QuestionWe are owners of a 1993 Dodge Spirit with a starting problem. Items checked and found to be OK by mechanic are: starter, battery, battery connections. They could not duplicate the problem when it was at their location. They suggested installing a new ignition switch, just as a guess. I would rather not just guess.
Car may start and run fine for a couple weeks. Then one day decides not to start. Dome light works. Headlights work. Turn the key to the “crank” position and nothing happens. No lights on dash are lit. Turn key off. Turn key to normal “run” position and let seconds pass. Slowly, one by one the dashboard lights will come on. Last to light up, my kids' flashing radio faceplate. Turn the key off. Then turn the key to “crank” position and sometimes then I am able to start it. Sometimes not, but then I have always been able to jump start. Any ideas?
AnswerHi Kendra,
I agree with your inclination to not guess. What you described, with the dash lights (I presume these are the warning lights) coming on one at a time, sounds to me like there is some resistive splices or switch contacts which are delaying the appearance of the full 12V from the battery at the ignition switch. The starter system and dash lights both draw on current that comes through the ignition switch. The place to try to improve things is the interior of the ignition switch and the main splice in the battery + wire where the first branching off of the spaghetti-like wires (fusible links) of various colors occurs which supply the voltage to the ignition switch. Also the return path of current through the body to the battery - post needs to be checked out.
The ignition switch is located right below the ignition key socket, and you can gain access to it by unscrewing the screws on the underside of the steering column at that location on the column that holds in place the upper and lower plastic covers that shield it from your view. Once those covers are removed the switch body is visible. I would buy a can of electronic contact spray cleaner from an electronics supply store, and using the straw-like extension that comes with the can try spraying the solution through any holes/ports/openings in the switch body so as to get the contact cleaner into the switch interior where it might improve the electrical conductivity of the internal switch contacts. Then reassemble the covers.
The other place is under the hood. Disconnect the - post of the battery. Then follow the thick black wire on the + post clamp of the battery to a torpedo-shaped 2-part connector which you could open by rotating the two halves oppositely to oneanother and then spray the electrical contacts inside and reclose the connector. Then continue to the splice where the black wire is joined to a group of colored wires that I described above. Unwrap any insulation on the splice and inspect the condition of the wires that are wrapped together. If there is any corrosion or rust present try to clean it away and inspect the connecting wires to see if the fusible links that are gray or black in color might be loose in the splice (those are the ones that supply the circuits that supply the ignition switch). Try to make sure all the wires are tightly contacting oneanother with no intervening dirt or corrosion. Then rewrap the splice with the original or electrical insulating tape so that the connection is well covered over and will not have any exposed wire surfaces.
Then reconnect the - post of the battery.
Two last things to do is check the two wires attacted to the - post of the battery clamp. One of them goes to a bolt that is screwed into the body at the inner fender shield, near the battery. Loosen that bolt and remove and clean the contact on the end of it as well as the surface to which it is screwed. Reattach the wire and bolt it down tight. Also, follow the other black wire to the point on the engine cylinder head where it is similarly attached with a bolt. Again, remove the bolt and clean the surfaces and reattach firmly.
I hope that one of these service efforts will improve the conductivity of the circuits that you need to get the engine to start reliably.
Let me know how it goes.
Roland
