

Gillette1987

Still having the interior power on when the ignition is off. Another day!

DFlintstone

Hey, Fantastic! I did update the wiring diagram link in my signature. Edit...whoops, that free zeroc turns into a paid scribid diagram)

Seriously it's called the starter motor relay. Or just the starter relay. (it's name is cut off on the bottom of the image).

Well done!