QuestionQUESTION: Hi Roland, I would like to ask if you can help me. I have a Chrysler lhs 1996,3.5 motor,165000 miles,here is what happened for last 2 weeks it has been acting up, I was driving and suddenly it just turned off on me, when that happened the light from the cruise control came on, it doesn't matter if the car was hot or cold it happened, I never use the cruise control for anything, I waited like to 10 to 20 minutes and I turned it on again then sometimes it you drive the car during the day and nothing happened, then the next day it happened again it would turn off and the light from the cruise control came on, here is what I checked when this happened, first I checked all the fuses on the side of the dashboard they were all good and nothing was burned then I opened the hood and I checked the fuses from the black box, the way that I checked them was by swapping them from the wipers and the fan they were all good, also the other ones were not burned, then I replaced the cam sensor that goes on top of the motor, also I replaced the spark plugs and wires, the coil pack, also I checked the EGR valve and it was moving freely there was no holes in anything, the only thing I have left to replace is the crank sensor that goes in the transmission, the fuel pump is working fine, I also replaced the fuel filter and when this happened the fuel pump was working fine, because when the car died on me, I opened the switch and I heard the fuel pump and I pressed the thing in the gas line and the gasoline came out with power so I discarded that ,my guess is maybe there is a short in some place or is another fuse that i not aware of it, i was reading the post and some said the PCM could be bad but i do not know,another said that the ignition switch could be damaged but I don't know, I don't want to spend more money changing parts when it could be something simple, so like I said before that when that happened the cruise control light comes on it stays on and I crank the car and it won't start then I wait like to 10 to 20 minutes and then I turn the ignition switch and the light is not on anymore, I got someone to crank the car for me when it won't start and I noticed that there is no spark when it's happening even though new coil and cam sensor, I don't know if I have to replace the cam sensor from the transmission,
Roland let me know where should I begin, maybe I am missing something that I need to check and also I checked the codes from the dashboard when you turn the ignition key 3 times and you get the codes but I had trouble reading them, remember when that happens the cruise control light comes on and all the fuses are good, just let me know thanks
ANSWER: Hi Tin,
The best thing would be to try again for the fault codes, now. The check engine light stays 'on' then it flashes (count the number of flashes) then pauses, then flashes again, etx. etc. The flash counts and their order of appearance is the basis for finding the 2-digit code numbers that will give us a clue about the shut down. The last two sets of flashes should be 5 in each set. Let me know what you get. I can tell you how to check the ignition switch when it shuts down and won't start but let us try to get any relevant codes.
I am uncertain about the cruise control light being on, as that is done by the engine controller and it is unclear why it would think the controller was in action.
A possibility is that one of the fuses has a subtle crack in its internal wire which 'opens' as the car is running due to the current heating up the wire, then when that shuts down the engine and the fuse cools and works again. You can either look closely at all the fuses for such a crack or check each fuse with a voltmeter while the engine is not running AND won't start, but with the key in the 'run' position, rhwn test each fuse to see if there is one which shows 12v on one side of the fuse but not on the other side of the fuse.
Please read the PS below and respond to it.
Thanks,
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Roland,well i just get some codes,so here they are, 36,35,33,31,65,55,let me know ,thank you.
AnswerHi Tin,
There is no 36 code so that must be something else. Count it again.
The 31 is about the evaporative fuel recycling solenoid circuit
The 33 is about the A.C. compressor clutch circuit
the 35 is about one of the radiator fan control relay circuits
The 65 is about the manual tuning valve solenoid circuit
The 55 means 'end of code readout'.
The two circuits that would possibly affect the engine function are 31 and 65 and both of those circuits are powered by fuse #20 (10 amp) which is the rearmost fuse on the bottom row of fuses in the dash fuse box. So see if that one might have a subtle crack in it or be blown.
That same fuse is involved with the A.C. clutch and radiator fans, so it makes me think that is the fuse to replace. The fuse current appears on a light green/black wire on all those devices that have the fault codes, so that wire should show 12v if the fuse is good, or not when the engine quits it would be the fuse that has a cracked internal wire.
I mentioned the possibility of a cracked fuse in my revised answer so consider that approach as well. Both of the solenoids are located on the right strut tower and have 2-wire plugs one of which wire is the light green/black.
Please read the PS below and respond to it.
Thanks,
Roland
