# Jeep Starts on its Own **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 11, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606 "2014-10-11T19:33:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/41 "2014-10-13T04:22:37Z")
Here goes nothing @insightful I will try it! Though I’m beginning to think I may be not living in the real world. Earlier today I was fishing in my pond and tried to free a stuck lure (spoon with a treble hook). I covered up my face for safety and tugged that thing loose. It shot like a bullet and hit me directly in the one place no man wants to be hit (hooks first) So there I am yelling for my girlfriend to come tell me if I’m gonna pull through or not, taking off my belt and seeing blood, when I hear a gun shot from the neighboring property. My girlfriend and I hear a hisssss and a thunk as the bullet comes right past us and impacts the ground or something behind us. A truck on the neighbors place does a 360 and before we can get to the driveway that truck is gone down the road… So what I’m saying is maybe someone is trying to kill me and sabotaging my jeep. ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 4:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/42 "2014-10-13T04:57:26Z")
Ok @insightful I hooked up just the power finger tight and I also did the top mounting nut a bit looser than I have been and voila… no auto start when I touched the battery… I’m gonna try to hook up the ignition wire and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/43 "2014-10-13T05:03:04Z")
I’m not even going to touch the treble hook story. I have way too many nasty come backs for that one, and @cdaquila would be after me. But I do think you need to find a better neighborhood. Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/44 "2014-10-13T05:17:05Z")
@Yosemite I just need to get this jeep running so I can get to the hospital and get the hooks out!!! Just kidding they didn’t penetrate past the barb! OKAY GUYS WE GOT SOMETHING HERE I tightened up the power nut by hand as you suggested @insightful and voila–no auto start with battery hook up. I also didn’t wrench like mad on the top housing nut but I made sure the bottom housing nut was really snug. So I reinstalled the ignition switch and turn the key… vroom vroom screeeeech. There is a scraping noise. Maybe I need to tighten that top housing nut eh??? It is at a slight angle possibly interfering with the starter disengaging? ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/45 "2014-10-13T05:29:25Z")
Yes, so back off the bottom housing nut, then snug both housing nuts down, alternating back and forth so they’re tightened down evenly. Better to under-tighten at this point (one hand on the wrench). Then check all nuts in a few days for snugness. The torque spec for the mounting bolts is 33 ft-lb. ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/46 "2014-10-13T05:44:14Z")
I did that and it started up and sounds fine… I am paranoid that the starter isn’t disengaging but I guess that would be really obvious right? The screech went away ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/47 "2014-10-13T05:53:01Z")
Yes both of those mounting bolts should be evenly tightened like @insightful said. It was the nut on the starter where the positive cable connects to that I was concerned with. You would hear the starter whining while the engine is running or you would hear grinding if the gear was not disengaging. I just had trouble with a starter screeching like that. I pulled it back out three times and just couldn’t get the inspection plate lined up right. On the fourth install I got it straight, but still don’t know why it made so much noise. Starter came out and back in smooth!!! Glad to hear you are back to running right. Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/48 "2014-10-13T05:55:14Z")
Get a long enough screwdriver or rod that you can put one end against the starter and the other end pressed against an ear. Have someone start the truck while you listen to the starter. You should hear it CLACK as it engages the flywheel gear and another CLACK as it retracts after starting with no whirring sounds afterward. (I kinda made all this up; I’ve never done it myself, but it seems reasonable.) ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 6:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/49 "2014-10-13T06:24:49Z")
Hahaha Thanks @insightful I just had my girlfriend lean down there while I started and it sounded all good so I drove her out of the garage. Thanks so much for your help I was going crazy! I can’t believe the fix was so simple. I still think something sounds a little off but I think it’s just my paranoia!! Thanks so much @Yosemite‌ @insightful‌ and @"Rod Knox"‌ Now I can go to the store for some antibiotic ointment, an athletic cup, and an assault rifle. ---
**Author:** ![Yosemite](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/yosemite/32/643_2.png) [@Yosemite](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Yosemite)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/50 "2014-10-13T06:58:57Z")
_I just had my girlfriend lean down there while I started_ With all the problems you’ve had today…with your luck, her hair would have gotten caught in the fan and then you’d need a steak for that black eye too. Duck and Cover!!! Yosemite ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 8:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/51 "2014-10-13T08:21:53Z")
You must have over tightened the main battery connection lead on the solenoid and that somehow caused the stud bolt to make connection to the ignition lead contact internally. That would send the battery power to the solenoid and turn on the starter action. Just the same as the ignition switch would do when turned to START. ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/52 "2014-10-13T19:11:59Z")
So this morning the starter won’t disengage. There is some oil build up on the mounting plate. Am I getting a bad ground? Pulled the starter to have it tested again after work ---
**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/53 "2014-10-13T19:22:04Z")
I know that I have seen bad ignition switches on a number of Cherokees, including mine ---
**Author:** ![wesw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wesw/32/2713_2.png) [@wesw](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wesw)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/54 "2014-10-13T19:22:58Z")
just out of curiosity, try starting it without the key… ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/55 "2014-10-13T19:39:40Z")
Well I’m at work right now but I tried turning the ignition without the key in yesterday and it locks up good? ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/56 "2014-10-14T03:14:22Z")
Okay I tried a new relay – No dice.I have a new ignition switch. I guess I can throw that in there and see what happens?! ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/57 "2014-10-14T03:38:43Z")
@insightful‌ @Yosemite‌ @"Rod Knox"‌ Any ideas on the starter not disengaging now? Relay seems to not be the issue so I am guessing ignition switch? ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/58 "2014-10-14T03:46:56Z")
Deleted. ---
**Author:** ![Leprechaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@Leprechaun](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Leprechaun)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/59 "2014-10-14T03:51:11Z")
whoops disengaging ! ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/60 "2014-10-14T04:04:33Z")
So to be clear, this morning your truck started OK but you could hear that the starter had not disengaged, so you turned the key to OFF and the starter kept cranking. Right? [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606.md?page=2) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606.md?page=4)