5th Jul 2004, 08:05

I had the same problem and it turned out to be the crankshaft positioning sensor. You need 1/4 in sockets and multiple extentions w\swivel joint.

Good luck..!!

2nd Nov 2005, 11:39

I had a similar problem and the problem lied in the relay box. Replaced relays multiple times, but yet problem continues.

30th Nov 2005, 21:00

I also had a problem with the engine cutting off. Strangely enough, it turned out to be a bad battery. Low juice seems to cause strange, and unexpected symptoms. With the new battery, problems immediately disappeared. Even my mechanic didn't catch the problem.

6th Jan 2006, 12:17

Hey, I had a similar problem, I would be going down the road and the engine just completely shut off. We took it to dealerships and mechanics,. They couldn't find anything so I tried replacing the ignition coil. The ignition coil has oil in it to keep it from overheating. Well, the oil resevoir broke and it would overheat, shutdown and wouldn't crank up for about an hour. I hope it helps somebody.

30th Oct 2006, 11:22

I have a 96 Sport and has also had the out of nowhere shutoff. At first, some friends told me it might be the coil, but I ended up bring it into the shop and it was the crank sensor. After having that replaced, hasn't shutoff while I was driving since.

12th Aug 2007, 11:06

My car, 96 Cherokee Jeep had a transmission leak. I got it fixed, but then thereafter, I began having another problem, which was the engine turning off at high speeds, low speeds and stops at traffic lights.

After about 2 hours of rest, the jeep would start up again, but then the next day, it would die all over again in the middle of the road. I took it back to the mechanic who could not find anything wrong with it, which was very frustrating because I continued to get stranded for hours.

Finally, I learned it was the Cam shaft sensor, which sits on top of the transmission. My hunch! When the mechanic fixed the transmission, he accidentlly messed with the Cam Shaft, which sits on top of the transmission area.

I could not prove this... in effect, I ended up having to pay for a new Cam shaft Senor.

So----if your car starts going dead just after a repair to your transmission... you can bet that during the transmission repair, your Cam Shaft senor got inadvertantly messed with.

27th Jan 2009, 21:01

I too own a 96 Jeep Cherokee, mine is specifically a 4 wheel drive and 4.0 liter. I bought the vehicle used in 99, and around 01 experienced trouble with the engine cutting off at stops. After replacing spark plugs, wires, and fuel filter, the Jeep ran fine until 04, when I did it again.

I recently replaced my fuel filter in December, but continued to have trouble keeping the engine idling after starting it up. This morning I was driving down the road at 40 miles/hour and the engine cut off. I had to wait about 45 minutes before I could start it again (foot had to be on accelerator the entire time), when it then died again a half a mile down the road.

I've read these posts, and I would like some opinions. Should a try to replace the crank shaft sensor (around $68) first? Or should I try replacing the ignition coil ($29.00). Or should I replace something else first? Any information would be appreciated.

17th Apr 2010, 12:12

1996 Grand Cherokee 4.0L 4x4.

Random shut down, sporadic restarts. Changed crank sensor (top of bellhousing), cam sensor (inside distributor cap), coil, wire, plugs, fuel pump. Three certified shops could not find problem. Dealership found faulty ECU $900 reconditioned. Has not failed for 6 months.