Questionhi i hope you can help me. i just bought a used 1999 voyager with a 3 liter engine.the problem is once or twice a day when i try to start the van all i hear is a click. i will try to start it 15 to 20 times when all of a sudden it starts . now also once a day at least when it starts the power windows, power mirrors and fans and radio wont work. but the next time i start it they all work fine
AnswerHi Ed,
The variety of systems that go 'out' together led me to look for a common fuse that is involved with all of them, such a fuse is #23 (40 amp) in the power box in the engine compartment. That one might have a subtle crack in its wire that opens and closes unpredictably, so take a close look at that one. If that is not found to be the problem then I would check for power on fuses 8, 9, 10, in the box under the dash which are powered by the larger fuse via the ignition switch so check for whether those fuses show 12v when in the 'run' position of the switch while at the same time fuse 23 in the box in the engine compartment also shows to have 12v on both of its pins. Were the fuses under the dash not showing 12v then there is a flaky section in the ignition switch that is your problem and a new switch would be considered (or you could remove the steering column covers and spray some electronic circuit board cleaner inside the ignition switch body through any cracks/holes to clean up the contacts inside).
The 'fans' in question are those of the HVAC system? Those come from different fuses but do feed through a different section of the ignition switch, which might also be improved by spraying with cleaner.
When you say that you hear a click when the starter motor doesn't respond, is that a soft sound from the starter relay in the power box under the hood, or is it a loud click from the starter motor proper where the solenoid on the starter motor is responding but not producing a spin of the armature of the motor? That could be weak battery or a weak starter motor that you could sort out with a jump from another vehicle to see if that makes a difference. If so, then the battery would be suspect; if not, then the starter motor itself may be the cause. But fuse 23 I earlier mentioned is also sending current through the solenoid to power the starter, so if it were flaky that would also explain why it won't spring into action, even though you get a loud click. So start with fuse 23 in the box under the hood.
Sorry for the delay in getting you an answer but I just found your question in the pool to which it had been referred by Kevin
Roland
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