I have a 1992 Cherokee automatic 4 speed that I bought for $700. When I bought it the dealer said that it would need a new starter as it wouldn't start. Well in the week that I have owned the Cherokee I have put in a new batt., new pos. and neg. cables, new starter, new plugs, new plug wires, new starter relay, new ignition starter switch, new air filter and it still will not start. I have read on many posts that it could be caused by the neutral saftey switch(NSS) and to try jiggling the shifter and also try it in park and neutral. Tried this to no avail still nothing. Read in another post about connecting a ground wire to the brown/yellow wire on the starter relay which would bypass the NSS but that didn't work either. Also tried giving the same brown/yellow wire ground at the ECU and removing the NSS from the system but nothing still. At this point I'm going to try cleaning the NSS before I replace it as it's almost $200 (I also noticed after removing the screws and seperating the to parts that on the plastic part there's a hairline crack across the entire unit but does not cross any of the copper connections). Other than that the only other thing I've read is that it could possibly be the crank position sensor(CPS) which is only $75. If anyone has any ideas about what to do I'd greatly appreciate it. I'll keep in touch if the cleaning of the NSS does the job.

Dave,

I'm not sure what you are saying.

Does the STARTER work at all (engine cranks but does not start) OR
Does the STARTER NOT WORK (no crank at all, no clicking, etc.)?

Sorry let me clarify the starter does work I can turn the ignition key to the on position and the fuel pump engages and pressurizes the line and I can crawl under the car and put a screwdriver across the starter and the jeep will start up no problem. Just won't start by using the key.

I have a 94 cherokee country that is having the same exact problem. I also have a 95 cherokee. My plan is to take parts and swap back and forth until I find out where the problem is hiding. Everything is the same except the steering column, the 95 has an airbag. I know that it is nothing to do with the actual switch itself as I just changed the steering column today, my 94 is a theft recovery and I am swiming in a pool of problems with this thing. I will post again after I figure out what in the world is going on.

Dave, There are 3 terminals on the starter. One large one from the battery, one large one that goes into the starter and one small one that's the 12v supply to the solenoid. When you "jump" it with the screwdriver, I assume you jumped across the 2 large ones which feed battery voltage directly to the starter and bypass the solenoid.

Try running a small wire from the battery to the small terminal. Be careful not to ground it (you see lot's of sparks). If the solenoid engages and it cranks over, then use a voltmeter to see if you have 12v at the small terminal when you turn the key to start.

If the soleniod does not energize (loud click and starter should turn) then the solenoid is likely bad. Did you change with the new starter?

If it does crank and you don't have 12v at the small terminal with the key on and turned to start, then you have an electrical problem somewhere upstream from the solenoid.

Based on your symptoms, I'd doubt it's the CPS (it did start). The NSS could be the culprit.

I agree. Check the wiring diagram if you have access to it. Some of the older jeeps also used a start relay before the solenoid.

Yours should have one in the PDC.

When I replaced the starter it came with a new solenoid. When I was talking about putting the screwdriver across it originally I did put it from the post that has the battery cable connected to it to the post on the solenoid with the small cable and that's how it started. I have already checked and replaced the starter relay and even tried the relay for the aux fan incase the replacement relay was bad still no luck. I do have a manual for the jeep and that has proven a great help as it showed me how to test the NSS which I completely removed from the jeep and tested which the contacts inside seemed to be off a little bit as when I pulled it off I lined the neutral line up with the slot in the threads and it wasn't giving me the right reading but i could turn the threads just a little and it would give me the continuity that it should so hopefully a real thorough cleaning is all it needs to fix that problem and maybe fix the entire thing. The only thing that concerns me is the hairline crack in the NSS I mentioned but it's down in the plastic away from the copper contacts so I don't think that it has damaged any of the contacts or wiring. Thanks for the help and if anyone else knows of anything or is experiencing the same kind of situation but doesn't have a manual let me know and I'll be glad to tell you what the manual says.

After you clean the NSS, try dripping some crazy glue into the hairline crack. No telling how far it goes through.

BTW: My backup lights have now quit so it look like me and my NSS will spend some "quality" time together this weekend too.

Well I just got through cleaning the NSS and greased it up real good and put it back in and it still didn't fix the problem. The crack that I mentioned in the NSS went all the way through and the corner where the threaded shaft is is the corner that completely broke off. I checked and it was not near the contacts in the switch so it didn't damage that and when it was put back together it was held in place fine by the screws in the switch. The only thing left that I think it could be is in the ignition switch wiring harness which unfortunately isn't available at any parts stores around here. So my question is does anybody know how to completely remove the dash in a 92 cherokee so I can access the entire wiring harness and fuse block to check all of the wires associated with the ignition and see if one of them has a loose connection. Thanks for your help and input on this extremely puzzling problem I am having. dave92cherokee dave5005769@hotmail.com
I was also wondering if anyone knows how much current is being pulled by the starter when it is activated as I was considering putting in a momentary push button under the dash to completely bypass the NSS or if anyone knows of a switch that could be used to accomplish such a thing. All the switch will do is have one wire connected to the big post on the starter and another wire connected to the small post on the solenoid.

So mine turned out to be a very easy fix. My jeep is a theft recovery, which is why I had to replace the steering column. At the dealership where I purchased it from, they were starting it by using a screw driver. Using a screw driver on the starter actually fried the relay for the ignition. 50 cents at the local junk yard and I am back up and running.