04 ram 1500 turns over then no power just before it starts then starts up.

30

Asked by Cottoneye1256 Mar 14, 2017 at 09:25 PM about the 2004 Dodge RAM 1500 SLT LB 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

This only happens in the fall and winter for the past 2 years.
First thing in the morning truck turns over then just before it catches it stops dead.
I have to turn the key off then the second time it starts no problem!!
There's no power to start it after it stops have to turn the key off then try again.
Other lights works, radio, warning lights but nothing when I try to turn the key w/o turning the key
off. Not sure it this is related but the day I went to get it inspected I had the same starting problem.
The tec guy asked me if I disconnected the battery because there were no codes in the computer.
I had to drive it over 100 miles to reset the codes.

Starts up afterwards every time no problem.
It seems to do it mostly sitting all night and when it's 30 degrees or below.
Had it looked at no problems. Starting system ok battery ok charging system ok.

Like I said just before it starts it stops, no power to make it start.

16 Answers

58,955

Sounds like a connection loose, but hard to if it all checked out, may be a break in a wire, touches most times, cold weather shrinks metal.

30

I thought that also but it starts right away after I shut off the key and try it again. It also starts all the time after that until it sits over night when it's cold. All summer it starts find until it get colder.

1 people found this helpful.
58,955

When it does this does it loose power to starter but does it also loose power to everything like the battery disconnected or is there still power to everything else just not starter?

30

Everything has power warning gauges, radio, lights but without turning the key off nothing happens when I try to start it, nothing no sound. Just like I had no battery in it. Turn it off and turn the key it stars no problem.

58,955

We may have just diagnosed a early starter failure pending. I vote Starter or connections to it or bad wires to it.

30

I spent $90 and they ran a bunch of test. Everything is normal, connections, start fine, cranking normal, charging system normal.

30

That would seems logical if it happened in warm weather or anytime after it starts. Random or all the time, or not start at all. But it only happens after it sits overnight, after that it's fine. Starts eveytime after that. I thought the ignition switch also but why!! Lol

58,955

So just before starting the starter stops or it almost cranked (engine turning over on its own) stops but the stater continues? Maybe I am misunderstanding. If it almost cranks and it all stops (starter stops) is what I was thinking or is it actually the engine almost cranks but does not and starter while starter is turning engine over still, then it may be a ignition problem. Otherwise I believe the shop missed it, it just did not do it for then and they could not locate it.

30

Just before the motor starts everything stops, engine turning over stops and the starter stops as if there's no battery, dead If I try to start it again without turning the key to the off position where I could pull out the key nothing dead, but warning gauges on radio works lights. If I turn the key to the off position the truck starts works fine!! It's just that first time!! I'm going to try and get a video of what it does.

30

Water in a cylinder stopped the engine from continuing to turn over ? Have you done a compression leak down on the radiator. A cracked head can cause misleading codes.

30

I dropped it off to a dealer the night before when I knew the temp would be below zero (-15°). It actually did the same thing to them, they determined it was the PCM. I made an appointment to have it installed. But while I was there I had them do a tune up and throttle body service on my truck. The next day and everyday afterwords my truck started every time in any temperature and after setting overnight no problem. What ever they did in service cured the problem. Plus I cancelled the appointment to have the PCM installed. Saved $500!! So thanks for everyone's input and if you ever come across this problem do a tune-up and throttle body servced. Take Care

1 people found this helpful.
58,955

After 200k miles on my Ford f150 and then a throttle body & IAC & PCV cleaning and new spark plugs made it purr like a kitten. Mine had started to die after going into gear, first thought it was a torque converter lockup solenoid. Decided to check the other possibles first as it had no trans codes or check engine light for anything so that eliminated sensors and basically anything with a wire going back to the PCM.

30

Yes mine was stalling when turning going about 5 mph, truck would skip as if the transmission was slipping while going at a constant speed up a small grade. I thought the transmission was going so I had that looked at by AAMCO, plus the not starting, skipping. All it took to fix every problem was a good tune up and throttle service. That fixed every problem I had and it runs like a top!!! Too bad the tune up didn't cure the rust problem we have in Central New York. lol

1 people found this helpful.

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