QuestionQUESTION: my 2002 Chrysler town and country did not start today it was like the dead turn the key relays clicking changed battery cleaned terminals still dead called triple AAA for tow tried to wiggle key shifter still dead finally released tilt wheel and vigorously moved up and down van started has been starting ever since i don't want my wife to be stuck some place is there anything that goes wrong in the steering column or ignition switch or neutral safety switch previos owner had this problen a few times dealer couldnt find anything wrong
ANSWER: Hi Pat,
It may be that the wire from the ignition switch's 'start' contact is flakey or maybe the park/neutral safety interlock position of the gear shifter is not centered at the detent (but this is less likely as the detent is actually inside the transmission; did you try moving the shifter slightly off the detent to see if that helped?).
The circuit that actuates the starter motor relay that is controlled by the ignition switch is as follows:
12v comes from fuse #23 in the power box in the engine compartment on a light blue/red wire that comes through the firewall on pin 2 if a 74-pin bulkhead interconnect that is gray in color and mounted under the dash above the pedal structure. The wire goes into the steering column and up to the ignition switch at pin 5. When the key is put in the starter position the 12v is then passed out of the ignition switch on pin 4 on a yellow wire that goes back through the firewall on pin 58 of the same bulkhead interconnect and to the power box where it connects to the in-board pin (designated as "86" of the starter relay socket). So you could test the circuit when it doesn't function by looking for 12v at that socket after removing the starter relay which is located at the front, inboard corner of the box while a helper turns the key to start. If you don't see 12v then there is either a 'open' in the circuit I have described or a flakey contact inside the ignition switch. You could remove the top and under side panels of the steering column to gain access to the ignition switch and find the wires/pin that I have described and thus decide with a voltmeter if the voltage is being lost on the way to the switch, in the switch contacts proper or on the way to the starter relay socket. There is only one other detail in that if you follow the yellow wire out of the steering column you see it goes through a jumper connection at what would be the clutch pedal hanger bracket (if you had a clutch but I presume you don't) and it is possible that the 2-plug with 2 yellow wires is loose or been kicked sometime in the past and that is what is on-again/off-again.
Let me know if/when the problem recurs and this troubleshoot approach doesn't reveal the cause of the intermittency.
Roland
PS Please 'rate' my answer, and where you see the question about a nomination of me to be 'volunteer of the month' consider a 'yes' response. Thank you
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QUESTION: Hi roland i found a broken wire pink with white strip between key switch and some kind of circuit board bracket wraps around key cylinder soldered wire back tougher after disconnecting from both ends now car will start run 3-4 seconds and quit please help pat wilkinson
ANSWER: Hi Pat,
That wire is carrying 12v out of the ignition switch in the start and run positions and it goes to the sentry key immobilizer module that has a ring around the key cylinder, as well as to the body control module pin 5 of the 34-pin black/green plug and to pin 2 of the black 10-pin plug of the main power box under the hood (just to let you know the whole picture). What you are decribing sounds like the alarm system has interpreted the situation as a car under theft so you might want to try disarming by a lock/unlock action with the door key on either front door. If that doesn't work try the fault code readout using the ignition switch key:"on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less. Then see if the mileage reading changes to show any 4-digit numbers. But that may not show fault codes for the theft system so you may have to get a plug-in code reader that can access all the modules with memories. In any case, it does appear that the issue now is that you have an alarmed theft system. So verify that you have 12v actually appearing at the sentry key unit's plug on the pink/white wire. You may want to remove the key immobilizer module and open it and check for cold solder joints inside which another owner found to be the cause of his problem with the theft system
Roland
PS Thanks for the prior rating. You can do it again if you feel so-moved.
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QUESTION: im convinced its the alarm its running now but the alarm light is on steady is there any way to disarm it permenatly no codes in the odometer un hooked battery and tried to reset alarm but it is still on
AnswerHi Pat,
I'm pleased to learn that it has started. I wonder if it might not be the sentry key immoblizer module or the wiring (because of the earlier found open wire) that is causing the persistence of the light. If you can get a fault code readout with a plug-in reader (nationwide parts stores like Autozone will often do that for free, but be sure the reader can access body module codes which have a B prefix) it would possibly point directly to what is the issue with the alarm light persisting. Unfortunately the theft system is built-in to the body computer and can't be simply unplugged (as in the earlier days of these systems, through about 1994). So you are forced to either fix it or once you get it 'cleared' you can avoid activating the system by never locking up the vehicle by means of the power locks, the door keys, or the key fob remote control but rather using only the push-button locks at all the doors (again as in the good ole' days). If you can by-pass the alarm that way, and not have the 3-4 second shutdown after starting at least you can use the vehicle until you resolve this.
Roland
