2003 Grand Caravan will not start

[skrigger]

Eleven months ago we purchased a used 2003 GC; it now has 39K miles. Van has been great until this past weekend. Went to pick up the children on Sunday and it would not start; starter would not crank. Five minutes later it started right up. Sunday afternoon I was out shopping and it would not start again. Fifteen minutes later it started right up. I thought the battery might be dying (18 months old), so I went to an automotive service center where it was diagnosed as a bad diode in the alternator. Drove van home and thought about replacing alternator. Worked fine Mon & Tues. Today it died while idling and would not start at all. Talked to an alternator/starter specialist and he checked battery after I pulled it from vehicle. He said battery was fine and did not think it was the alternator, as battery was fully charged. He also said these alternators were very good and should not go bad this quickly. Returned battery to vehicle and it still would not crank. Did not even hear any click in engine compartment when trying to crank engine. Wondering if anyone has any ideas about what would cause this problem. Thank you for your ideas.

[McClane]

Could be a starter motor issue ?

[Dodgevanman]

You said it died while idling......the alternator could have an intermittent problem also.

[Dodgevanman]

Ooops, one thing to add, loose or corroded battery cables will cause a problem as well as loose or corroded wires on the starter.

[skrigger]

Had Caravan towed to Alternator/Starter repair facility last night. Still would not start. Returned this morning, a cool rainy day, to deliver key to technician. Tried key in ignition and it started right up. I wonder if rainy condition helped with electrical connection to starter.

[McClane]

I would imagine moist weather would have an opposite effect on the starter if it was faulty. Moisture is never a good thing on electrical components.

[skrigger]

Starter & solenoid were rebuilt, just in case. With rebuilt starter, vehicle would not start. Bypassed starter switch and it started right up. Traced electrical current from ignition switch to starter. Starter relay was OK, but current would not flow from relay panel to starter. Electrical specialist traced problem from relay box and found that wiring harness was shorting out. He placed plastic insulation in area where four wires had been rubbed bare, and it started fine. He believes that wiring harness was not properly routed and that this caused premature wear on wire insulation. Perhaps others may have experienced this same problem.

[gas28man]

WOW! If the serious problem you experienced on a vehicle less than two years old is widespread, you're talking recall material, not to mention a fire hazard. Where exactly was the bare spot? In the steering column? Under the dash? Under the hood?

Rick

[McClane]

You said you bought the GC used, perhaps the previous owner had something electrical installed (ie. car starter, alarm) ?

[six pack]

You said you bought the GC used, perhaps the previous owner had something electrical installed (ie. car starter, alarm) ?
Or been in an accident and repaired.

[skrigger]

I asked electrical specialist whether vehicle had been in accident; he said no, it had just rubbed insulation in area. Previous owner was car rental agency; they managed to lose keyless entry and dealer still has not found one for us. We went to pick up van and it started right up. I was about a mile from shop when engine died as I was driving down a small hill. This is a safety issue! It would not start as I rolled in neutral, so I coasted into a parking lot. It would not start, even though I could hear the relay clicking while I was behind the wheel. I walked over to my wife's car and when I returned, the van started. Drove back to electrical specialist. He had not experienced this problem, as he had only started the van, not driven it.

[gas28man]

If the report from your specialist is correct, I would go straight to a dealer and demand that Chrysler fix this on their own dime. If the service tech won't give you satisfaction, immediately talk to management. It's definitely a safety issue, and if it's just caused by a rub (and not, say, the addition of some aftermarket device) they ought to fix it. In fact, this is the kind of thing they're going to WANT to know about so they can start checking other similar vehicles for similar problems. You have to figure they'll want to catch this before someone's van burns to the ground.

Rick

[McClane]

You mentioned the vehicle used to belong to a car rental agency. I am thinking that someone who rented the vehicle may have done a torture test on the vehicle, and burnt something out.

I would see what the car rental agency is willing to do about fixing it, as they are the ones that sold you the van.

[skrigger]

Electrical specialist replaced ignition switch that has five connections (four circuits) and did long test drive. Vehicle ran fine and did not experience any problems. We picked up van last night in the rain and it was great to be back in our own van.. This morning I drove three miles to get a haircut and when I returned to the GC, it would not start. Called Nissan dealer where we purchased van and he said that they would have to take it to Dodge dealer next door. Finally called local Dodge dealer (did not call earlier, as I have had several bad experiences with this dealer) and he said that Chrysler would not pay for service because mileage is over 36,000. Van was manufactured 19 months ago and has 39,000 miles, mostly highway from time as rental vehicle. Service manager at Dodge dealership gave me a national number to call, but they are closed Friday through Monday (another bad experience from this same service department). My wife wants to dump Caravan and get different vehicle, but I have owned Dodge vehicles since 1981. I am searching for a number to call regarding this problem. Thank you for any suggestions.

[six pack]

I would direct your frustration to where you purchased the vehicle.
Warranties do have expiry dates and you could have purchased additional
coverage before the original warranty expired.

I would also be seeking compensation from this so called specialist.

[Dave C]

Called Nissan dealer where we purchased van and he said that they would have to take it to Dodge dealer next door.



I'm surprised no one mentioned that perhaps that's why the Van was put up for sale in the first place.

I still say the Chrysler dealer is the place to take a Chrysler vehicle when there are problems of this magnitude. Obviously the Techs will be more familiar with your Vehicle...
There are certain troubleshooting procedures that have to be followed, and they inevitably lead to the problem...
I have tried using smaller shops, but now I only take my Van to the Chrysler Dealer. They may, or may not be more expensive, but it's sure nice to get your vehicle repaired properly...
And no I am not a Dealer myself. I've learned this from experience...
:cool:

[vipergg]

Does this thing have the SKIM anti theft system with the fob built into the key , I wonder if you are having a problem with this for some reason . Cheap thing to try would be to replace the batteries in the key fob if you have this system . If you are having a problem with this system this will not allow the car to start .

[six pack]

[QUOTE=Dave C

I'm surprised no one mentioned that perhaps that's why the Van was put up for sale in the first place.

I still say the Chrysler dealer is the place to take a Chrysler vehicle when there are problems of this magnitude. Obviously the Techs will be more familiar with your Vehicle...
There are certain troubleshooting procedures that have to be followed, and they inevitably lead to the problem...
I have tried using smaller shops, but now I only take my Van to the Chrysler Dealer. They may, or may not be more expensive, but it's sure nice to get your vehicle repaired properly...
And no I am not a Dealer myself. I've learned this from experience...
:cool:[/QUOTE]

Wow Dave, well said. I try to preach this to my customers all the time.
I always get a chuckle about people coming in for a problem that you should fix for them after the warranty has expired and they have already taken it elsewhere for repairs that did not solve the problem.

If you patronize a business exclusively, they are more likely to look after you down the road.

[six pack]

Does this thing have the SKIM anti theft system with the fob built into the key , I wonder if you are having a problem with this for some reason . Cheap thing to try would be to replace the batteries in the key fob if you have this system . If you are having a problem with this system this will not allow the car to start .

The key system you are describing is the SKREEM key. 2004 and newer.

[McClane]

I'm surprised no one mentioned that perhaps that's why the Van was put up for sale in the first place.

I still say the Chrysler dealer is the place to take a Chrysler vehicle when there are problems of this magnitude. Obviously the Techs will be more familiar with your Vehicle...
There are certain troubleshooting procedures that have to be followed, and they inevitably lead to the problem...
I have tried using smaller shops, but now I only take my Van to the Chrysler Dealer. They may, or may not be more expensive, but it's sure nice to get your vehicle repaired properly...
And no I am not a Dealer myself. I've learned this from experience...
:cool:

Wow Dave, well said. I try to preach this to my customers all the time.
I always get a chuckle about people coming in for a problem that you should fix for them after the warranty has expired and they have already taken it elsewhere for repairs that did not solve the problem.

If you patronize a business exclusively, they are more likely to look after you down the road.
Man, that is so true. Sorry for deviating, but I used to take my car into an independent garage for about 4 years and even though the service was great, they really couldn't fix my car that well (choke problem).

I finally started using a dealership and I have been with them for over 10 years. Only once or twice have I ever had any issues with their service work. Usually they fix a problem right the first time so I'm not wasting my time going back to the garage.

[SPs 77 Dodge]

Does your van have an alarm system? One of our work vans (a Ford Windstar) had similar problems and after a year of taking it back and forth to the dealership it turned out the aftermarket alarm system they installed was shutting down the van. It wouldn't happen all the time maybe once a month. But they would never find any problem codes in the computer because it was the alarm doing it.

[Dave C]

Man, that is so true. Sorry for deviating, but I used to take my car into an independent garage for about 4 years and even though the service was great, they really couldn't fix my car that well (choke problem).
-----------------------------------
I finally started using a dealership and I have been with them for over 10 years. Only once or twice have I ever had any issues with their service work. Usually they fix a problem right the first time so I'm not wasting my time going back to the garage.
-----------------------------------

I think that goes under the heading of " Been there done that "
I'm sure a lot more people would agree with this if they only thought about it.
Maybe we have to get a little bit older to understand this and gain that experience.
I have to say though, the small garage I used to go to charged almost the same amount as my Dealer does. go figure, no contest... ;)

[gas28man]

Sorry to be a dissenter here, but service quality really does vary. I was loyal to a dealership in Michigan for 15 years. I never had a single comeback, and they opened earlier and stayed open later than anyplace around. I even started working with them on a home-based business I was running. Then in 2001, the longtime owner sold it to a new guy, and things went downhill in a hurry. Quality employees started leaving, and after two bad repairs, including a steering issue which caused a loss of control, I broke all relations with them. I've since moved out of Michigan, and it took me a lot of trial and error to find a repair shop that treated me right, and did good work.

What worked for me in finding a good repair shop (and this was at the suggestion of an old mechanic friend of mine) was to go to the biggest auto parts store in town, one that does a lot of wholesale business to the repair shops (like a Parts Plus, NAPA or CarQuest), and ask someone who's worked there for a while who's the best repair shop. Believe me, they'll know.

My hat's off to the people who work hard and try their best to get it right. It's the other guys that make it tough on you.

Rick

[McClane]

If you do find a good repair shop (either dealer or non dealer), stick with them.

The dealership I've been going to has a 'VIP' program in which service customers get 10% off their bill, over a certain amount. Well, the service advisor knew that my mom was in the VIP program but not myself. He knew me well, so he took 10% off my last repair bill and then proceded to put me in that program. Afterwards we wound up chatting about mods for 40 minutes.

[skrigger]

We took van to Nissan dealer where we had purchased it. Nissan dealer had picked up several Caravans at an auction and we purchased one. As best I can determine, vans were turned in from a rental agency after mileage went over 25000. Nissan dealership and Dodge dealership are owned by same corporation, as well as many other dealerships throughout the state. Nissan dealer looked at van for one day and then sent it to Dodge dealer. I had hoped that influence of dealership might provide better service. However, van has been at Dodge for almost 48 hours and nobody has looked at it. Whenever I have called Dodge dealer, they always remind me that vehicle is out of warranty. I thought that dealers put off doing warranty work, but it seems as if they put off repairing anything that is not under warranty. I have been to three other dealers within a 100 mile radius and I have been very pleased with the speed and completeness of their work. However, this dealer is much closer.

[McClane]

Odd, I find that getting the dealer to do warranty work correctly is always a challenge, my mom's 95 Caravan's a/c was leaking, I had to press the dealer twice before they fixed it correctly. On the other hand, I find if you pay for the work they usually do a good job, at least it is that way with my dealer.

Here is what I would do : Take the van to a dealer that you find gave you the best service. Call them up and book an appointment with them. On that day, drop the van off and leave it with them. Don't expect them to fix your van right away, it may take the whole day, so arrange for a ride back home.

[six pack]

Look guys,

Warranty or customer pay doesn't make a difference in speed or quality!

If you booked an appointment then the vehicle would go in the day it was booked for. If the Nissan dealer just dropped it off because they couldn't fix it, it will have to be worked in to the other dealers schedule, the more you bother them, the less helpful they may be though.
Being nice always works the best!

[McClane]

I'm not disputing that being nice is the best policy, but I have noticed (with my particular dealer anyways) that paid work seems to be done correctly the first time around then warranty work.

At 600 kms, my mom's 95 Caravan, 3.0L needed a transmission rebuilt. It took forever for the tranny to engage when the engine was cold, when it was warm it engaged into gear no problem.

After they rebuilt it, I really didn't notice much difference, on cold the tranny engaged perhaps 1/2 second faster. Not until the warranty ran out, and they said it needed another rebuild, that is when they did an awesome job. The tranny engages smoothly cold or warm.

Same with my 98 Breeze. The front passenger window crank rattled like crazy. I took it to the dealer to get them to fix it, which they did, but it still rattled. I never followed up with it as I traded it in shortly after.

I am in no way knocking this dealer, as we've been with them for over 10 years and each time we go there (non warranty work), we get the best service. I'm just pointing out that when we paid for service, it seemed like they fixed it right the first time. :) :) :) ;)

[capecoralbill]

I have a similar problem . When I turn the key Starter wont engage, only getting a dull clank. Unless I wiggle the gear shift lever, then will start every time, usually only happens once a day. Any ideas? related to clocksping, i dont think so. Thanks Bill

[six pack]

I have a similar problem . When I turn the key Starter wont engage, only getting a dull clank. Unless I wiggle the gear shift lever, then will start every time, usually only happens once a day. Any ideas? related to clocksping, i dont think so. Thanks Bill

See answer on other post.

[rkarhnak]

Skrigger,
Did you every get satisfactory resolution to your problem? My GC (2003, SE) is having similar problem. Radio, fan, etc, works but engine won't turn. The vehicle theft deterrant light (little red dot on the instrument panel) stays lit, but I don't know if this is significant.
My van was a rental also, but I don't remember what agency. (There's a tag inside the tailgate, but the van is in the shop right now for this problem.) The local dealer suggested I disconnect the battery to try to clear out the computer memory. I had high hopes for the simple solution, but no dice.
I hope my problem goes quickly, but just wanted to know if you (or your shop) got to the root cause.

[hjelc]

Saw a similar situation last year on a new 05 pickup! The factory had forgotten to tighten the bolt for the negative (ground) wire on the engine block. Follow the negative wire from the battery to the engine and see if the bolt is tight!