2001 TJ Wont Start

[alexu7890]

Ok so i bought this Jeep about 6 months ago, it's a 2001 Tj with 98k miles on it, and as soon as i got it home the battery died on me so i replaced it and the alternator as well. The starter looks like crap but since it never gave me any issues i never replaced it. About a week ago i got home and when i went back to turn it on it, wouldn't turn over. The dash wouldn't light up and when i take the key out the gauges go crazy for about 5 seconds and then stop. Once in a while (maybe once every 20 tries) the lights on the dash will come on and when i try to start it, it clicks once but then goes back to being completely dead. It wont give me any lights on the dash , no emergency lights nor any headlights. I took the battery to get it tested and they said it was at 100% I also checked around for any loose or faulty grounds and checked the fuse box. Any suggestions on what i should be looking into? I was going to try the starter but i find it weird that the whole car just goes blank like that. Anyways thanks for any suggestions, i'll try anything at this point.

 

[JPNinPA]

First clean your connections at the battery. Inspect wiring for corrosion and clean the opposite ends of the wires. By clean I mean to lightly sand to a shine.

Use a multimeter to check for voltage at a few points. Across the battery. At the starter, at the solenoid key on and at th ignition. Check fuses. There are two fuse boxes. One behind the glove box and one under the hood near the battery.
There isa common issue with the dash connection coming loose behind he dash causing blinking lights.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Ok so i bought this Jeep about 6 months ago, it's a 2001 Tj with 98k miles on it, and as soon as i got it home the battery died on me so i replaced it and the alternator as well. The starter looks like crap but since it never gave me any issues i never replaced it. About a week ago i got home and when i went back to turn it on it, wouldn't turn over. The dash wouldn't light up and when i take the key out the gauges go crazy for about 5 seconds and then stop. Once in a while (maybe once every 20 tries) the lights on the dash will come on and when i try to start it, it clicks once but then goes back to being completely dead. It wont give me any lights on the dash , no emergency lights nor any headlights. I took the battery to get it tested and they said it was at 100% I also checked around for any loose or faulty grounds and checked the fuse box. Any suggestions on what i should be looking into? I was going to try the starter but i find it weird that the whole car just goes blank like that. Anyways thanks for any suggestions, i'll try anything at this point.

Hey ALEXU7890 , read your post and the reply from a good brother whom I feel has given the best plan to start more diagnostics with . Certainly before throwing parts at your jeep and putting out cash , you definitely want to be sure of what is good and what is bad as you are most aware . It is the right step to ask advise to proceed in the right direction as you are since we are sure members will most certainly have possibly dealt with similar faults on their own vehicles possibly before and having a solution found . I agree that starting with clean and tight connections is the right start to eliminate those possibilities and hopefully that is all that is wrong . You mentioned your concern regarding the condition of the starter . If positive results are not achieved with simple maintenance , you may have to pull the starter and get it bench tested . But depending on how power is distributed on this vehicle , it will first be necessary to get out the multimeter as mentioned to find out starting from the B+ terminal through the cables and junctions to power distribution throughout the vehicle to determine continuity . Absolutely check the recommendation previously posted ( loose connection behind dash ) along with all you can find . A wiring schematics will certainly be helpful if one can be obtained as is well known wiring can be daunting being routed to many places in vehicles and most especially the PCM , which is of greatest concern . Hopefully you already own a computer safe test light as you will want to tread lightly to avoid over stressing a circuit that may very likely be routed through the PCM . By your description of the fault , it does sound like a loose connection as you are receiving intermittent power when turning on the ignition . Hopefully , after exhausting all means at your disposal to check for power distribution that the fault is found and remedied . Finding where current is and where it is not as you've been trying is the right start . That will narrow down what circuit is live and and what isn't if that is the case . Me not knowing your vehicle personally , I could only ask is power to starter and PDC together as I would imagine most are ? If all connection are fond to be clean and tight and all accessories ( lights , horn , wipers , defrosters , etc. ) are now working , great ! Hopefully your starter and any other hard parts are ok as well . Inexpensive fixes are my favorite .
Best of luck , we know you can do it . Hope to hear positive results soonest . My best , Greg92jeepxj .