When attempting to start my vehicle it does nothing?

Tiny
GROSS, DANNY
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO
  • 4.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 131,968 MILES
The vehicle listed above is a Cherokee. The battery is fully charged, I've had the starter tested and it is good. My problem is it won't do anything when I try to start it. The dash lights come on when I turn the key on, and it makes a dinging sound. Also, my windows have stopped working.
Monday, August 22nd, 2022 AT 5:01 AM

9 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,404 POSTS
The first thing we need to do is check the fuse #10 in the under-hood fuse panel and fuse #19 in the interior fuse panel. This guide will help and if they check out there is a starter relay, I would swap out in the under-hood fuse panel as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

Here are the wiring diagrams for the starter system so you can see how it works. Let me know what you find please.
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Monday, August 22nd, 2022 AT 3:20 PM
Tiny
GROSS, DANNY
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
My inside fuse panel is behind the kick panel on the passenger side. There is also relays located above it.
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Thursday, August 25th, 2022 AT 2:36 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,404 POSTS
Yep, sorry I must have the wrong year. Here is the fuse panel and location.
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Friday, August 26th, 2022 AT 12:06 PM
Tiny
GROSS, DANNY
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thanks, the only fuse I have for the starter checks fine when I tested the ohms. I also swapped out the relay and still won't crank. I checked to see if there was voltage getting the start wire at the starter and there is. When my wife turned the key to start, I heard the starter drive kick out engaging the flywheel but nothing else happened and it only does that once but will do that again after a few seconds.
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Monday, August 29th, 2022 AT 11:21 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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  • 43,404 POSTS
Okay, this means the starter motor is no good or the engine is locked up, I would use a breaker bar on the front of the engine to see if it turns by hand and if so change out the starter motor. Here are the directions in the images below.
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Tuesday, August 30th, 2022 AT 12:03 PM
Tiny
GROSS, DANNY
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I have an 87 Jeep Cherokee that uses the same starter, so I swapped them out and does the same thing, I also turned the crank to make sure it wasn't locked up.
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Tuesday, August 30th, 2022 AT 5:40 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Okay, this just leaves the battery cables. I would do the positive one first.
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+1
Wednesday, August 31st, 2022 AT 12:01 PM
Tiny
GROSS, DANNY
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thank you very much. It was a battery cable.
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Wednesday, August 31st, 2022 AT 4:08 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,404 POSTS
Glad you could get it fixed, that kind of problem can be tough. Please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help.
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Friday, September 2nd, 2022 AT 9:17 AM

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