I have a 99 Cherokee sport with an auto transmission that did something strange yesterday and I would like to get a grasp on what may have caused it.

I drove it about 5 minutes from home yesterday to grab some groceries. 10 minutes later I came back out to drive home and couldn't get it to start. Had lights and power on everything but it wouldn't even TRY to click or turn over or anything. After 5 or 10 minutes of trying to wrap my head around the problem I had a strange idea I decided to just give a shot. I put the Jeep in neutral and just pushed it back about 1 foot, put it back in park and then it fired right up like normal. Just to be clear it's an automatic tranny, not a manual. I'm not trying to say I popped the clutch.

I'm thinking this might be indicative of something going out and I would like to get it fixed before it becomes an actual problem. Any ideas of what may cause this?

 

Next time it does it take it in and out of park a few times and then try it. Or put it in neutral and try it

 

Thinkin maybe the neutral safety switch needs a lookin at... The above advice might help verify that... Also, next time try starting it in the neutral position on the shifter or pushing forward on the shifter while it's in park position... This would help identify the switch or the linkage to it to be the real problem...

 

Classic sticky NSS. Moving the jeep is not what fixed it, moving the shifter is what did it. (like mentioned)

If you hold the key over, and jiggle the shifter in park or neutral and it starts, it's your NSS. http://bc4x4.com/tech/2010/jeep-neut...ty-switch-nss/
If I park mine hot it will start in the AM. (or next time...). After a short drive, (or just re-parking), cold often I need to hold the key over and, (in my case), pull the shifter back a hair and sheel go, because it's gummy in there. And probably not adjusted quite perfect.

 

Cool all of these posts sound like they are pointing at the same thing. I'll try out the things mentioned above next time I have the problem to try to confirm that the NSS is the culprit.

 

 

Just an update although it isn't much of one. Jeep has been starting up fine since my last post so no chance to test any theories.