# 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:** 4
**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 14, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/61 "2014-10-14T04:09:53Z")
He needs a witch doctor!!! Yosemite ---
**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, 4:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/62 "2014-10-14T04:14:42Z")
@insightful No, when I turn the key off the engine and starter stop. Before it ran as soon as the battery was connected. Now I have to start the jeep but then it keeps running until I turn it off… ---
**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, 4:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/63 "2014-10-14T04:29:40Z")
Whew, at least this is a different problem. Yeah, throw in that new ignition switch and we’ll go from there. ---
**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, 4:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/64 "2014-10-14T04:36:09Z")
@insightful‌ Aye aye cap’n. Isn’t this fun. Thanks for all the help. I am learning I think. ---
**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 14, 2014, 4:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/65 "2014-10-14T04:42:39Z")
im no expert, but if its not the ignition switch , you must have a short somewhere I think ---
**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 14, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/66 "2014-10-14T04:43:14Z")
i have heard of getting bad starters from parts stores too ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/67 "2014-10-14T05:29:31Z")
I recall diagnosing and repairing a great many Jeep Cherokees replacing ignition switches, starter relays, neutral switches and starters but all were due to failure to start. Ain’t this a helluvanote. ---
**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, 6:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/68 "2014-10-14T06:29:27Z")
@insightful‌ @Yosemite‌ @"Rod Knox"‌ Well I have a brand new ignition switch… And a screeching scraping starter still! ---
**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, 6:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/69 "2014-10-14T06:42:16Z")
Yosemite said: “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.” That’s all I know to tell you, just take it loose and reinstall it, tightening the mounting bolts in different ways (say, top first or bottom first). Other people have reported needing trial and error to get a starter in straight. ---
**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, 6:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/70 "2014-10-14T06:59:40Z")
@insightful‌ okay thanks I’ll keep giving it a shot… I’m about to go crazy… I wonder if I could attach just the power cable and jump the solenoid terminal in order to get the jeep to town where a friend or a mechanic could help me? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/71 "2014-10-14T07:07:49Z")
Reach though the window, start the engine then step over to the relay box and remove the starter relay. If the starter stops recheck the relay inputs with a test light. ---
**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, 7:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/72 "2014-10-14T07:14:59Z")
“I wonder if I could attach just the power cable and jump the solenoid terminal in order to get the jeep to town where a friend or a mechanic could help me?” Yes you could. But this wouldn’t solve a misaligned starter. It would be a good test, though, just to see if it makes a difference. ---
**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, 7:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/73 "2014-10-14T07:32:51Z")
@Nevada\_545‌ Ok I did that. Removed relay. 0 Effect starter kept rolling. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/74 "2014-10-14T07:40:57Z")
Then it doesn’t seem to be an electrical problem. The starter is hanging up, inspect if it is installed correctly. ---
**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, 7:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/75 "2014-10-14T07:46:13Z")
@Nevada\_545‌ it appears to be?! What Am I missing? 2 mounting bolts… ---
**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, 7:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/76 "2014-10-14T07:46:54Z")
The starter housing is snug against the body… I will loosen and reposition ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/77 "2014-10-14T07:55:41Z")
On page 5 it was mentioned that the starter wasn’t tight on the top and on an angle. Is the nose cone on the starter broke? ---
**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, 8:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/78 "2014-10-14T08:13:19Z")
@Nevada\_545‌ No I have installed and reinstalled this thing so many different times and everytime I guess it’s a little different but I just try to go one bolt at a time getting it snug but not too tight. I had the starter out this afternoon it looks fine ---
**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, 8:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/79 "2014-10-14T08:18:04Z")
Just make sure you’re not over-tightening the heavy power cable to the solenoid…finger tight, then a light snugging with the wrench. ---
**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, 8:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606/80 "2014-10-14T08:26:42Z")
@insightful It’s still making an awful noise. I’m really close to having this thing towed tomorrow but I know it will cost me a ton of money… [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606.md?page=3) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/jeep-starts-on-its-own/87606.md?page=5)