Wierd ignition issues

For the last month or two i've had problems starting the heep when it's been sitting all day or overnight. basically everyday to & from work. thought it was the battery, so I went out and bought an Optima yellow top. same crap. went to get the alternator checked out. Had a diagnostic done on the electrical system (starter, coil, battery, alternator) and everything checked out.

here's the wierd part,

... i turn the key, only get a click. no crank. i put the jeep in neutral and it fires right up. no hesitation. this happens w/out fail. try it 1 - 5 times in park and no start. as soon as i put it in N, it starts up like nothing.

again, this only happens when the jeeps been sitting for about 8 or more hours. then, lately it only doesnt start about 1/3 the time. so its gotten better, but i did nothing to fix it.


wierd.... any ideas?

interesting. I have gotten the one-click syndrome recently. It has only done it a few times, and each time it happened I just kept turning the key back & forth, and the 5th or 6th time it would finally start.

Geo thought it might be a computer glitch and to try resetting the computer (remove both cables from the battery and touch them together). So I tried that, it a few days later got the one-click thing again.

Last time it happened was a few weeks ago. So its not a very frequent thing for me. But it is something that just started happening about 2 months ago.

There is a common issue with static discharge disabling the start operation, but it wouldn't be impacted by whether you are in neutral or not. I've had it happen to me several times in the past, where the jeep simply wouldn't start for thirty minutes or so, just a click and nothing. Tried jumping, etc. and found out later there was a TSB for the issue, and it can be resolved.

That being said, I think you have given the exact info you need to diagnose/resolve your problem =)

Autos can only start in park or neutral. There is a safety switch that controls this behavior and disables the starter if in any other gear. Sounds like it's not picking up the park location sometimes. May just be a loose/bad switch? I'd start there!

!c

Church Do you happen to know the TSB #

http://jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29647&highlight=start+jeep+click

http://jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=29882&highlight=start+jeep+click

http://www.jk-forum.com/showthread.php?117249-Arrrrgh!!!!-Another-dead-Jeep&highlight=start+jeep+click

http://www.jk-forum.com/showthread.php?44507-Problem-with-Jeep-Not-Starting&highlight=start+jeep+click



I have had this same thing happen to me. I have read about this on other forums as well. I don't think anyone has found a solution yet. I read about the TSB on other threads but I don't remember if it fixed it.

Here is the TSB I referred to: http://www.jkowners.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-4276.html

However, this is clearly NOT jkx's issue, as it would not change behavior based on what gear you were set to.

I'm still leaning towards the safety switch in park.

Mine never started in Neutral when it had the static issue.

!c

well, no fixes found in those threads. lately i haven't had time to scratch my a$$, so finding time to tinker on the jeep has been non-existent . guess i'll just keep on putting it in N and start it that way when it wont start in P.



thanks for the input guys. I knew there had been some threads but didn't know if anyone had actually found the culprit and solution.

I've been having a similar prob. Every once in a while it just doesn't wanna start. clicks, but no turn over. Jumping it does nothing. I keep a wrench in my door panel just for disconnecting the neg to the battery. That used to work, but that stopped working too. I listened for the buzz in the fuse box every time I re-attached the neg. Found a large fuse that I pull out, then re insert. seemed to do the job. Haven't had it happen since and that was about 2 months ago.

what's up everyone?!?!

i have had the same problem and shifting to neutral worked. hadn't had it happen in a while. but now, it was doing the turn, click thing. it WOULD start with a jump and then would drag if i let it sit for a day. now it will click, no start and it won't start after running for 10 min.

so far i have:

cleaned battery terminals and connectors and retightened. then jumped again and left running for 15 min. turned off and wouldn't restart.

taking the battery to get tested at autozone. its less than a year old and a yellow top. if it is dead, the jeep killed it somehow.

next i will check the alternator, then to the dealership

for mine, I'm positive it's the Park sensor. if i hold the shifter forward and turn the key, it starts right up in park. i haven't had a chance to tear open my center consel to look for the thing, but i can live with it. a least until i get some free time (yeah right) to work on it.

The problem you are talking about sounds just like what V had with his. Here is the link. Just put a different battery on it and see if it works.

Here is the link. http://jkowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33513

I had the same issue today. Jeep wouldnt start, just one click. Tried numerous times all day. Even took it out of part & put it back in(this has worked in the past). Nothing, just a click. Then I read this & decided to try to start in neutral. It started! WTF?
So, has anyone figured ou what the root cause is?

mine was the park sensor. according to the stealership, it's in the transmission. They fixed it under my lifetime drivetrain warranty

haven't had any problems starting it up in the last 8k miles or so.