Hard to start.

[gilby7887]

Soo i was leaving a taco bell today, went to start the jeep and it didn't start. sooo i after tring a few things i put it in drive (automatic FY) and held the button in on the shifter in and slammed it in park and it cranked.... some kinda loose connection any ideas?

1991 XJ

 

[Otter]

mayhaps the Neutral Safety Switch on the side of the tranny. i've not had one fail, but i'm thinkin you have a symptom of it going bad - may want to search on the switch and see wut pops up...hth

 

[UNCC_99XJ]

Definitely sounds like your NSS needs a good cleaning. First signs of it getting dirty are lack of reverse lights, and failure to start in park or neutral. Being able to wiggle the shifter while you try to start it, or move it back and forth from park to neutral while attempting to start, and sucessfully getting it to start are also symptoms.

 

[lawsoncl]

Just to clarify, if it's not cranking until you wiggle the shifter or put in neutral then it's likely the NSS. Do a search on cleaning or rebuilding the NSS and you should get a bunch of writeups. Being a 91, I wouldn't be surprised if it's gunked up and just needs remove, cleaned up and reinstalled.