Chrysler Repair: 99 T & C: no start for an hour, then OK., fuel gauge, independent shop

Question
fuel gauge will not work,truck starts shuts off then will not start at all. after an hr or so the truck will start and run fine for several weeks then does it all over again.

Answer
Hi George,
The fuel gauge is a separate issue from the no start. It could either be the sensor in the fuel tank or the wire from there to the body computer. Once the signal gets to the computer it is combined with other signals that are sent on a pair of wires to the cluster. So it could be the sensor, the single wire, or maybe the gauge unit in the cluster is bad.
On the no start, then having wait for an hour, it is not exactly like a problem with the vehicle theft security system but it is similar to that. Does this happen only when the engine is cold or only when it is hot or both?  Are you the original owner so that you would know if it has such a syatem? If so, then you might try to lock/unlock the passenger door lock using the door key when it refuses to start. Other than that, a search for a fault code using the plug-in code reader would be a way to possibly get some direction as to why this happens. An Autozone parts store will often do a free readout, or an independent shop will do it for around $40. Get the specific 4-digit code numbers and let me know them.
Roland