[chef_423]

1999 Camry 2.2L LE

I replaced the Neutral Safety switch just now, car still wont ignite with key in START position and me running thru the gears. Now what?

Ignition had been replaced before, could that be the issue? How do I diagnose this? I'm decently exp with cars but electrical is not my thing.

Car has been dead for 5 days, any help would be greatly appreciated.

The car not turning over just started happening about 7 weeks ago. I ran it thru the gears with the key engaged every time (about 3-5 times total) and the car would start. Now, running thru the gears triggers nothing with the key engaged. I was told the NSS would def fix, no such luck. Brand new battery, etc...

:frown:

Thanks in advance.

Chris

 

[slavie]

You need to diagnose the problem.

Check fuses.
Check whether you get power to the starter relay.
Check whether the starter will crank if you give it power. Starters on these cars like to get dirty and lose connection, causing no crank.
Do you hear starter relay click, or nothing at all?

 

[chef_423]

You need to diagnose the problem.

Check fuses. Checked
Check whether you get power to the starter relay. How? with volt meter?
Check whether the starter will crank if you give it power. Starters on these cars like to get dirty and lose connection, causing no crank. But how does me getting the car to start by shift the gears with the key engaged cause that connection to happen?
Do you hear starter relay click, or nothing at all? Nope, nothing at all. Plenty of juice, battery is new, checked and rechecked, plus car started, easily, 5 days ago.

Answers above. Not sure how me moving the gear shiftier from P to 1 and back to P, thus starting the car, points to the starter.

Thanks for the response.

 

[mcgowaw]

is the nss a new one or a junk yard pull?
as slavie sez, start diagnosing where your problem is. get out your vom and check the battery for voltage, then see if you got voltage at the starter solenoid. somewhere from the battery (assuming you got 12v), the voltage will stop reading before the solenoid. a wiring diagram from either the haynes or fsm would help too.
2 of the 4 things i recommend for diy'ers. the other 2 are obd2 reader and owners' manual.
tony

 

[chef_423]

is the nss a new one or a junk yard pull?
as slavie sez, start diagnosing where your problem is. get out your vom and check the battery for voltage, then see if you got voltage at the starter solenoid. somewhere from the battery (assuming you got 12v), the voltage will stop reading before the solenoid. a wiring diagram from either the haynes or fsm would help too.
2 of the 4 things i recommend for diy'ers. the other 2 are obd2 reader and owners' manual.
tony

is the nss a new one or a junk yard pull? Brand new in sealed box.

2 of the 4 things i recommend for diy'ers. the other 2 are obd2 reader and owners' manual. I have both, OBD wont read with car not started. Or am i mistaken?

 

[dc_98_cam]

Do you think you might have accidently mixed up the positive and negative battery terminals when trying to jump start the car ... or installing a new battery without paying attention? The 100 amp alternator fuse will burn out.

 

[chef_423]

Do you think you might have accidently mixed up the positive and negative battery terminals when trying to jump start the car ... or installing a new battery without paying attention? The 100 amp alternator fuse will burn out.

No sir, the battery was installed right before I bought the car, started 1000 times since...til this issue started happening. Plus, car had issues as I explained above, a fuse, it would be dead altogether. The car would not start running thru the gears.

Thanks for the response.

 

[original_nutcase]

lets, diag this.. Does the car crank no start? or no crank start?

 

[dc_98_cam]

Try pushing the Keyfob security button on and off...just to see what happens.

 

[chef_423]

Nothing happens when you engage the key to the START position. So, no crank, hence why I had to move shifter from P to 1 and back, repeatedly, to get the car to turn over and start.

 

[chef_423]

Try pushing the Keyfob security button on and off...just to see what happens.

No idea what that is or where.

 

[original_nutcase]

have you adjusted the Neutral safety switch? maybe loose connection? have check for power at S terminal at the starter? check the ign switch. I am not to sure how the ign key cylinder is connected to the ignition switch, on some cars there is rod that connects the ign cylinder to ign switch, the Jeeps have problems with this. might be similar? see if you can remove ignition switch and try turn on..

 

[dc_98_cam]

When you install a neutral safety switch, the rod from the gear shifter has to be properly positioned with the nss. If the gear shift rod has been jostled or moved somehow during installation, then your nss will have to be re-adjusted, so that things are in their correct position.

 

[original_nutcase]

See if you can remove the switch and leave connected, try to stick a screw driver in hole. if starts then you know the switch is good.. then problem is above(key cylinder rod/or something else)

 

[chef_423]

When you install a neutral safety switch, the rod from the gear shifter has to be properly positioned with the nss. If the gear shift rod has been jostled or moved somehow during installation, then your nss will have to be re-adjusted, so that things are in their correct position.

It only goes on one way, into one position. There are guides on the threads of the rod that the NSS mounts to. There is no way in can be incorrectly installed.

 

[insightbrewery]

It only goes on one way, into one position. There are guides on the threads of the rod that the NSS mounts to. There is no way in can be incorrectly installed.

Yeah, but IIRC the NSS can be shifted slightly with its mounting bolt/nut. Sometimes what it needs is a little tweak.

EDIT: Moreso to prove that it can be adjusted than to provide you with torque settings, here are the torque settings from ALLDATA:

Position switch (pivot, I think): 61 in-lbs
Position switch adjusting bolt: 48 in-lbs

Dunno, being able to start the car by moving through the gears makes me think the NSS is defective in a crappy-tolerance sort of way. Maybe on the way back up the shifter to P, it moves just into position so the car can start?

Oh, and OBD2 reader should read with the ignition at ON, car doesn't need to be started.

 

[chef_423]

Yeah, but IIRC the NSS can be shifted slightly with its mounting bolt/nut. Sometimes what it needs is a little tweak.

Dunno, being able to start the car by moving through the gears makes me think the NSS is defective in a crappy-tolerance sort of way. Maybe on the way back up the shifter to P, it moves just into position so the car can start?

Oh, and OBD2 reader should read with the ignition at ON, car doesn't need to be started.

No the car will not start with the shiftier trick, no matter how slow, or fast I move the gear. There is only one way that NSS can attach...it has guides on the bolts for that very purpose. If its that fragile, it would not have worked from the factory OR came 'lose' much sooner than now. So I am not spending any time looking there. If the car is in P, there is only ONE WAY this part can be attached. The arm has a guide too, and even the shifter cable has a bolt that can only be fitted one way. So, I am not buying that 'it needs adjusted'

What a joke this is. I'm about 2 seconds away from calling Pick a Part and letting them have this SOB!

 

[chef_423]

Yeah, but IIRC the NSS can be shifted slightly with its mounting bolt/nut. Sometimes what it needs is a little tweak.

EDIT: Moreso to prove that it can be adjusted than to provide you with torque settings, here are the torque settings from ALLDATA:

Position switch (pivot, I think): 61 in-lbs
Position switch adjusting bolt: 48 in-lbs

Dunno, being able to start the car by moving through the gears makes me think the NSS is defective in a crappy-tolerance sort of way. Maybe on the way back up the shifter to P, it moves just into position so the car can start?

Oh, and OBD2 reader should read with the ignition at ON, car doesn't need to be started.

And I bought a NEW NSS today, installed it, nothing. The torque on the bolts will do nothing to allow the car to start. Again, there is only ONE WAY this thing can be attached to the car, there is no 'slack' 'tolerance' etc etc etc. It can only fit on one way, period.

Thanks for taking time to post.

 

[slavie]

Oh, misread your original post. I still wouldn't rule out the starter based on your symptoms, so check that if the below doesn't help.

Make sure the car is in P, disconnect the plug from the NSS and short the two NSS pins, and try to start the car. If the car starts, you know your wiring is all good and the problem is with the NSS. If the car won't start, you have a problem elsewhere, maybe a loose wire or something. I don't remember which pins they are, I think they're two of the thicker pins on the edges. That's how I starter my car for a few days when I did a manual swap and before I put in a proper NSS for the manual - works great! :grin:

This looks about right for the connector:
http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?878081-AEM-V2-Auto-wiring

The NSS is basically just that - a neutral safety switch that only allows your car to start when the gear selector is either in park or in neutral - and the other pins on the connector only supply the signal for the gear lights on the speedo (the reverse has a separate switch).

Hope this helps.

 

[celic_gts]

It almost sounds like a loose connection or a short, which gets corrected with jerks from "repeated" gear shifting. May be a long shot!