I just washed my jeep then i go to move it and it wont turn over. I checked the battery level and it 12.53 volts. Ive been having problems with my neutral saftey switch and i have to mess with the shifter to get it to crank. So when its about to turn the starter all the lights shut off on the dash and headlights. Is this a bad starter or what?? any help would be great!

 

Before the lights do out or dim it makes a click???

 

Get those battery connections all clean/shiny lead inside and out. Once that is done take it from there..... 12.5 is indeed low, but I assume you had just been trying to start it. Charged, resting at room temp with no load is 12.7.

 

Try pushing the tranny shifter all the way up and try starting it while doing so. If it starts then it's your NSS. You can also try starting it in R and any drive gears and same thing, if it starts in any of these gears it's your NSS. If the NSS is bad then it won't turn over .

 

It's not the NSS if all the dash lights dim.

Service your battery cables at both ends before proceeding.

 

I agree with cruiser. You may have two separate issues.

1. An intermittent NSS (you already know that) Try "refurbishing" it using the procedures in the links below

2. A connection or ground problem. Clean battery cables and battery posts until they are shiny. Freshen all engine grounds

http://go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoNSSrebuild.htm

http://bc4x4.com/tech/2010/jeep-neut...ty-switch-nss/

 

Yeah i for sure have 2 problems haha i got the nss covered its just weird because i have had this problem before where i had to try turning the switch but this time it wont turn over at all and i need to get the problem fixed. ill try cleaning the battery terminals and post buy ive had the battery out several times but its done this before when the battery was indeed clean and just so happened after i get out of the mud and clean it, it dont start and when it does it makes a click and and all the lights go out... This is really weird for sure haha

 

Does sound like a bad connection. Guess you know the lead can get a crust like layer and still look pretty good. That's why shinny is good. Sometimes a bad connection will get pretty hot. Might even hear it sizzle. I had a bad connection at the starter on my Jeep last summer, and a bad ground connection on my Ford. Both go hot.

 

Alright ha its never happened to me but everyone learnes something new every day haha!!