So I posted last week but I accidentally did it in Gen Discussion. The problem started a little over a week ago. I came out of a store to the Jeep and when I went to start it, I got nothing, no clicks, lights on the dash but nothing else. With the help of a forum member and some research, I figured that it was the ignition actuator pin. I pulled the ignition cylinder out and used a flathead to start it. That worked for a day. After that, it was back to the same symptom. I have an extra '97 that I have been using for parts. Today, I swapped the actuator and the switch. Still the same issue. I also swapped the starter relay switch. At this point, I'm stumped. Is it the safety clutch feature? The starter?
Pull the battery cables and clean them. Really pull them off and clean the posts and the cables to the point of bright shiny metal. Also check the opposite ends of the cables. This is the fix for such a condition 99% of the time
Once you rule out starter and typical ignition items, keep the neutral safety switch in mind. (I have an auto.)
When my jeep wouldn't start (same symptoms as you), I spent an hour doing tests, then decided to just put in neutral, then a gear, back to park, and it started.
It does this about once a month, and when it does I just jiggle the shifter in and out of park and it'll start. One day, the switch may altogether fail at which point I may disable it...
Well I can rule out the battery now. I want to try and chase down the clutch safety switch. I removed the plastic holder to the cylinder and now I can't get it back on. I don't know if it is engaging. I would like to simply bypass it right now to make sure that it isn't the switch. I have read online that you can bypass it on a '97 by unplugging it and plugging it into a bypass. However, there are a couple of possibilities and I don't want to unplug the wrong thing. Anyone have any pics? It seems as though on later TJs you can do all of this via a fuse. I'm not so lucky with the '97.
I unplugged it and plugged it into the alternate plug which bypasses the safety switch.
Mine is a manual.
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