QuestionQUESTION: 2000 dodge grand caravan, 3.3 V6
A freind changed the power steering pump and CV joint. When he put the thing back together, the car would not start. The ignition lights would come on, I can hear a click in the fuse box relays, but no starter motor movement. I changed the ignition switch, nothing, I changed the tumbler, nothing, I changed the starter motor, nothing. Now the tachometer needle is stuck on the 7000 mark ( it shoudl be on zero). HELP !
ANSWER: Hi Peter,
I need to verify with you for clarity whether your '00 model has both a long/narrow power distribution center (relays/fuses) in the engine compartment and also a fuse box under the dash on the driver side. I have the '98 manual and it is set up that way, while the other manual I have (the '02) has a single large rectangular center under the hood called the integrated power module and has no fuse box under the dash. I will go on the assumption that yours is like the '02.
The fact that you get a click from the 'fuse box relays' (I trust that means from the box under the hood; please verify that the large relay in the front corner position from the front of the IPM clicks when you try the starter position with the key) means that the ignition switch and the park/neutral safety switch are both OK. That would leave very little else to explain why you aren't getting starter motor 'action'.
There is a 40 amp fuse in the IPM, #9, which provides the current to the starter motor's soleniod switch via the starter relay. So verify that fuse #9 is not blown and also doesn't have a slight crack in its wire which would be the same as being blown.
The other possibility is that the ground wire from the engine to the battery which completes the circuit of the starter motor windings is disconnected. The (-) post clamp on the battery has 3 wires, one of which is routed to a bolt on the rear of the engine near the starter so make sure that wire is attached cleanly at the clamp and at the engine block. If it came off, then there may be no return path for the current that would turn the starter motor to get back to the battery.
If those check out, then you need to use a 12V glow light or a voltmeter to actually verify that when the starter relay clicks that 12V appears on the yellow/gray wire of the starter motor solenoid, coming to it from the starter relay, when you try the key. If not, then the relay's points are bad or the wire is not connected from the relay to the post on the starter solenoid. Try switching the starter motor relay with a similar number relay in the IPM which is not crucial to the starting of the engine, to test that possibility. You could also verify that the starter motor is properly being powered by its fat red wire from the battery by jumping 12v from the + post of the battery to the solenoid switch on the starter where the yellow/gray wire is attached.
Please let me know if my circuit assumption is wrong and that you do have a fuse box under the dash.
On the tachometer, that can be corrected quite easily: do an instrument cluster self-diagnostic test
With the ignition switch off, depress and hold the Trip and Reset Buttons. While still holding the buttons, turn the ignition switch to the run position. Continue to hold the button until the work "code" appears in the odometer window, at which point release the buttons. The cluster will then go thru some gyrations including reversing the position of the tachometer (and the speedometer if it too is on the wrong side of its pin).
If there are no faults in the cluster, the test ends with a '999' in the odometer window.
Roland
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QUESTION: Roland - thanks so much for getting back to me. YES it's a single fuse box under the hood. I checked every fuse (including the 40 amps) but will check them with a VOM, just to make sure. The relays do click and I have tried switching them around ( using the AC relay ) nothing there. I'll check the ground. The starter motor dosen't have a big red cable, all it has is a black connector, there is a white connector there, but it doens't seem to be attached to anything. I was told the neutral saftey switch was inthe tranny and not something I could fix easily. I'll check your other recomdations and see if I can reset the tach.
thanks !
Pete
ANSWER: Hi Pete,
As I explained,if the starter relay clicks, then the only thing standing between the starter motor working is either that the large direct-from-battery wire is not well-connected to the battery. or the thin wire that comes fromt the relay is not bringing the output of that relay to the starter solenoid switch, or the engine ground is absent. If there is only one wire attached to the starter motor then that is your reason.
Roland
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QUESTION: Ok Roland, so things have changed a bit. I checked the starter relay by removing the plastic cover on the relay and watching to see if the relay actually moved. The relay DID NOT pull in when the key was turned. When I pressed the relay arm and made contact, the starter motor kicked on, SO it seems the realy IS NOT getting voltage from the system. I checked the coil on the relay and it is fine. So what woudl keep voltage form getting to teh starter releay when the key is turned to the start position ? I have already changed the ignition switch and the tumbler. The Tachomter reset procedure worked like a charm ( thanks ! ) now If I could just get the car started !
AnswerHi Pete,
Ok, so it is the starter relay not coming into play when you try the starter position with the ignition switch. Check that you have 12V on pin 86 of the relay which comes from the ignition switch in the start position. The other connection you need is that pcm should show pin 85 to be grounded which it will do IF the transmission is in park or neutral and you try the start position with the key. If not, try moving the shift lever slightly to either side of the detent position for P or N and see if that will cause the starter relay to close. 86 is one side of the coil, and 85 is the other side, so if the ignition key puts 12v on one end and pcm grounds the other end the relay will close. If it doesn't because the 85 pin still show 12v when you try the starter, then I would take a look at the dark gray 10-wire plug on the side of the transmission because those wires need to be connected in order for the park/neutral safety switch to be detected by the PCM. Maybe in the process of doing the half axle that plug was disturbed?
Roland
