My 96 Plymouth Neon will not start :(

[armywife06]

Ok, so I have a 96 Plymouth Neon and it will not start. Before this happened there were no other present issues. When I turn the key it will not turn over but the lights come on and all the normal beeps and sounds are present.
We tried jumping it but that didn't work. Since the problem is obviously not the battery how can I tell if it is the starter or the alternator? And is it easy to fix =]

[bethanyam]

I had a car that did this once and the problem was that it wasn't going comepletly into park, so you could move the shifter to N and it would start. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, just figured if you havn't tried that allready it doesn't cost a thing to try it.

[denisond3]

It wouldnt likely be your alternator - whose job is to charge the battery. If the alternator were weak, the starter might try to crank the engine, but do it s-l-o-w-l-y due to the battery being discharged.
The mention of the shift lever is good. There is an interlock so an automatic transmission has to be in park or neutral or the starter wont do anything. So while holding the key in the start position with one hand, wiggle the lever in and out of park or neutral with the other. If it tries to start - then either the 'neutral safety switch' is bad, or the shifter is out of adjustment.
Its really tricky to reach, but there is a small wire running to the battery, next to the terminals for the large cable. Thats the wire that supplies 12 volts to the solenoid, to make the starter spin. If you run a wire from that small terminal (you will have to pull off the wire that is on there normally) and touch it to the positive terminal of the battery, the starter should spin, cranking the motor with it. If it doesnt - then the starter is likely bad. Ours quit working when the car had 140,000 miles on it.
Be careful when you do this; BE CERTAIN the car is in park or neutral.

If your car is a manual transmission, there is a clutch-interlock switch so you have to have the clutch pedal depressed for the starter to work. I dont recall if this switch is on the clutch pedal or where it is. (Since ours is an automatic).

[armywife06]

Thank you guys for all your ideas!! I will definetly try them!