My friend here at work has a Jeep Commander and he is having a major issue with it. It’s only about 3 years old (just old enough for the warranty to expire) and now it is having trouble occasionally with not starting. It will work fine while he drives to work, or the mall, or whatever. Then he’ll get in and nothing will happen when he turns the key to “start”. The lights come on in the car as he passes the accessory notches in the ignition, but when he goes to start it, nothing happens. No audible click, the lights don’t dim… just nothing. Like the car is unaware that he is trying to start it. So he’ll get it towed, but by the time the tow truck shows up, it’ll start again.
He had it at the dealer twice now. The first time, they couldn’t replicate the issue in the time they had it, so they tested the alternator, starter, and battery and everything was OK. Bewildered, the technician tried cycling the battery (drain and then recharge). There are no codes either.
The second time it went to the dealer was when he was out with his wife this weekend. They went out and it worked just fine, but when they tried to leave, nothing happened. He had it towed again. The dealer has it now and still cannot replicate the issue.
It never dies while he’s driving it, and this has happened at least 4 times that I am aware of. It usually happens while it’s at his house or close to home, so he didn’t have it towed every time.
What the hell is going on here?! There are no recalls on his model or year, the Jeep doesn’t seem to think it’s behaving funny, and the dealer cannot get the problem to surface while it’s there… but it’s a BIG problem!
Help is appreciated!
might be worth having them "remarry" the immobilizer/key/ecu if it is so equipped, i've heard of them losing their mind on other cars causing a helluva pain, this could be intermittent somehow?
also, it sounds like what most of my cars would do if i tried to start them without the clutch in. turn the key to start, everything shuts off like the starter is going to kick on, but nothing happens. is there a similar deal for the brake? could the brake pressure switch be failing intemittently?
RossD
SuperDork
7/7/11 3:30 p.m.
Plus one to Strizzo comments on the immobilizer/key. That or just replace the battery. I know you said that they tested the battery, but for $80 you can take it out of the equation.
oldtin wrote:
http://www.xkjeeps.com/tsb/tsb_xk_0806005.pdf Maybe this?
We actually looked into that. There was a recall on some models, but his was not affected. This recall is for models built before 10/2005. His was built in 2008.
I had a Ram truck once do this same thing. I replaced the WCM/SKIM module, tested out the battery, replaced the starter, etc..... Come to find out, even after 40k on it, some shiny happy person on the assembly line didn't tighten up the VERY important bolt that retains the ground strap to the block. 
another +1 to the immobilizer/key/ecu issue
i know its not a jeep but my dad just went thru this with his chevy impala. he's not a car guy so relied on the dealership to diagnose and repair. You bet your ass they tried replacing 5 other things before looking at the key/ecu which ended up being replaced and the problem was fixed. $$$$$$ (btw, the dealership also had problems replicating the problem, the car always failed to start when my dad was 100 miles from home or something)
hooray for technology
Numbah One: racing 215 is on the money. That's the Mercedes 'smart key' (hah!) with the transponder. The reason there is no fault code is the ECM does not think there is a problem. Therefore, the key is likely at fault. If your bud has another key, he needs to keep it with him and if the problem reoccurs switch keys and try it again IMMEDIATELY. If it starts, problem confirmed. If it doesn't, it's likely in the WIN node (the 'ignition switch').
Something else to consider: transponder keys are more and more common. If he has another brand of car key on his ring which has a transponder (such as a Ford PATS key) if it's within 3 feet of the WIN node it can get a false reading from the second transponder.
Had a friend with an Escalade recently have the same symptoms but constant. It was the immobilizer programming. His SO had tried to start the truck with a backup key that wasn't programmed but he didn't know it. Almost replaced the entire ECU before he decided to let the dealer test it.
He has two keys and neither key works when the issue is occuring. I also think that the Jeep is his only car, but I will check.
He just hear back from the dealer today. They can't find anything wrong again lol. He's looking at new cars now.
confuZion3 wrote:
He has two keys and neither key works when the issue is occuring. I also think that the Jeep is his only car, but I will check.
He just hear back from the dealer today. They can't find anything wrong again lol. He's looking at new cars now.
I'm not surprised. They probably can't read/find the wiTech/Starmobile/Starscan screen for the Key in Ignition switch sense or the Start sense status.
Ranger50 wrote:
confuZion3 wrote:
He has two keys and neither key works when the issue is occuring. I also think that the Jeep is his only car, but I will check.
He just hear back from the dealer today. They can't find anything wrong again lol. He's looking at new cars now.
I'm not surprised. They probably can't read/find the wiTech/Starmobile/Starscan screen for the Key in Ignition switch sense or the Start sense status.
What? lol
In the early 90s, my brother took a screwdriver and jammed it in the ignition of his friend's dad's truck. It started. From that point on, his friend (who later had the truck as his first vehicle) did not need a key to start the truck. What happened to those days?
