Went to start my 2005 KJ, and it seemed to start OK - it cranked for about a quarter of a second. Then the engine just stopped. Now when I turn the key, I get the dash lights, but nothing else - no clicking solenoid, nothing. It won't start in neutral either.

Battery shows 12.6V and the posts and contacts are shiny clean and re-tightened. I've checked all the fuses and relays.

I guess it could be any of a dozen different things, right? There are no codes (naturally), so no clues at all.

I just jumped between pins 30 and 87 on the starter relay, and the starter turned. I put the relay back in, and the Jeep started on the key. Turned it off, turned it back on again, and it started again.

We'll see what happens tomorrow morning, but does anyone have any suggestions as to what might have caused this?

Sticky relay or bad contacts. I don't think the relays cost much; if so wouldn't hurt to replace. Either way clean relay pins and apply a bit of dielectric grease (any auto parts store should have a small tube cheap).

FYI there is a plastic pin from the key switch to the ignitions switch that can fail either all the way or partially; if the latter occasional failure to crank can happen until the pin dies entirely then no crank. See viewtopic.php?f=5&t=61233&p=678574&hilit=+brother#p678574

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Sold to LOST member my 05 Ltd, GDE Stg II turbo + TCM tune, SunCoast TC w. Transgo kit, Steiger window regulators, Samcos, Fumoto valve, 2nd gen filter head with Lub. Spec. bleeder, Hayden clutch & 11 blade fan, inverted spare, P-1 battery, BF Goodrich Long Trail TAs, Etecno1 glow plugs, timing belt at 50K miles/8 yrs

Yeah, I was wondering if it might be the actuator pin, but the key feels normal when I turn it - lots of people say that when the pin breaks, the key feels very loose when it's turned, like there's no resistance. I think I'll pick up a new actuator assembly to have on standby, just in case.

It's just weird that it wouldn't start when I replaced the starter relay with a known good one, but after I jumped the pins, it's starting normally with the original starter relay back in place. I guess a set of new relays certainly wouldn't hurt, and as you say they aren't expensive.

Sometimes plugging the relay in and out a few times is enough to clean bad male/female pin contacts and the relay works fine for a while. Worth cleaning the male/female plugs and check that female pins have not widened out...sometimes they need a gentle squueze to make good contact again!

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2002 Export CRD 2.5 Sport