96 XJ starting issue. I think it might be the ignition swtich what do you all think?

Ok the other day went driving in jeep.
It started just fine, and while I was doing errands, I had to shut off and restart several times at various stops.
All was well until about the third or fourth restart.
The courtesy lights came on, even when the doors were shut and they would not shut off. Not that big a deal, started a fifth time and I made last stop checking about a part.
Went back to jeep and noticed the ring around the key lock was still lit. This was a good 5-10 minutes after I had shut it off. All the courtesy lights were on, kick panels, overhead.
Turned key, radio came on, all the accessories powered up. No start. When in the crank position the radio loses power as normal, but not even a click from the starter. I even popped the hood and swapped relays around with known good ones, still nothing.
I swapped the battery to my truck and it fired right over, so it is not the battery.
What pisses me off is I just replaced this damned thing not 5-6 months ago!

So does this sound like a switch gone bad?

Re: 96 XJ starting issue. I think it might be the ignition swtich what do you all think?

Have you made sure the switch hasn't moved? As you know if you replaced the switch recently, there isn't much of an adjustment range but I found that there is enough to keep the starter contacts from engaging if the switch isn't situated just right.

Pelican said:

Have you made sure the switch hasn't moved? As you know if you replaced the switch recently, there isn't much of an adjustment range but I found that there is enough to keep the starter contacts from engaging if the switch isn't situated just right.

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Well as I stated, I replaced it some 5-6 montsh ago and it has been fine all this time.
I guess I can pull it off, reinstall and check.
I know if that does not fix I will let the damned thing sit and drive my 83 K1500. Nothing electronic on that sumbitch to go out.

Well I pulled it and cont tested it when in crank position, and it made contact over three of the large prongs. What they do I cannot really tell as I do not have a detailed schematic labling the contacts and where they lead.

Re: 96 XJ starting issue. I think it might be the ignition swtich what do you all think?

Automatic? Try wiggling the shifter forward/back while cranking. Could be the NSS.

Love2Ride450 said:

Automatic? Try wiggling the shifter forward/back while cranking. Could be the NSS.

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Tried. I moved back and forth.

The key thing I think this has is the damned courtisey lights on.
I just can't find out what it is though. And to think I was about 3 weeks from selling the POS.

96Yeepster said:

Tried. I moved back and forth.

The key thing I think this has is the damned courtisey lights on.
I just can't find out what it is though. And to think I was about 3 weeks from selling the POS.

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Open all the doors one at a time and wiggle the door switch. If the light goes out or flickers, you found the light problem. The AFT ceiling light has a switch, try it in case the rear hatch switch is bad.
The light problem may be a separate problem.

Well got the battery tested today.
Tested good, but threw it on a charger anyway.
Put back in jeep, still no start.
Threw it in my truck, no start either. When I know that things runs just fine.

Very soon to be parting this piece of shit out.

96Yeepster said:

Very soon to be parting this piece of shit out.

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I have a 96 and I love it. I made some small improvements here and there and it is what I always wanted in a Jeep.
Try taking a wire directly from the battery to the solenoid, bypass everything.
If that doesn't work, it is the starter, if it starts then the problem is with switch, NSS etc.

falcon556 said:

I have a 96 and I love it. I made some small improvements here and there and it is what I always wanted in a Jeep.
Try taking a wire directly from the battery to the solenoid, bypass everything.
If that doesn't work, it is the starter, if it starts then the problem is with switch, NSS etc.

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If it were not for the previous owner and all the fucked up shit he did to it, I might not feel this way. But considering I have owned it for a little over a 14 months now and not even had it a week before I had to fix something. I have sunk so much into fixing his screw ups and non fixing of critical things, I am just tired of working on the damned thing.

I get it fixed, and put the interior back together. It is gone. If I do not find a CJ, or a good YJ I will never own another Jeep again.