2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee won't start (or start to turnover)...

[richdemarco]

Hello,

I have a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and have had an intermittent issue with the car not starting. When I turn the key the car is silent, save for a 2 second faint squeak. My radio and lights work fine.

I first encountered this during the Summer of 2010, while at work, the Jeep wouldn't start. I had it towed, and when it reached the garage it started just fine.

I chalked it up to a one-time incident, until it happened again during the fall. I had it towed again, with the same result, with the garage having NO IDEA what the issue was. They offered to keep the car and test it out daily until it wouldn't start and then they would know what it was. They finally called after a few weeks and said they found the issue and gave be a new starter.

This worked fine for about 9 months, until the issue happened again in July of 2011. This time I took the Jeep to a registered Jeep dealer which said it was a somewhat "common" issue and it is a starter, and not the battery, since the radio and lights all worked.

I got the issue AGAIN in November, and took it back to Jeep, which put in another new starter since the previous one was under warranty. They had no idea what the issue was, and said it ALWAYS is the starter.

This issue has caused me to lose confidence in my Jeep. Does anyone on this board have any insight they can provide for this problem where the Jeep Grand Cherokee won't start, and is silent with a faint squeak????

Thank you so much!

-Rich DeMarco

 

[jimbob2001]

Is. The Faint Squeak --- Maybe a Clicking NOISE? And Rich--- When they said it ----- IS ALWAYS THE STARTER !! THEY WERE. WRONG. It is NOT. ALWAYS the Starter! You have put a COUPLE of Starters in this JEEP -- and the Problem is still there! There are several Components in the Start Sequence! WHAT ENGINE do you have?? Some ITEMS to consider: 1. Battery (test capacity) 2. Battery Cables (clean and tight) 3. Ignition Switch 4. Starter Relay (in PDC) 5. ALL wiring in GOOD Condition? A Voltmeter can be Handy to check-out this Problem. Do you GET the 12VDC signal to the -- Starter Solenoid --- WHEN it won't start?? Key question. --- JB

 

[ubee]

Rich,
I have a 92 cherokee laredo that is giving me the same problem. I solved a similar problem 4 years ago by simply cleaning the neutral safety switch. They are cleanable. However, a few months ago the bolts that hold the flywheel and the torque converter fell out, I had that repaired and ever since i have had a problem that is identical to yours. I have replaced the neutral safety switch with a new one and hav einstalled 2 new starter. My problem, like yours, is intermittent. It wouldn't start last night and the starter has only been in the car since last saturday ( 3 days ) in a last ditch effort I tried moving the manual 4 wheel drive selector handle and BINGO it started. Go figure. I'm hoping the problem will show up again so I can test that once more. If anyone can help us please feel free to jump in.

 

[1ATony]

Rich, for the heck of it clean the battery terminals. The posts and also the cable ends with a wire brush. Then use some of the diolectric grease on them so they don't corrode.

I have a 97 Grand and an 04 Grand, and especially on the 04 if the battery connections aren't squeaky clean it will cause a hard start issue.

I also had a situation before where I was driving down the road and all of the guages would cut out, and them come back on. It was weird, cleaned up the battery posts (even though they looked ok) and bam! never happened again.

Hope this helps yah out. Us Jeep guys gutta stick together, that's why we wave...lol

Tony

 

[jasonmolinar]

Hello,

I have a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and have had an intermittent issue with the car not starting. When I turn the key the car is silent, save for a 2 second faint squeak. My radio and lights work fine.

I first encountered this during the Summer of 2010, while at work, the Jeep wouldn't start. I had it towed, and when it reached the garage it started just fine.

I chalked it up to a one-time incident, until it happened again during the fall. I had it towed again, with the same result, with the garage having NO IDEA what the issue was. They offered to keep the car and test it out daily until it wouldn't start and then they would know what it was. They finally called after a few weeks and said they found the issue and gave be a new starter.

This worked fine for about 9 months, until the issue happened again in July of 2011. This time I took the Jeep to a registered Jeep dealer which said it was a somewhat "common" issue and it is a starter, and not the battery, since the radio and lights all worked.

I got the issue AGAIN in November, and took it back to Jeep, which put in another new starter since the previous one was under warranty. They had no idea what the issue was, and said it ALWAYS is the starter.

This issue has caused me to lose confidence in my Jeep. Does anyone on this board have any insight they can provide for this problem where the Jeep Grand Cherokee won't start, and is silent with a faint squeak????

Thank you so much!

-Rich DeMarco

i had this same problem once, but mine was with a 02 tj.. i was stuck in a target parking lot for hours trying to figure it out and eventually i just figured i would try putting it in neutral to see if it would start like that and it did.. so whenever it wouldn't start in park i would put it in neutral and it would start right up

 

[ldasr]

Most of the time the problem comes from the Neutral Safety Switch. They can be taken apart and cleaned. There are 2 copper contacts that are spring loaded and if there is to much gunk the springs won,t push the contacts out. The other thing is that this switch is adjustable and this can be tricky. You might try turning the key switch to start with your left hand and move the shift lever with your right hand. If by doing this there is any clicking or an atempt to start then the Neutral Switch is the problem.

 

[EricRRoberts]

i had this same problem once, but mine was with a 02 tj.. i was stuck in a target parking lot for hours trying to figure it out and eventually i just figured i would try putting it in neutral to see if it would start like that and it did.. so whenever it wouldn't start in park i would put it in neutral and it would start right up

That sounds like a problem with the neutral safety switch...more thanikely it just needs to be cleaned
.

 

[EricRRoberts]

I have a similar issue, but it's not the neutral satey switch. When I turn the key on, light come on but the engine does nothing. If I jump the 2 vertical terminals of the starter relay...it starts right up. I replaced the starter relay, but that did not fix the problem. Any ideas?

 

[JPNinPA]

Is your key easy to turn? Does it go through all the clicks as you turn or only none or one? If so your bar pin in the ignition broke. Easy 20 min repair.


Regards,
JPNinPA

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