OK ..Jeep has been slow cranking the past few days, turn key and starter turned slowly then engine fired right up. Yesterday it left me stranded at the gas station when I shut it off to refuel. Here's what I've done so far to diagnose the problem..

1. Tried tapping on starter while having someone else turn key in ignition = Starter seems to want to try to do something but won't turn engine over.

2. Took known good battery out of the '99 TJ and put in KJ to see if this was battery issue = no change. result was same as above.

3. Swapped the starter relay = no change same as above.

At this point I'm thinking it's probably the starter, since I can hear it sometimes click and sometimes not. But I wasn't sure if this was the dreaded broken actuator rod in the steering column. Seems like starter is getting power but the starter motor just won't engage to turn the engine over ???????

Anyone else had this problem ?? tried the search function but it didn't turn up much, even under the word "starter" used as the only search parameter...

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'02 Sport 4x4, 3.7L, 245/70R16 Bigfoot A/T tires, Tow Hooks, Rear Hitch

Based on your diagnosis it does seem like a starter problem.
But first, make sure your battery connections are tight and free from corrosion. Including the connection down at the starter.

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U.S. Army Retired

Two comments:
What is your battery voltage, have you read it with a voltage meter? Low voltage can cause the problems you described!
And as Flash suggested, check those battery cables, a bad connection on one of the posts can cause low voltage problems...
Ignition switch actuator pin either works or it don't; they will not function and then heal themselves and function again!

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Supporting Vendor and Moderator of LOST
05 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited
Ironman Springs/Bilstein/Shocks
Yeti StgIV Hot Tune
Week's BatteryTray
No FCV/EGR
Samcos/ProVent
SunCoast/Transgo
Carter Intank-pmp
2mic.Sec.Fuel Filter
Flowmaster/NO CAT
V6Airbox/noVH
GM11 Bld.fan/HDClutch
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98 Dodge Cummins 24 Valve

Swapped out battery with a known good one. No corrosion either at the battery terminals and none down at the starter...

Took starter off this afternoon and ran it up to the local Autozone and had it tested and it came up bad. Guess I'll be installing a starter here soon. Only indication was the slow cranking when starting it, almost like low battery, but it started each time...until it didn't LOL.

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'02 Sport 4x4, 3.7L, 245/70R16 Bigfoot A/T tires, Tow Hooks, Rear Hitch