Three months out of warranty with only 27K miles on it and a $40K vehicle sits in my garage collecting dust. And I still owe two more years payments on it.
Battery was replaced. Banging on the starter doesn't work. Turn the key and "click". That's all, just one click. Online research says Jeeps have buggy electrical systems. When I bought the thing I was working making decent money. Forced into retirement I get about half as much from my pension. Money is tight, really tight. "You're a ->-bleeped-<-! What did you expect?"
The other day Julie and I hopped on bikes and rode about a mile to Target, the closest place we could buy food. Yesterday we biked to the gas station to get gas for the mower and some ice. And you know what? I'm beginning to like this! Something about that big hunk of metal left me feeling not part of living. But on a bike you're right there, experiencing everything.
Today I was checking out online bicycle trailers. Julie was considering biking 12 miles each way to pick up her contacts!
If the area I lived in was more cyclist friendly, I'd buy the trailer and sell the Jeep! Imagine the savings!
Sounds like the starter solenoid. There also might be a relay.
But as long as the weather is nice, biking is great exercise. ;D
When my car doesn't start, I hit the steering wheel. Seems to work. xD
Biking is awesome! I wish I could bike here, but it's not very friendly with cyclists.
I suspect the starter solenoid also...But first check the battery cables to see if they are connected properly and if there is any corrosion... If you have a screwdriver with an insulated (plastic) handle you can bridge across the solenoid connections with the screwdriver (yes, it will spark when you bridge the connections) and the car should start... If the solenoid doesn't even spark when you bridge the connections then you prob. need new cables
If you should try this make sure your hair is tied up and away from any moving parts, the car is in park or neutral, the parking break is on and the key is in the on position
I love biking and ride my bike nearly everywhere (too many jobs that required way too much driving)
my thoughts are either glitched security system (not recognizing the rfid key) or bad ground (mazda 3 has that bug/feature where if the engine doesn't have proper connection it won't start).
Batteries need checking often in the heat. Even new batteries sometimes do not have enough water. Then there is only using it for short trips with the air on. Check the belt for it could be slipping.
Charge the battery and see if it starts. Check for corrosion on the battery terminals and where it bolts to to engine. Be careful about leaving doors ajar or lights on such as the trunk light it might need switch adjustment. Many things could be on when you park. Check that everything is off.
I learned after Hurricane Katrina that a bicycle is quite fine. Used it for 12 miles to the office until the roads were cleared. Piece of cake.
Sounds like the starter solenoid, or the relay operating it. If the battery is fully charged putting a screwdriver across the contacts will prove that.
Either way you are going to need a mechanic unless you can do it yourself :(
(If you have the knowledge and a workshop manual it should be an easy fix)
JM is implying that it's a pretty new car, and the new cars are not made for shade tree mechanics at all. It's like they intentionally made it almost impossible for people to work on their own cars anymore.
There are, as many people have observed a whole bunch of possible causes for this, but from experience I would say check out the simplest options first - and the simplest option is that the battery, whilst holding enough charge to run car electrics simply cannot deliver the 400 Amps plus that is demanded by the starter. So options are 1. Try Jump starting it from another vehicle or 2. if it is a stick shift (as most UK cars are) you can try bumping it! On my Toyota the battery frequently dies because I have a nasty habit of leaving the interior lamp on.
Other possibilities include faulty earthing as suggested, or sometimes if your starter is of the non pre-engaged type a sticky bendix gear - in which case again the solution is either for an auto to give the starter a sharp rap - or if it is a stick shift place the car in reverse and rock it FORWARD which will dislodge the gear.
Finally and most expensively the motor or solenoid or indeed the security or engine management may be out - but in my experience this is usually not the case. 90% of the time the solution will be found in one of the simpler solutions.
As you can gather the engineer in me is still very much alive and well even after 30 years on estrogen. I am happy to report that in 90% of cases I can usually fix my own and/or my neighbours cars. The computerised systems do make things different, but it is possible even as a hobbyist to get the diagnostic rigs and harnesses at affordable prices - then having done so a lot of problems can be fixed using a laptop and the appropriate downloads. I remapped (chipped) my diesel using this technique and the resultant performance increase has saved me a fortune in fuel.
In terms of cycling and being a non car household I agree - we are now, for reasons of cost, trying to cut down our usage too, and we have not one but two cars rusting in the garage.
Good luck anyway. I'm pretty sure you will find that the fault is actually quite simple when you get a chance to really look into it.
My first car, which I kept going for almost 10 years with a bit of fiddling here and tinkering there was one of those basic jobs. The only electronics was the radio.
I recall replacing the thermostat. Unbolted a cap, took the old one out, put a new one in and bolted the cap back down.
My current car, with more electronics than Apollo 11 wouldn't start one morning. Garage said it was a faulty thermostat. They had to drain down the engine, put a new one in and then reset the entire vehicle management computer. Took a morning and cost a bomb.
That's progress.
The one plus is that I really didn't like tinkering with engines. I did it because I couldn't afford to have anyone else do it.
Now, I have absolutely no idea what anything is. I couldn't afford the computers even if I could figure out what they do.
Pay somone else. Problem solved.
Quote from: tekla on August 08, 2010, 08:36:18 AM
JM is implying that it's a pretty new car, and the new cars are not made for shade tree mechanics at all. It's like they intentionally made it almost impossible for people to work on their own cars anymore.
Yeah, it's an '07 GC with the HEMI engine (taking up more space) and yes, it's not going to be easy. I've replaced the battery - easy - but that didn't work. Next obvious thing is to check the starter, solenoid and cables but you can barely even see the starter let alone access it. The cable connections to it are inaccessible unless you remove the starter. Here's what I found online for removing the starter: * Disconnect battery ground cable.
* Raise and support vehicle.
* On models with 4WD remove front drive shaft.
* Remove support brackets bolts at transmission. Pry support bracket slightly to gain access to lower starter mounting bolts.
* On all models, remove starter mounting bolts.
* Move starter motor towards front of vehicle far enough for nose of starter pinion housing to clear housing.
* Do not let starter motor hang from wires.
* Tilt nose downwards and lower starter motor far enough to access ...
Yes, you have to remove the front drive shaft to get at the starter. Nice engineering! I've been spoiled. I haven't had any problems with any vehicles I've owned for over 20 years, outside of normal wear and tear. I have been lulled into complacency thinking US autos are better made and all you need is to do scheduled maintenance. I'm now having a flashback to the 70's when US cars were junk.
I'm no stranger to working on cars. I replaced the entire front end of a '72 Mach I but that was a different beast than this. Open the hood and you could actually see the ground underneath. Not so with the GC. I placed a work light underneath and you couldn't see it from above.
Tomorrow the thing goes back up on the jacks and I'll see what's involved in removing the front drive shaft. I've had bigger challenges and I have the tools so I'm hoping to save a few bucks. But first thing tomorrow I'm going to say a prayer to the Jeep Gods so they will lift this curse. I'll do that by calling customer service and pointing out that while I'm three months past the basic warranty, I'm 8K miles below it. Maybe they will do the right thing and pay for it.
Is the gear shift in park? There is an interlock switch, if the shift lever is not completely in park it might not start.
Post Merge: August 08, 2010, 07:59:39 PM
QuoteMaybe they will do the right thing and pay for it.
Fat chance unless they had a recall or many problems of the same type.
Quote from: lisagurl on August 08, 2010, 07:57:54 PM
Is the gear shift in park? There is an interlock switch, if the shift lever is not completely in park it might not start.
the interlock was a response to the rigged audi accelerating from park, it doesn't affect ability to start the car, from park or neutral, just changing gears.
What if Audi and Toyota got together on a project car? A vehicle with no brakes that would suddenly accelerate? :laugh:... :P