Rubicon automatic starts in gear? 2003, no wait 2004. Can I change my answer to 2005-06? Awww fuck it, I've lost interest in this stupid guessing game.
About to Bypass Neutral Safety Switch
- Thread starter JHouseJeep
- Start date
Lostrader7
New Member
2000 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 .... So I went down to the NSS today and cut the wires off of it. I spliced them together and now my jeep starts up without my alt switch assistance.
Do you have an automatic, that's what he was talking about (Rubicon automatic)?
Old_Crow
TJ Enthusiast
Over my lifetime I've had 9 "classic" pickups. All but one of those had manual transmissions and all of them would start without pushing the clutch...from the factory. I installed the fuse in my TJ so it will start without the clutch. Second nature to me at this point.
I don't know what an alternator switch is or why you needed to bypass the trans NSS.
Why?
I've had any number of manual transmission vehicles in my time, the TJ is only the 3rd one with a clutch switch. Kinda dumb if you ask me. We had an '05 Matrix with one, and our '87 F-250 diesel had one that I bypassed. And now the TJ. Americans and their interlocks - yet for decades American vehicles didn't have a starter interlock to prevent keying the starter when the engine was running while everybody else did. The ONE interlock that actually makes "some" sense. Oh - and no locking gas flaps on American vehicles either. *shrug*
I recently had to move a guest's "keyless" car for her. Must have taken me 5 minutes to get it started - all because you have to step on the brake to start the car! WTF? Damn automatic transmission is in "park", yet I have to step on the brake? What's up with that?
I promise you there was a message on the instrument panel some place that said to step on the brake before starting. Not their fault you can't read.
Lostrader7
New Member
I did a trans swap of an AW-4 into an 05 which has a more convoluted NSS circuit than typical. I asked the owner if he wanted it hooked up since it was a lot harder to do and he said it was fine without it.
After we got done, I pulled it into the driveway a few feet from another rig I was working on to do some other bits. I hopped my ass in the seat with my legs out the door and needed to check the starter circuit for some reason. I forgot the NSS was disabled and didn't check to see if it was in gear, it was and upon starting it hopped forward and almost hit the rig in front of it before I could get my legs in and stop the ratcheting against the parking pawl from me slamming it into park to try and stop it as I was getting my foot in and on the brake. After I got it backed up, we built the NSS circuit and got it working properly.
And before you blame that on anything but good common sense, I learned to drive in a 1960 GMC pick-up with 3 on the tree so I was used to stuff starting in gear, just not autos.
Old_Crow
TJ Enthusiast
Yeah, I wouldn't do it on an automatic trans either.
I was working in a 4x4 shop in Flagstaff many years ago. Had a raggedy old Chevy square body in for a tune up. Jumped in to fire it up, pushed in the clutch pedal (rubber pad missing from pedal), and just about the time I got my hand on the shifter, my greasy boot slipped off the bare metal of the clutch pedal. Truck lurched forward into the shop rollup door. Caved in the bottom panel and broke all the glass out of the door. My boss was not happy. At least there was only the one row of windows and not the whole door full.
Yea - you kinda expect an auto to not start in gear, I can see how that would happen! I learned on a '63 GMC with the SM-420 4 speed, then graduated to a '71 MBZ 220D. The GMC was the easiest to clutch for a beginner by far.
Old_Crow
TJ Enthusiast
'62 or '63 VW Beetle for me. Little 1 lane country road in the hills of Cotati, CA. Yes, I was all of 12.
I'm in favor of NSS & the manual equivalent...had a shop hand wreck our brand new car (back in the 80's) when he no-clutch started a car and it lurched into our brand new Plymouth minivan (with fake wood on the side). To this day, the only time I've heard my dad curse. Seems like there is only upside to having it enabled. I don't recall a situation where not having it would have helped, other than the odd case where the switch has gone bad and prevents it from starting.
It sure seems like the problems it causes are far outweighed by the effort put forth here to rally against it.
It sure seems like the problems it causes are far outweighed by the effort put forth here to rally against it.
To be clear, the same fucks also think fool injection is stupid.
My 2019 manual truck has a clutch start switch. Not a surprise, but what is nice is there is a factory bypass switch on the dash that will one-time-use disable the clutch start requirement if you need to. Kind of a best of both worlds solution to me. I prefer to have the switch to idiot proof others that might drive my truck, such as a dealer worker for a warranty issue, or an inspection station worker or whatever else. I do my own work so not usually a problem but sometimes it just ends up with someone else behind the wheel and in 2022, I want a manual idiot-proofed. The bypass is what makes it livable though.
On an automatic I 100% would want the NSS working. There is no reason to delete the switch, it causes no real hassle and can only save you from trouble at the very least.
Ain’t got a hair on your ass if you aren’t outside adjusting the carb every time temps drop 20°.
Old_Crow
TJ Enthusiast
I've got lots of hair on my ass, but it's old and grey and doesn't take well to being exposed to 20-degree temps anymore.
Hah, don't worry, I wasn't serious. I have zero desire to mess with a carb again and I haven't had to mess with them much myself in general. From the small amount I have, I don't ever want to again.I've got lots of hair on my ass, but it's old and grey and doesn't take well to being exposed to 20-degree temps anymore.
I will share a carburetor meme that I enjoy though.
I've been leaning this way as well. I don't like the switch at all - BUT - in this day and age of idiots, I don't want to get sued because some moron doesn't know to push the clutch in OR make sure the vehicle is in neutral. I'm thinking about adding a PBNO on the dash wired across the clutch switch. Then I can crank without depressing clutch if I want to.