Starter problems? Need help confirming the culprit...

[blue_kjR417]

Saturday I detailed my KJ, and when I was done I went to start it and move it from the shade back to the driveway. Oddly enough the battery was dead, I hadn't left the key on or any other electronics running. So I jump started it and pulled it back into the drive. I left it there for about 4 hours then went to leave and it wouldn't start again. I thought the battery was dead again so I went to jump start it and I left them connected for like 20 minutes and never made an ounce of difference. When I turned the key all the electronics would come on but the engine wouldn't crank, turn over, or anything nothing happened. It was just like turning the key to on and listening to the radio or something. So, I decided the battery wasn't the problem when I hooked up the battery charger and it said 100%. So I made sure it was in park and everything that could make a safety sensor not let it start. Still had no luck so I left it and tried again about midnight that night and it cranked right up with no problem. The next day I drove it to town to eat, came back out from eating and it started right up. Went to Wal-Mart and came back out and it started right back up again and I went home. Later Sunday afternoon I went to leave to go to my brothers, and it wouldn't start again with the same symptoms. So I popped the hood and looked around to make sure nothing super simple was wrong, all I noticed was that it was still really hot under the hood but it was setting in direct sunlight in 100+ degree heat. So I shut the hood back and hopped in to try again and it started right up. I went to my brothers and stayed maybe 20 minutes before offering to take my cousin to o'rieleys to get some bed liner for his truck. It started right up and we left, got there and got what he needed came out to leave and it happened again and wouldn't start. I checked all the ignition fuses and relays in the fuse panels under the hood and in the jeep. They all seemed to be fine. So I thought maybe my key was the problem so I pulled out my spare key that doesn't have the FOB made on and will start the jeep but it dies shortly after due to the lack of the FOB, simply have it to open the door. So it started right up with that key and then died. So I rushed back into the store and bought new battery for the FOB it started right up after that and I thought the problem had been solved. So I crossed the street and pulled into the gas station to get gas. Once I was full we went to leave and had the same problem. So I crawled under and pecked the started a few times with a hammer trying to get it to start just to get home, and still no luck. My Dad's work happened to be just down the road so we towed it there and its been setting there since Sunday afternoon. I went by and tried to start it again today and still nothing. I was guessing its the starter, if you disagree let me know of any other possible problem it could be. Thanks!

 

[jnaut]

Saturday I detailed my KJ, and when I was done I went to start it and move it from the shade back to the driveway. Oddly enough the battery was dead, I hadn't left the key on or any other electronics running. So I jump started it and pulled it back into the drive. I left it there for about 4 hours then went to leave and it wouldn't start again. I thought the battery was dead again so I went to jump start it and I left them connected for like 20 minutes and never made an ounce of difference. When I turned the key all the electronics would come on but the engine wouldn't crank, turn over, or anything nothing happened. It was just like turning the key to on and listening to the radio or something. So, I decided the battery wasn't the problem when I hooked up the battery charger and it said 100%. So I made sure it was in park and everything that could make a safety sensor not let it start. Still had no luck so I left it and tried again about midnight that night and it cranked right up with no problem. The next day I drove it to town to eat, came back out from eating and it started right up. Went to Wal-Mart and came back out and it started right back up again and I went home. Later Sunday afternoon I went to leave to go to my brothers, and it wouldn't start again with the same symptoms. So I popped the hood and looked around to make sure nothing super simple was wrong, all I noticed was that it was still really hot under the hood but it was setting in direct sunlight in 100+ degree heat. So I shut the hood back and hopped in to try again and it started right up. I went to my brothers and stayed maybe 20 minutes before offering to take my cousin to o'rieleys to get some bed liner for his truck. It started right up and we left, got there and got what he needed came out to leave and it happened again and wouldn't start. I checked all the ignition fuses and relays in the fuse panels under the hood and in the jeep. They all seemed to be fine. So I thought maybe my key was the problem so I pulled out my spare key that doesn't have the FOB made on and will start the jeep but it dies shortly after due to the lack of the FOB, simply have it to open the door. So it started right up with that key and then died. So I rushed back into the store and bought new battery for the FOB it started right up after that and I thought the problem had been solved. So I crossed the street and pulled into the gas station to get gas. Once I was full we went to leave and had the same problem. So I crawled under and pecked the started a few times with a hammer trying to get it to start just to get home, and still no luck. My Dad's work happened to be just down the road so we towed it there and its been setting there since Sunday afternoon. I went by and tried to start it again today and still nothing. I was guessing its the starter, if you disagree let me know of any other possible problem it could be. Thanks!

After dissecting your message and finding that you replaced the battery, yes, it could be the starter. Not impossible to remove and test. I did it with my Hello Kitty socket set. Just remove front drive shaft. I believe the manual claims you have to do something crazy to remove the starter, but if you're clever, have the love of Jesus in your heart, you can remove front drive shaft (not that hard), and don't have hands like Lou Ferrigno, the heat shield and get the starter out.

If the starter works, you're down to a few options:

Something is draining the battery while it sits.
You just happened to have an ignition switch failure. Welcome to a new steering column.
Starter relay. Switch starter relay with like relay. Quickest test you can do.

 

[Jeepin05]

This sounds exactly like what happened in my F150, did you by chance try to hit the two points on the starter to see if it starts witht the ignition on? I had an ignition problem in my truck it would start fine if I put a screwdriver up to the two points on the starter (two main bolts). I went ahead and put in a push button start to manually hit the two points on demand. Haven't had a problem since...I also understand this is a totally different animal than a Ford so just trying to help .

Also, the F150 had a $10 starter switch/solenoid under the hood on the firewall. This was first replaced to no avail, but possibly could be the issue if the design is similar.

Good luck.

 

[Midgear]

what happens when you turn the key to start it and it fails? do you loose power to everything? does your electronics and everything just shut off and no start?

if you turn the key and you still have power to your interior lights or dash or whatever, then your starter may be the issue, but if everything is going completely dead, you may need to check your battery terminals for a loose wire or connection..

you might start by taking the connections off the battery and make sure they're clean, and re-install them making sure they're snug and nothing is loose. this was my brothers problem yesterday in fact.. i went home and took the terminals off, put them back on, and it fired right up.. hasn't had any issues yet.

let us know whot happens.

 

[Midgear]

After dissecting your message and finding that you replaced the battery, yes, it could be the starter.

the battery under the hood?

" So I rushed back into the store and bought new battery for the FOB"

he bought a new battery for teh FOB, if I read that correctly.. unless FOB means friggin' old bastard.. ? lol

Saturday I detailed my KJ, and when I was done I went to start it and move it from the shade back to the driveway. Oddly enough the battery was dead, I hadn't left the key on or any other electronics running. So I jump started it and pulled it back into the drive. I left it there for about 4 hours then went to leave and it wouldn't start again.

I thought the battery was dead again so I went to jump start it and I left them connected for like 20 minutes and never made an ounce of difference. When I turned the key all the electronics would come on but the engine wouldn't crank, turn over, or anything nothing happened. It was just like turning the key to on and listening to the radio or something. So, I decided the battery wasn't the problem when I hooked up the battery charger and it said 100%.

So I made sure it was in park and everything that could make a safety sensor not let it start. Still had no luck so I left it and tried again about midnight that night and it cranked right up with no problem. The next day I drove it to town to eat, came back out from eating and it started right up. Went to Wal-Mart and came back out and it started right back up again and I went home. Later Sunday afternoon I went to leave to go to my brothers, and it wouldn't start again with the same symptoms.

So I popped the hood and looked around to make sure nothing super simple was wrong, all I noticed was that it was still really hot under the hood but it was setting in direct sunlight in 100+ degree heat. So I shut the hood back and hopped in to try again and it started right up. I went to my brothers and stayed maybe 20 minutes before offering to take my cousin to o'rieleys to get some bed liner for his truck.

It started right up and we left, got there and got what he needed came out to leave and it happened again and wouldn't start. I checked all the ignition fuses and relays in the fuse panels under the hood and in the jeep. They all seemed to be fine. So I thought maybe my key was the problem so I pulled out my spare key that doesn't have the FOB made on and will start the jeep but it dies shortly after due to the lack of the FOB, simply have it to open the door.

So it started right up with that key and then died. So I rushed back into the store and bought new battery for the FOB it started right up after that and I thought the problem had been solved. So I crossed the street and pulled into the gas station to get gas. Once I was full we went to leave and had the same problem.

So I crawled under and pecked the started a few times with a hammer trying to get it to start just to get home, and still no luck. My Dad's work happened to be just down the road so we towed it there and its been setting there since Sunday afternoon. I went by and tried to start it again today and still nothing. I was guessing its the starter, if you disagree let me know of any other possible problem it could be.

Thanks!

 

[ridenby]

Had about the same problem,was the ignition switch,paid the dealer to replace it. Turned out Autozone had the part for $15, have not found the post yet,will look some more.

 

[osufans]

i've had an issue with my shift selector not being fully engaged in the Park position, so my engine won't crank, until I "bump" the selector up into park, then it works fine.

 

[offrovering]

you could try knocking the starter while the ignition is on. If the starter kicks over then it is most likely a starter issue.

To me it sounds more like an electrical issue since you washed the vehicle.

 

[ridenby]

Having no luck with search,should be in Sept.-Dec 09 area. Piece is in steering column, on left side,small black box that key switch sort of plugs into. Not hard to get at or replace.

 

[jnaut]

the battery under the hood?

" So I rushed back into the store and bought new battery for the FOB"

he bought a new battery for teh FOB, if I read that correctly.. unless FOB means friggin' old bastard.. ? lol

Shit, good catch. OP: You may just have a bad battery. Jeep does crazy things when batter is bad. Tons of threads on here about it.

If you drained your battery twice, it's done. Swap it out.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

For Future Reference, the battery inside the keyfob only supplies power for keyless entry. It does NOT have any effect on the Sentry Key Immobilizer System.

 

[Nooby]

Having no luck with search,should be in Sept.-Dec 09 area. Piece is in steering column, on left side,small black box that key switch sort of plugs into. Not hard to get at or replace.

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41925&highlight=starter+start&page=6

this thread I believe, was looking up starter problems 2 days ago

 

[blue_kjR417]

Well as you guys figured out I did not replace the Jeeps battery just the key battery, which now I know served no purpose what so ever other than now my doors will unlock 3 foot farther away than they normally would lol. I've tried the gear shifter thing, it still wouldn't crank. But to clarify again when I turn the key on, all the electronics come on like normal. But when I turn the key farther to start the engine nothing happens at all. I did not try tapping the starter with the ignition on. But I'm having my mechanic look at it today so we'll see what he says.

 

[jnaut]

My vote's still with the battery. Good luck and let us know what the mech finds.

 

[ridenby]

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41925&highlight=starter+start&page=6

this thread I believe, was looking up starter problems 2 days ago

Oh yeah,that is it.This is what it looks like.

You must be registered for see images attach

It is under the Multi-stalk,on the left side,pretty much same symptoms as OP described.

 

[jnaut]

Oh yeah,that is it.This is what it looks like.

You must be registered for see images attach

It is under the Multi-stalk,on the left side,pretty much same symptoms as OP described.

So that's the part they sell at Autozone?!!! And I got a new steering column for that?!!

Yeah, ridenby, that's the one. I was able to take that assembly out about a week ago after I bought a security torx bit set because I was convinced that whatever failed in there could be removed and fixed w/o a new steering column.

 

[boebr1]

Has anyone given serious thought to the posibility that this Jeep is actually possessed and now has the ability to forsee the future? It could be that if it did start when he wanted it to... he'd be dead... killed in an intersection that some drugged up crack head truck driver ran a stop sign and plowed through at 80mph... Could be his Jeep is just trying to save his life!
Could also be that waking up every 45 minutes last night has affected my judgment a little today too... But just imagine having a Jeep Liberty Clarvoyant Edition!

 

[blue_kjR417]

Turns out the problem was the key mechanism that transfers the turn of the key to the ignition switch. It was broken and not turning far enough to engage the switch. Cost $220 for a new one its supposed to be here next week.

 

[rockymountain]

Turns out the problem was the key mechanism that transfers the turn of the key to the ignition switch. It was broken and not turning far enough to engage the switch. Cost $220 for a new one its supposed to be here next week.

A part number for this would be great if you get a chance. Let us know!!!!!

 

[jnaut]

Turns out the problem was the key mechanism that transfers the turn of the key to the ignition switch. It was broken and not turning far enough to engage the switch. Cost $220 for a new one its supposed to be here next week.

Would that $220 be the steering column?