Dennis'WJ

Hello, I am the three month owner of a 2001 Grand Cherokee Limited 4X4 with the 4.7l V-8, 545RFE trans, and NV247 t/case (QuadraDrive). I have an intermittent starting issue that I can't chase down. Turn the key and everything lights up, but it won't turn over the starter. I have checked all of the fuses in the fuse box under the dash and under the hood, exchanging any that had anything to do with starting or ignition with others that checked good both before and after the exchange. I also did the same with the large fuses and the relays in the power control box under the hood, exchanging the starter relay with the horn relay, and checking it works both before and after the switch. I checked the battery (1 year old) and the terminals are clean and tight, even tried jump starting it with another running truck, just make sure. It will start and run if I jump the starter relay in the power box under the hood, so it isn't the starter. When it won't start, the overhead display says "seat memory disabled, car not in park". It is in park, I have tried shifting it into and out of park while turning the key, and have tried starting it in nuetral as well. The key is loose and can be removed with the car running. It gave a code of P1698, all though while driving home from work yesterday, the CEL light went off and stayed off. It started two out of three times yesterday, when it won't start, I jump the starter relay with the key on and it runs good and I can drive it. Questions, I can not find a seperate park/nuetral switch on the trans, is it part of the solenoid assy, if so how do I check and or replace it? Also, the ignition switch, what wires do I check for the start under the steering column? It had a after market alarm on it from the PO with a kill switch relay wired in the yellow wire under the column, I completely removed the alarm system and relay, wired the yellow back together, checked the connection, it is good.
Sorry for the long post, but I searched the forums, but no answers. Nothing worse that a post with just "Help" in the title and no basic troubleshooting by the poster expecting a "miracle cure".
Thanks in advance for your help,
Dennis

dave1123

I'm willing to bet it has something to do with your after-market alarm system. You'll probably have to go to someone who installs these systems and have them diagnose where the problem is.

Dennis'WJ

I completely removed the alarm system, including the kill switch relay. The only wire connected to anything to do with the starting system was the yellow wire coming from the ignition switch area, and I reconnected it and checked the connection.
I checked all of the ground connections that I could find. One was disconnected going from the firewall to the top of the engine area. I think it is ground G108, it has two eyelets on it that were not connected to anything. I think they went to the aircleaner system, as it was removed by the PO and a K&N type performance air intake was added. I connected the eyelets to the engine block to insure a ground.
I still need to find out how to check the transmission range sensor (TRS), I think it is part of the solenoid assy.
Thanks, Dennis