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First repair job on my XJ...the Neutral Safety Switch (NSS)

L

larsbc

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
After switching out my battery and starter, I finally realized my no-start problem was caused by a faulty NSS. Duh. Anyway, here's a write-up I did on the process:

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

I've included lots of large photos to help anyone who wants to do this themselves. It's an easy job. The only aggravating part was trying to get my pliers up in between the firewall and transmission to cut the zip ties. I've talked to some people who have disassembled and cleaned the NSS while it was hanging underneath the Jeep, so that's another option. Just make sure the spring-loaded contacts don't fall out.

...lars
 
Last edited:
Nice clean write-up. Great pics and explanations. If you can't do the job with this write-up...you'd be better off buying a new one. This will go in my saved tech articles to send out on this and other forums

Thanks
 
GREAT writeup!

I only have two nitpicks. One, your transmission or something is leaking more fluid than mine, which is why you can say the NSS slides "easily" off that shaft :spin1: I spent an hour prying and cursing before I finally managed to strip all the threads off that stupid thing with the nut, so I ended up buying a new one anyways. It was so badly seized that even prying the whole housing off resulted in it breaking into multiple pieces.

Two, those zipties are actually removable - if you decided to care enough to actually clean and reuse zipties. If you look carefully there is a release tab on the ratchet and you can press it down and pull the tie open.
 
larsbc said:
Thanks! I hope it'll help someone out because shooting the photos consumed about 1/3 of the time that I spent doing the job. ;-)

...lars
Click to expand...

haha, thats what happens to me when I document, too!

(I tend to take way too many pictures and really dumb it down, because i share with non-tech people on my blog, not just people who turn wrenches..)

i.e. "hey mom and sister, look at what i did to my jeep..."
 
Professional quality presentation!! Although that may be damning with faint praise considering some of the "professional" stuff we see.
 
Loved it, saved it for the future - & to show to my local American car specialist - who's tried adjusting mine, but says it makes no difference!

However the prob - at least for now, is just that the reversing lights don't come on 'til the Jeep starts to go move - maybe a foot - is that the NSS?
 
If you decide to get one from a junkyard,just watch the year of the donor car-'96 down is different than '97 and up. This is a later model:
100_1346.jpg


This is an earlier model plug:
100_1348.jpg

I made this adapter cable to put a 2001 NSS into my '92.
 
:yelclap: glad you got that working! Looks like you have one wire (ltgreen/black?) unused on the '01 harness-side connector, is that where the clutch safety switch for a manual would go or something else?
 
There's also an unused pin (or slot for a pin) on the <96 connector also. One thing to watch on '96 down models is the cable going back to the tranny, to the solenoids. It's got the same plug on it as the NSS, just a different color, and keyed a little differently. Of course, I tried to plug my new adapter into it, and I wondered why it didn't fit! Both connectors are on the cables that are ziptied together coming up the tranny tunnel.
Ken- I used the pinout you posted, worked like a charm!
 
My NSS was seized solid on the shaft. I had to grind it off! :smsoap:

So unfortunately I had to buy a new one, got it from Team Cherokee for $130 IIRC.

Great write-up, though.
 
Somebody on another similar thread had suggested loosening the 22mm nut on the split shaft, but leave it on a turn or two or three, then using the pan flange for leverage, gently pry on the nut. Using a brake spoon helps greatly. Should come straight off.
 
It's a great tip but all it did for me was shear off every thread on the @#%@%ing split shaft :smsoap:

Cast zinc and pot metal have no place on an automobile.
 
My grandfather, an electrician by trade, and a machinist and tool and dye maker by training used to call the stuff Monkey Metal!
As a side note, I had to go back to the JY to get the NSS that a week earlier donated its wiring harness to my 'conversion'. Seems that I was disassembling the piece I took out of my '92, in hopes of cleaning it to swap into my son's '95. I had it in a plastic bag, as had been suggested. No problem. But, the parts need to come out someday, to get cleaned. That's when I dropped the spring....into the trashcan...that was full of nasty stuff...like old oil filters...and dead bugs. I took one look, and thought to myself...nevermind. It was worth another seven bucks at the yard...
 
kastein said:
GREAT writeup!

I only have two nitpicks. One, your transmission or something is leaking more fluid than mine, which is why you can say the NSS slides "easily" off that shaft :spin1:
Click to expand...
Heh heh. Thanks, you're making me feel good about my leak!

Two, those zipties are actually removable - if you decided to care enough to actually clean and reuse zipties. If you look carefully there is a release tab on the ratchet and you can press it down and pull the tie open.
Click to expand...
You're right. I did manage to undo one of them when I could shove the side cutters in far enough.

...lars
 
Nice Write up. A little PB on the shaft helps it slide easily(thats what she said)! :D
 
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