- This topic has 25 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 5 months ago by
.
-
Topic
-
hi, ive had 2 instances of my car not cranking/starting. i go out to start the car, and no start. the lights,radio, etc, all work. i hear nothing coming from the starter/solenoid. jump starting does nothing. i get it towed home ( this is usually after midnight, i work afternoons). i can go out the next morning, and the car will start. im thinking something is loose, and the tow ride home does something to it. the thing i can think to check, is the cables at the starter, which im going to do this weekend. it has done this with 2 different batteries. im also going to replace the battery terminals. the shop put new ones on, and they are all distorted. so does anyone have any other suggestions? i would so appreciate the help…..debbie
-
Replies
-
Inspect the engine and chassis grounds also, along with any start relays that may be in the circuit and connections on the fuse block(s)
Might also check the connections to the ignition switch.
One other item… neutral / park safety switch.i have a 1998 gr. caravan. wow, thats a lot more checking. and just my luck, i dont know how to check most it. with this happening only twice, so far, would a shop be able to check this out for me, if its now working?
Intermittent issues are a horror to trouble shoot.
If it isn’t repeatable, A shop has no direction to begin looking for the cause.
Could be the beginnings of a bad starter solenoid, bad contact in a relay, ignition switch, wiring ( power or ground ), loose connector …Sounds like a starter going bad. Next time it does not work, give it a few light taps with a hammer, then try starting it. If it starts after that, you need a another starter.
-Karl
My Sister in Law had one 1998 Chrysler and it was the CHRYSLER all in one stupid Fuse Box and Power Center
the hammer trick has already been done. i just wish it would quit starting! then i could have it towed to a shop. this is crazy. something else just came to me!!! this also happened a couple of times. turning down my street to go home, all of a sudden, the chime starts chiming, the dash lights are going off and on. van is driving normal. this lasts for seconds, then stops. hmmmmm. didnt think much about it, till now. all of this in probably last 6 months……
Sounds like a intermittent contact.
If the two issues are some how connected ….
That would eliminate a faulty neutral safety switch.
But …
The door chimes are usually triggered by:
The keys in the ignition with the door open
The keys in the ignition with the head lights switched on.
But you say the dash board lights flash on and off.
Which would lead me to believe the issue may stem from a failing / faulty ignition switch.
That is one item tied to both the door chimes, and powers the dash.It could also be a fault in the ECM or one of the supporting modules on the vehicle.
nightflyr, would there be a way to test these items with the van now working? would there be a code in the obd?
If you can hear the starter solenoid click, but the starter motor does not spin, then it is most likely the contacts inside the starter.
If that is the case, I would just replace the starter. A repair shop could replace the contacts, but cost may be about the same. Rock Auto has new (not remanufactured) starters for around $80 so you don’t have to mess with the core charge/return.
If you do not hear the solenoid click, then test to see if voltage is getting to the small terminal (looks like the plug-in connector) on the starter when the key is in the start position.
If there is 12 volts on the connector, and you don’t hear the solenoid click, then either the connection to the solenoid (or wire/connector) is intermittent or the solenoid is sticking or defective?
If you are not getting power to the small plug-in wire to the starter (when key is in start position), then I would look at the neutral safety wiring circuit.
I don’t have a schematic for that.[quote=”chowceal” post=186589]nightflyr, would there be a way to test these items with the van now working? would there be a code in the obd?[/quote]
There in lies the issue..
If everything is working normally, it becomes 100 fold more difficult to isolate and pinpoint the fault(s)
And from your description(s):
With the no crank / no start issue, you’d be trouble shooting that at the witching hour, which is inconvenient at best.With chime and dash board light issue, that gets a bit more complex..
You would need to be monitoring both :
Source voltage to the dash at specific points of the circuit and source signal triggers for the chimes.
Then hope the issue(s) happens for more than a few seconds..
As I stated, fairly complex
You could check for stored or pending codes codes on the OBDII.
What you could do is check that all the fuses and relay contacts are clean and fully seated.
Might also look to see if the connector attached to the ignition switch is fully seated and secure.Silly question:
Do you happen to have a large key ring with a lot of keys hanging from the ignition?there is no clicking at the starter. and no, all i have on my key ring is 2 keys and remote start fob. i cant stand all that crap on my keyring!. and i do have a remote start, which doesnt help when this happens. i think this weekend i will go thru the connections/connectors and do what i can. thank for all the help guys! and im going to try and see if there are any codes.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.