QuestionI have an 20 PT Cruiser. It got so it wouldn't crank sometimes. I could go under the hood take a screw driver, bump the starter and it would crank. Yesterday I tried this but it didn't work.While trying to crank it I noticed when I turned the switch on the cluster lights wouldn't come on nor the radio. Everything is dead. I checked the fuses and they are good. Is there a reset button? Whats wrong?
AnswerHi Hosie,
The PT Cruiser is a vehicle that I don't have the specific wiring diagrams for. But it is no doubt similar to other Chrysler cars. If you are observing that when you are trying the starter that neither the cluster nor the radio come on, then that is normal. The ignition switch is set up to that nothing else is going to work when the battery is needed to crank over the engine.
So let's set that aside. As long as the circuits will function when you are not trying the starter then there is nothing globally wrong with the system. I would suggest that you have a helper try the starter position while you are under the hood near a box which is close to the battery and contains many fuses and relays. In fact take the lid off the box because what you want to check for is the sound of the starter relay closing (a soft click sound) when the key is turned to start. If it does do that, then you know that the ignition switch and the safety interlock that prevents you from cranking when the car is in gear is working. If it doesn't click then try moving the shifter a little bit either way from its rest position in neutral or start to see if it will then click and the starter will function. If that happens then you have to adjust the shift lever cable connection to the transmission so that it will work when the shifter is in its normal position. If moving the shifter doesn't produce a click/start then that relay could be bad or the ignition switch or possibly a fuse in the box under the hood. An electrical test meter would be needed to diagnose anything other than the fuse.
If you get a soft click, but no noise from the starter motor at all, then either the wire from the relay to the starter motor or the motor itself is bad, of the (+) post of the battery cable clamp or the ground clamp is not making a good connection at the battery. Again a test meter would be useful to diagnose which of those is the reason.
So go through those various possibilities and let me know what you find out.
The history of your tapping the starter motor to get it to start makes me suspect that the problem is indeed the starter motor brushes/armature or the solenoid switch attached to it (which should make a loud click sound) that is weak, but the above testing should be tried nonetheless. Such a temporary "fix" is only going to last for so long. You might before doing anything try to tap on the motor just when your helper is at the same time using the ignition key at the 'start' position just to get you going this time.
It is good that the motor is easy to tap because that may mean that it won't be too difficult to remove and rebuild.
Roland
