QuestionQUESTION: Good day, sir. First off, let me say that I'm not a Chrysler guy, but I've been volunteered to take a look at the mother-in-laws '93 LeBaron sedan. She was on a trip with some friends and said that it ran fine, but "just didn't feel right" so she pulled over and shut it off. After lifting the hood to look, but not finding anything obvious, she closed the hood and got back in only to find that it wouldn't start. We had it towed to my house, but I'm completely stumped.
When you turn the key, nothing happens at all. You should hear the fuel pump, but it doesn't run. It also doesn't have power at the coil, so it doesn't make a spark. It doesn't crank when you turn the key, but I can make it crank with a remote starter on the solenoid terminals. From some of your previous answers I learned to check trouble codes with the check engine light, but it doesn't light on this car. I also checked to make sure that the distributor was turning when the engine was cranked, but without a spark this doesn't help me.
The car has a 3.0 V6 and an automatic transaxle. Where do I go from here? Any help you can offer will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Erran
ANSWER: Hi Erran,
I would start by checking whether or not there is voltage appearing at fuses 7/8 and fuses 9/10/11 under the dash when you put the ignition switch in the 'run' position. If not, then either one of the ignition switch sections or one of the fusible links near the battery which supplies power to the two sections of the switch has blown. If you can find anything (other than the starter via the solenoid which is direct from the battery so we know the battery is connected OK and charged) that works I would be interested. But let me know and I can tell you how to check out the fusible links and the ignition switch once we know which link/switch section might be compromised. Checking the voltage on the fuses will be the key. You can get back to me directly via the "thank and rate" tab where there is a space for comments. I get an alert and can respond quickly. I have the '93 diagrams so we should be able to figure this out.
Roland
Wow, thanks for the quick response! As for the fuses, using a test light on #7,8,9,10 and 11 show no power with the key off, but 9,10 and 11 show power with the key in the run position. Thanks, Erran
OK, Erran,
That is consistent with the situation of no starter and no start and no codes. The best way to go, I believe is to check a wire at the ignition switch. To do that, remove the tilt lever of the column and then remove the upper and lower steering column covers. Locate the 7-wire plug at the ignition switch. Check the red wire on pin 7 for 12V. If it isn't present then one or the other of two fusible links that supplies that wire is blown. Those are in a harness behind the battery, are red and orange in color, and are in series with oneanother.
If the red wire has 12V on it, then turn the ignition switch to 'run' and check that you are getting 12V on the dark blue and on the black/white wires, and when you try the start position that you get 12V on the yellow wire, all also on that plug. That is what should happen if you have the red wire powered AND the ignition switch is good for all three of those wires. Failure to pass voltage on to anyone of those wires would show a switch failure. You might be able to clean the internal contacts with electronic circuit cleaner from a spray can.
The fusible link is a spaghetti-like wire with a solid color and they are basically resistive wire fuses. They fall apart if they are blown, so just pull on the ends to check them. You have to cut out the old ones and solder in the new ones. I suspect you get them from a dealer or a trade-type auto parts store. Observe the color code as those represent the current carrying limits.
If one is blown, then you would want to check the three wires that are supplied to see whether an item it supplies is shorted to ground or otherwise overdrawing it expected requirements.
Let me know what you find, please or if you have further questions.
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Roland, Thanks, you're a lifesaver. I checked the ignition switch as you described and found no power, which led me to the fusible links. I found a 20 gauge, (orange with a thin black stripe) that was bad, so I replaced that and went back inside to check the switch again. When I got to the yellow wire, I put my test light on it and turned the key to the start position and the car started. I really wasn't expecting that, but it was a nice surprise. Again, thanks for all your help.
There is one other thing I would like to know, though. What does that fusible link connect to? I've been driving the car for the last few hours, and everything seems to work fine, but something made that blow in the first place. It would make me feel better to know what I need to keep an eye on after I give the car back. Thanks for your willingness to share your knowledge, Erran
AnswerHi Erran,
The orange one is connected to two parallel red wires, the one that goes to the ignition switch section and the other goes to the starter relay points which when closed activates the starter motor solenoid. So it would either have to be that the starter solenoid overdrew it, or the other significant item powered by the switch, the actuation coil of the same starter relay, which overdrew it. The other items on the ignition switch that are powered by that link are fuses 7,8,18,19,20 which I suppose if all asked for current at once could overdraw it as well.
Good work on getting it going again.
Roland
