My wife has a 1996 Jeep Cherokee, and I don’t want to get rid of it because I’ve put a lot of work into fixing it. It used to start fine, but one day after my wife drove it to Wawa, it wouldn’t start at all.
I think I found the right plug above the oil filter, which is grouped with three other plugs. However, all the diagrams show it should have eight holes, but mine only has seven and a blank spot. I tried putting a paperclip in it, but it didn’t work. Is this the right plug? Is my method correct, or should I cut the insulation off the wires? (Her backup lights work, so I don’t think it’s the neutral safety switch.)
I also checked the fuse box and swapped the starter relay with the fuel pump relay, but it still won’t start. I checked all the fuses, and none are blown. I don’t have the cover for the fuse box under the dash, so if someone could send me a good picture of the diagram, I would appreciate it.
Lastly, I looked for the starter contacts to jump it from the battery. I heard I should find something near the battery, but I’m not sure what I’m looking for and didn’t see anything that clearly connects to the starter. Can someone help me out?
1 - no
2 - no. Starter doesn’t attempt to engage.
3 - turning the key results in everything coming on except the engine. The battery was what I first suspected. Its good. Radio, headlights work and the dash lights up. Annoying headlight buzzer is in fantastic condition.
4 & 5 - no, the engine does not attempt to crank or engage. Its definitely either the starter or something preventing the starter from turning.
The Neutral Safety Switch (NSS) might be the issue.
Try moving the shift lever while turning the key, or try starting in neutral. If either of these works, you likely have an NSS problem.
If you’re still having trouble, follow these steps: Get a meter. With the key in the ON position, check for voltage at the starter. If you see almost full battery voltage there, the starter is the problem. If there’s no voltage, then the NSS and the ignition switch could be the cause.
When you first turn the key to ON, do you hear the fuel pump making a buzzing sound in the back for a second?
If not, the Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS) near the transmission might be the problem; it’s located about 11 o’clock from the front. Changing it can be difficult. If the CPS isn’t working, the fuel pump, key, and starter won’t function at all. However, everything else, like the lights and radio, should still work fine.
That’s not correct. The crankshaft position sensor doesn’t affect the starter or the cranking circuit; it works separately from the circuit that starts the engine.
If the crank sensor is bad, the engine can still turn over but won’t start.
Also, depending on how the crank sensor fails, you might have fuel pump function or you might not. I’ve seen both situations happen many times.
I found out that the solenoid is on the starter, which seems like a strange design choice. I tried using my channel locks to jump the solenoid, but nothing happened. So, I took out the old starter, put in a remanufactured one, and it started right up. Does anyone know if they sell a cover for this?