can't start my jeep

[crazylimited]

the oil pressure light and the battery light are on and the jeep can't start.

Just got my kj last Thursday and have driven 150 km. I had this problem yesterday, I turned off the engine and tried again, and i could started it.

i turned off all the lights last night.

Something wrong with the battery?

 

[JeepJeepster]

oil pressure light is on b/c the engine isnt running.. The battery light probably means the battery is dead or bad..

 

[CRD4Liberty]

Both the lights are on because the engine isn't running. The oil light goes out when the engine is running and has oil pressure. The battery light goes out when the alternator is up to speed, the field is energized and it is putting out more voltage than the battery is. If it's a used rig I'd check the cleanliness of my battery terminals, tightness of same also. If all is good here it may be low water levels or some other problem with the battery if it's not a maintenance free batery. Than if it's a used rig and not under warranty it may be that you need a new starter. If under warranty take it to the dealer to fix.

 

[crazylimited]

Thank you.
it is 2002 limited, and I just got it last Thursday.
checked the cleanliness and the tightness of the battery terminals, they are fine.
i asked a friend to bring his booster to boost, hope it will work.

 

[especko]

probably time for a new battery

 

[JeepJeepster]

I do not believe my battery light is on when the engine is NOT running.. I may be wrong though? :-s

 

[2003KJ]

I do not believe my battery light is on when the engine is NOT running.. I may be wrong though? :-s

Mine stays lit untill the engine is running.

Probably time for a new battery....starting to see the life out of the OEM battery isn't as great as I had hoped.....seeing alot more fail lately. Matter of fact I had to leave mine outside one night last week...temps fell to about 45 or so and when i went to fire it up the next morning it was a long slow crank....might be time for a new one on mine.

Anywho...is it cranking and not firing, or not even cranking? Once you get it going again go to your nearest auto parts store (napa or autozone if you have them up there) and they should be able to test the battery for you. If you can get to an autozone they can test the alternator for you too, just to rule it out.

 

[youknowwhoibee]

Well you need 3 things for your engine to start...

things to check

1.compression
2.fuel
3.spark

then you can break it down from there

no compression? check the cam timing or use a compression gauge while cranking the motor.

no fuel? check the injectors or fuel pump humming when in the "on" position

no spark? take a spare plug and put it in an active wire. Start the engine and have a friend see if it sparks.

and so on and so forth til you find the problem. As for the battery, got a volt meter? Check to see if it is above i think 13.4. If so your battery is fine. Check to see if your terminals on your battery are clean of everything. Any acid could ruin a terminal and its connection to the battery.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Probably time for a new battery....starting to see the life out of the OEM battery isn't as great as I had hoped.....seeing alot more fail lately. Matter of fact I had to leave mine outside one night last week...temps fell to about 45 or so and when i went to fire it up the next morning it was a long slow crank....might be time for a new one on mine.

Heh! I *knew* from experience that the KJ's battery is nothing to go crazy about. 3 years.... anything else after that and you are lucky!

 

[2003KJ]

Probably time for a new battery....starting to see the life out of the OEM battery isn't as great as I had hoped.....seeing alot more fail lately. Matter of fact I had to leave mine outside one night last week...temps fell to about 45 or so and when i went to fire it up the next morning it was a long slow crank....might be time for a new one on mine.

Heh! I *knew* from experience that the KJ's battery is nothing to go crazy about. 3 years.... anything else after that and you are lucky!

I'm at 3.5 years \/

 

[crazylimited]

yesterday afternoon, my friend came over with a boost, and started my car after we tried 7 or 8 time for about 4 or 5 mins. Then I drove for half an hour, and I cound start it in the evening.
This morning, could not start again, same problem, and this time, the lights were weak, this afternoon, the lights were very weak. My friend brought his boost again, we tried 7 or 8 time in 4 to 5 mins, started it finally, then I drove to the dealer. They will check it tomorrow.
Maybe it is time for a new battery. If the only problem is the battery, why should I ignite 7 or 8 times to start it? My friend just ignite once to start his car. Maybe there is some other problems.

 

[youknowwhoibee]

Money is on the alternator. I have a civic, wouldnt start without a boost. Once i got the boost it would drive with dimming lights till i stopped... then it wouldnt start back up.

 

[especko]

Money is on the alternator. I have a civic, wouldnt start without a boost. Once i got the boost it would drive with dimming lights till i stopped... then it wouldnt start back up.

this is true, however it also sounds like the battery isnt holding a charge either. If he drove for a half hour, and then in the evening it started, that would mean that the alternator is charging and it charged the battery enough to get it to start in the evening. Then after sitting all night the battery lost its charge.

Another question is the jeep kept outside

 

[Trodo]

I recently read an article that pointed out something intresting. It said that short trips are bad for your battery just like hot or really cold weather. Short trips don't give your alternator enough time to recharge the battery.

And Crazylimited, I would suggest a different brand of battery, one with an "eye" so you can visually check the condition of the battery. Stock Mopar batteries do not have the eye.

 

[2003KJ]

Money is on the alternator. I have a civic, wouldnt start without a boost. Once i got the boost it would drive with dimming lights till i stopped... then it wouldnt start back up.

x2. Generally when the alternator goes out, once you take the boost off of the battery the engine will begin to die, or run horribly like it wants to die. If you can boost it and the engine stays running under it's own power and runs normally, that isolates the problem to the battery.

A helpful hint for when you're trying to crank it, turn off all non essential electronics and other items that put a strain on the system. So turn off the radio, if you've got the a/c or defroster on, turn that off, etc etc. The less the battery has to power and the less the engine has to work upon start up, the more power that can be used in cranking it.

 

[crazylimited]

i sent my KJ to the service of the dealer, the yreplaced the battery and cleaned the throttle body. Now I can start it.
Thank you all!
I am new to this KJ, I have learned a lot in this post.

 

[priell3]

My KJ died today while my wife was using it. Replaced the battery and all seems well. It was the original battery, probably near 4 years of age.

 

[priell3]

I recently read an article that pointed out something intresting. It said that short trips are bad for your battery just like hot or really cold weather. Short trips don't give your alternator enough time to recharge the battery.

And Crazylimited, I would suggest a different brand of battery, one with an "eye" so you can visually check the condition of the battery. Stock Mopar batteries do not have the eye.

My KJ does get alot of "short trips". My original Mopar battery had the "eye".

 

[JeepJeepster]

My KJ died today while my wife was using it. Replaced the battery and all seems well. It was the original battery, probably near 4 years of age.

If it died while she was driving it then thats not the battery. That usually means a bad alternator.. O

 

[priell3]

If it died while she was driving it then thats not the battery. That usually means a bad alternator.. O

It wouldn't start, it didn't die while driving. I'm going to keep an eye on things.