Starter problem?

corwyyn · **Posted:** Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:15 pm

Having problems with my mother's '05 sport. Saturday went to start it and nothing. Popped the hood, checked the fuses and they were good, swapped the relay to the windshield wiper position and they worked, re-inserted the relay in it's spot, checked the battery connections and they were good, also took the VOM and found the battery had 12.5V at rest which I figured should be enough. Tried again and it started so we did our errands and came home. Car sat from Sat. afternoon until Monday afternoon when we needed to go to the store, got in and once again nothing. Re-checked all items from Saturday, also pulled the battery cables and cleaned the cable ends and battery terminals. When the switch is turned everything is normal up until the point where the starter should engage, all gauges and lights are on, etc. Just wondering if there is anything else I should check before I crawl under and yank the starter to get it tested.

This is a V6, 42RLE auto trans.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 1:48 am

just something to keep in mind, guy on the forum just had a very similar symptom and it ended up being a stupid piece in the steering column on the other side of the ignition switch

friggin small plastic parts, choking hazard

corwyyn · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:15 am

Thanks - I hadn't seen that post but I'll look into it in the morning. Right now I have to get to bed so I can take my mother for an out-patient procedure in the morning, fun fun :roll:

corwyyn · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:45 pm

OK so I went out this morning and tried the '05, pushed in on the key as i turned it and it kicked right over. Ran some errands and didn't have any problems so at this point I am leaning towards the ignition switch/interlock mechanism as the culprit. If/when I find out more I'll post up.

At least I didn't have to yank the starter

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:36 pm

like i said in the other thread, I fixed one on a TJ by "rigging" a part that was similar but not specifically for the particular tj but it worked, with a dab of superglue gel

and a little nick with a pocket knife

depends which piece is worn/broken/disintegrated

it's kind of one of those deals like the pot-metal square tab on the back of older like 78 olds cutlass ignition switches that after about 10 years half the time the entire ignition switch would come out when you went to remove the key??

stupid little part, and they typically want you to buy an entire steering column to get that one piece

junkyard hunting is fun, just need the guts not the ignition switch itself, the switch itself should be fine, just a few tabs and plastic rods and junk in there unfortunately

Starter problem?

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