04 Rubicon Won't Start

TRexNextDoor

New Member
Original poster
Joined
Jun 28, 2023
Messages
4
Location
Wichita, KS
Hey all

I drive a 2004 Rubicon with a rebuilt engine. I bought it with 98,000 mikes on it. I'm going to give a lot of detail on this, so sorry for the long post but I could really use some help.

When I first bought the Jeep about a year ago, it was slow to start so I assumed the starter was going out, but never really had any issues. When it got cold out, things got weird. It would start up just fine on a cold start, but if I drive it, shut it off then tried to start it soon after, it would either die immediately or just crank and crank and not start. It would take about a solid three minutes of trying to get it started, but it would always start after that.

Now about 8 weeks ago, I was stopped in a parking lot and it died (it doesn't like to idle in the heat, but I think that's a whole different problem). I just let it stay turned off, but then when I was ready to start it, I turned the key and nothing. Just a solenoid click. I removed the starter and took it to be tested, they said it was bad, so I put a new one in. In the time it took me to put the new one in, someone tried to steal it and completely messed up the ignition cylinder, so I had to replace that. It started twice while sitting on a trailer, then nothing, just the same single click. I came back to it the next day and switched the starter relay with a different relay and it starter for about two weeks. It was still slow to start like when I first bought it, I had assumed a new starter would start it up right away, but whatever, it started, I didn't worry. A few weeks later, I go outside and try and start it and it gives me the click and nothing else. I replace the starter relay with a brand new one, check all the fuses which looks fine, replace the ignition switch, replace the ignition actuator pin, and check the battery voltage and the voltage from the starter (both at 12v) and nothing. I take out the new starter, get it tested, it passes. I have no idea what to check next. Any help would be so appreciated.
 
12v isn’t enough. Sounds like your alternator is going tits up. Or your battery.
It's at 12.49
Screenshot_20230821-111834~2.png
 
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Reactions: CreepinDeth
^ that is correct

Sorry OP, if u have a parasitic draw suckin the battery dry it would make sense. Outside of that, not sure why its “clickin”

Are you the original owner??
Does it have an alarm or aftermarket start system??
 
^ that is correct

Sorry OP, if u have a parasitic draw suckin the battery dry it would make sense. Outside of that, not sure why its “clickin”

Are you the original owner??
Does it have an alarm or aftermarket start system??

No alarm, no aftermarket start. Even with a battery charger on the battery overnight, same thing. Not a battery problem. The battery is exactly where it has been the whole time I've owned it.
 
Clean your terminals on both the battery, and the cables. Then check and clean your chassis grounds. Make sure the battery cables are on tight after cleaning.
 
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Ok. You all have every right to call me Alabaman and even worse than that. After weeks of the Jeep sitting in my driveway not starting, I just went to take out the battery to bring it in to charge and found that a hot wire coming from the ignition had come off of the hot terminal on my battery. It starts now.
 
Ok. You all have every right to call me Alabaman and even worse than that. After weeks of the Jeep sitting in my driveway not starting, I just went to take out the battery to bring it in to charge and found that a hot wire coming from the ignition had come off of the hot terminal on my battery. It starts now.

glad you got it fixed