'96 XJ Country that all of a sudden would not stay turned on. No symptoms beforehand. Was running great. Parked. Went into the store. Came out. Cranked up and then turned off the moment I let go of the ignition. When I turn ignition to accessory mode, no windows, blower, radio or wiper blades. Checked fuses and relays in the Power Distribution Center - all good. Initially, the ammeter read fine at around 12. Let it sit overnight and now low, but enough to crank and get engine going. I can keep engine going if I hold ignition in start position.
Also, my OBDII will not read. ("Can't make connection with vehicle") Never had a problem reading before.
Ignition switch? But why did I lose power windows, etc.
Thanks in advance.

 

also, brake waring light is on. It was never on before.

 

My 96 was doing similar things. It was the metal tab on the back of the ignition cylinder partially broken off. So it would only engage with the ignition switch when (and only as much) as it wanted to. Sometimes it stuck on even though the cylinder was turned off, killing the battery. I replaced both the switch and cylinder, in case the switch was binding and caused the cylinder to break. And since the cylinder cost more than the switch.

Lots of things run through the ignition switch, at different stages of the key turn.

 

Thanks. It was the ignition switch. Super simple replacement. I thought it was weird that the car would crank fine, unlike all the videos I had seen where there was nothing when the ignition was turned to start. All the other symptoms were the same as a bad ignition switch, except for that one.