1999 Grand Caravan won't contact starter when key turned but full dash activity.

Asked by GuruJXB1S Jul 28, 2020 at 02:05 PM about the Dodge Caravan

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Had towed to mechanic 3 weeks ago because no electrical activity at all when
turned key. Replaced alternator, charged relatively new battery. Sat for 3
weeks. Now, in cool morning, turned key gets full dash activity but no starter
contact. In hot afternoon, starts right up. Steering wheel not locked when key
removed. Same thing happens on three different days.No start when cool.

3 Answers

26,810

If the starter motor won't crank the engine, I usually jump the starter relay, just to see if starter will crank the engine. In the past on different vehicles, I've been able to start the vehicle with this method. If you try that, make sure the transmission is in park or neutral and the parking brake is set. Make sure the vehicle can't move. Key on, jump the relay, see if it starts? the relay has two sides, the load side and the control side. The control side of relay needs voltage and ground in order to energize relay and send voltage to starter motor. at the relay jump cavities 30 and 87 with jumper wire, the starter motor should crank the engine. I realize jumping the relay is not a fix, but, might get you out of a bind. I'd have to do testing to track the problem?

Neither answer was the solution. Issue still unsolved. Shop said car computer did not reveal any problems. The car started every morning and afternoon for three days at shop after replacing starter switch. I paid them.Went to the car and the car would not start. Everything on dash still works, no clicks, no starter connection. They still have the car.

Mechanic said car starts when fuse box jiggled. Took car to Dodge dealer. A very experienced service advisor says it is not the fuse box but highly likely the instrument cluster has an electronic connection that is made if jiggled. He found a sharp hit to the top of the dash will cause a connection, until he can get to it on August 31.

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