Jeep Cherokee - Backup light & neutral safety switch: Off-topic discussion forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

Dec. 12, 2010 8:08 p.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

Looks like the backup light switch on the wife's '91 Cherokee hasn't worked for a while and today the neutral safety was playing up, too. A little wiggling and banging on the gear lever got it starting again but I have this sneaking suspicion that the wife will get the switch for Christmas .

Just how much of a pain in the backside is the job of swapping out this switch? Can it be done reasonably well by just crawling under the car or put it on ramps (which I don't have, yet) or is it such a wonderful job that I would find it less painful to have someone else do it?
Dec. 12, 2010 8:40 p.m. Jensenman SuperDork

Naw, it's pretty easy. Unless you are portly like yours truly you should be able to easily slide under there and swap it out.
Dec. 12, 2010 8:42 p.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

Let's say I can fit underneath this non-lifted Jeep without too much trouble and without using ramps. I'm not exactly racing snake material but I'm still sufficiently underfed for this task .
Dec. 12, 2010 9:41 p.m. Sonic Dork

Yup, it is easily accessible on the passenger side of the transmission, just a few bolts and a connector. On my old 91 XJ, I took it apart and cleaned up the contacts twice to keep it alive and not have to buy a new one, because I was cheap and poor.