Is there a way to test Neutral Safety Switch to make sure it is bad?

[WH23G3G]

I'm trying to get some help for my daily driver Mopar, well it's a Jeep Cherokee 1999. Today I replaced the battery, when I got stuck, thinking that's all it was and assuming because the old battery was 4 years old. Well it turned out not to be. I didn't even think to try and put it in Neutral and start it. It starts right up in Neutral, but not Park. I already spent $50 on a battery I can't return. So I definitely don't want to replace the Neutral Safety Switch without knowing it is the cause because the cheapest I've found is $230. Is there a way to test it with a test light while it's still on the transmission? It's got that AW-4 Aisin 4 Speed Automatic. It's not bad that this is the first mechanical problem this Jeep has had and it just now has 143,000 miles. I've had since new. I've never had to replace a Neutral Safety Switch either. Does it hurt anything to just keep starting it in Neutral, or should it be fixed soon?

[moparguy01]

try to start the truck in any gear other than park or neutral. it it tries to start then your switch is bad. btw, keep your foot on the brake. 

[RallyeMike]

Im gonna guess that your shift linkage is a little out of adjustment and not making it fully into Park.

[WH23G3G]

That's what I'm figuring now, because today it started in Park again. I haven't tried starting it in any of the drive gears though. I only drive it occassionally, but I know when my mother drives it she backs out of the driveway and puts it in drive before it fully stops. I tried to explain to her not to do that but she thinks it won't do anything. Do you think this situation could cause it to become out of adjustment? I know the needle indicator on the shifter is in line with all the positions, but I don't know if that means it's necessarily adjusted correctly. Other than that it's the only mechanical problem ever to occur on this Jeep, which has 142,000 miles. This transmission has outlasted my Ford Rangers automatic 4 times already. I've had my 98 Ranger transmission valve body rebuilt twice, and the transmission replaced totally once, and now it's slipping again 400 miles after the warranty is up of course, even after I installed a medium external cooler. It helped none. And my Ranger has only 40,000 more miles than this Jeep at 185,000 miles, and it's been fully serviced so much more thourough than the Jeep transmission. On the Jeep there is no difference in the way the transmission shifts now than the day we drove it off the dealer lot when it had 3 miles on it. I've heard claims that it is a similar transmission used in the twin turbo Toyota Supras, whatever it's good. 

[RallyeMike]

Bushings get sloppy, etc. You should be able to adjust it pretty easily.

[Chryco Psycho]

you can test the switch with an Ohm meter the brown wire to the center of the switch should ground in P & N , have someone else wiggle the shifter to make sure it is going fully into park with the ohm meter attached

[Rayzor]

On my old 91 cherokee I just took it apart and cleaned its connections and it worked for another 4 years till I sold it. you may want to check out jeeps unlimited .com in the cherokee section. There is alot of info on this switch if you search.