Starter only works in Neutral: What's the fix?

2001 XJ Sport 4.0 Auto 170,000 miles, generally maintained very well (other than the beating off-roading puts on it).

I'm not sure this is a Jeep specific quesiton but here is my problem. Half the time my Jeep starts just fine. The other half, I have to put it in Neutral....in Park it doesn't do anything at all.

So is my solenoid going bad? Anyone want to explain to me why it works in N but not P (what is different about those two gears with respect to the starter).

There is some dripped oil on the starter, will cleaning it help or is it time for a new one? It cranks like a banshie in "N" and in "D" when it works in D.

THanks-

might want to search, sounds like the NSS

Here is the procedure for "refurbishing" the neutral safety switch, which is your problem. It's a very common failure on the XJ. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

http://bc4x4.com/tech/2010/jeep-neutral-safety-switch-nss/

I searched for an hour, but when you search on here, the only threads that come up are 300 pages long about "what did you do to your Jeep this weekend" so every word search combo is in them. I gave up after 10 different search terms. If I knew NSS was the term I needed, I wouldn't have had the question in the first place. Now I know!

Then, 10 minutes after posting the question, I have an answer. I'll always search first but I see why lazy people don't.

Oh...and I'm getting a little sad hearing "It's a common failure on the XJ" but I kinda knew that before I bought mine Thanks .

PahlMc said:

I searched for an hour, but when you search on here, the only threads that come up are 300 pages long about "what did you do to your Jeep this weekend" so every word search combo is in them. I gave up after 10 different search terms. If I knew NSS was the term I needed, I wouldn't have had the question in the first place. Now I know!

Then, 10 minutes after posting the question, I have an answer. I'll always search first but I see why lazy people don't.

Oh...and I'm getting a little sad hearing "It's a common failure on the XJ" but I kinda knew that before I bought mine Thanks .

Click to expand...

LOL, it is the uncommon failures I usually find, and those really suck, as no one knows what they are much less how to fix them, gotta love the common ones :cheers:

And the search is useless on three or less letters, use Google or Bing for stuff like O2 and NSS and TPS and add in .org on the search.

Cool. I use tapatalk most of the time. Ill have to try google and bing. And true about the common ones. I've owned my XJ for 9 months and done a lot of them.

CPS
Heat Soak
NSS
Stuck arse rear lead spring bolt
And more

Ecomike said:

LOL, it is the uncommon failures I usually find, and those really suck, as no one knows what they are much less how to fix them, gotta love the common ones :cheers:

And the search is useless on three or less letters, use Google or Bing for stuff like O2 and NSS and TPS and add in .org on the search.

Click to expand...

Yup, the searching FAQ should include google as a recommendation. I always try google first and add "naxja" to what I'm looking for.