QuestionA few months ago my wipers on my 96 T&C stopped working. Well, sometimes. we replaced the switch and then the motor but they still only work occasionally. Then they would come on sometimes by themselves or when I unlock the doors with the remote and sometimes just when I open the doors. Now i am starting to have trouble starting the van. Sometimes it will crank right up but other times I just get a click. The starter isn't dragging or anything just clicking once when I turn the key. If I keep doing it, it will eventually crank. Do you know if this is the starter or is it possibly a computer problem and if so what is the name of the computer that controls this. Thanks.
AnswerYour wiper issue was a pretty common one when the van first came out. There were problems with the wiper motor, the wiper switch and the body control module. I just pulled up the service bulletin and found yet another component that was replaced to help with the condition which is the power distribution center (fuse and relay block under the hood). The complaints that match that particular problem were wipers that would not turn off regardless of key position or wipers that will not fully park properly after sweeping the windshield.
The steps layed out in the service bulletin are pretty labor intensive and requires quite a bit of checking using a multimeter and disassembly or partial removal of electrical components for probing. The may be done best by a professional unless you have experience and the tools for the job.
As for the intermittant no start condition I feel as they are unrelated. The starter in your car is a fairly common one used in many different chrysler products and the failure you're describing above has a cheap and easy fix. Unfortunately, find the place that has the cheap parts is nearly impossible now because everyone wants to sell you a remanufactured or new starter.
I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that your car acts like this: When it starts up, it does so beautifully. No slow to start or dragging down of the motor. But when it doesn't want to start you'll get a click. Just a single one each time you turn the key in to the on start position. You'll get frustrated and turn it maybe as many as 10 times before it finally spins over. But again, when it does it spins over like it's brand new.
If that's the case you've got two little worn out plates inside the starter that used to cost about $10.00 8-9 years ago when I worked at a dealership that would fix starters in house. We got the parts from somewhere other than Chrysler so you'll probably have to hunt down a starter/altenator repair shop to see if they carry these parts.
What happens is over time there is an umbrella looking piece (plunger) that is pulled downward against two contacts in the starter. Both the plunger and the contacts are made of brass. After a point both wear down and stop contacting enough to give you a steady, constant path for current to flow. The end result is you get movement from it but no more flow of current thus giving you your click.
The repair is to replace these contacts and clean out their mating surface on the plunger. It's very simple, they used to be cheap parts to get I just never got the name of the company at the time so I don't know where to point you to get them.
These contacts are easy to replace with minimal hand tools and extraction of the starter is the more difficult part simply because most of us don't have a lift at home.
Finally, a little disclaimer. You may have other starting related problems such as a bad connection at the battery, worn battery cables or even a bad ignition switch. So if the condition above doesn't fit what you experience just tell me what's different about it and I'll see if I can help you check a few more things.
Doug
