Hi, I'm very new to this forum. Not sure if this is where I should post this or not. Neither my husband nor I know anything about cars for the most part. I mean we can change spark plugs, check fuses, my husband can check and charge the battery, and check the starter. But that's it.

We got a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee as a Christmas gift from my stepfather-in-law just this past year. It worked fine till shortly after we got it home, now it won't start and the Owner's manual is no help. My husband has Aspergers syndrome which is a form of functional autism. He gets very anxious about things he doesn't know anything about or doesn't understand.

The issues with the car have been giving him panic attacks. He has checked everything he knows how to do, i.e. check the battery, the starter, and the fuses. He doesn't know what else to do and due to his Aspergers syndrome the thought of trying to ask anyone for help sends him into a state of near hysteria.

When he turns the ignition key, nothing happens. There is a soft clicking noise at most in the engine near the fuse box but that's it. The car has power, the lights turn on, the windows roll up and down, etc... it just won't even turn over. I'm doing my best to help him with this, but I know less about cars than he does.

If anyone could help give us some idea's on what else to check and or what else we can do it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much.

 

Try hitting the starter with a hammer while you try to start it. Not a joke, if the starter solenoid is bad it can sometimes be activated by hitting it with a hammer. Alternatively you can pull the starter off and take it to your local advance auto or autozone and have it tested.

 

Also, welcome to the forum.

 

He has checked the starter, it's fine.

 

Well I wouldn't advise hitting, more like tapping. Tap the starter firmly with a hammer and see.
Have you checked to see if the battery is fully charged? Test to make sure, sometimes the battery can have enough to power electronic but not enough to crank it

 

He checked the battery first, he pulled it and made sure it was fully charged. Not the battery. He then moved on to the starter, and checked it, also fine. Today we checked all of the fuses, they are also all fine, so not the fuses either.

We are now at a loss.

 

Well if the engine is not turning over at all it's got to be something to do with the voltage to the starter. I'm not sure if there are any relays associated with this circuit on Jeeps, that's what I would check/replace next.

 

When he checked the starter did it turn over? Did it run for a bit or just sputter?
Also check ground connection, some might be corroded or rusted

 

How did he check the starter. Pulled it out hooked some jumpers to it? took it the parts store had it done?

 

Might also check the nuetral safety switch on the transmission if it isnt working correctly it will not let the starter crank. One trick that works for me at times is move the shifter through the gears a few times the back to park then try to start it. You can also try starting it with the shifter in the Nuetral position may be as simple as a bad connection.

 

Do u have a obd 2scaner ? Or maybe borrow one.sounds like a relay crapped out.its probably something stupid the trick it to find it.lol

 

Where are you located?

 

We are in Renton.

 

We don't know what an obd 2scaner is, what does it do?

 

We will try that next once he can work up the energy to try and work on the car again. Thank you.