Question2000 300m when I turn key to start position nothing happens. It's like trying to start in gear. After several seconds or turning off and on it will start and run just fine.
I know your profile says upto 1999 but maybe? you can give me an idea what to look at. Thank You
AnswerHi Walt,
There is likely no change in starter circuitry so I will give your 2000 a try with the proviso that I don't have the wiring diagrams and can't spell out all the wire colors. But the Chrysler stater system works like this:
Let me note at the start that a sluggish response like you describe is often due to the battery being low on voltage/charge or there being poor cable clamp connections at the battery proper so that the full voltage of the battery is not being expressed at the starter motor solenoid. So check the clamps and the post of the battery first. Always disconnect the - post first, then the + , the clean the + post and inner clamp, then reconnect the + clamp, then clean the - post and inner - clamp surface, then reconnect the - clamp. Follow that order so as to avoid accidental shorting of the + post to ground which can cause a huge current and a nasty burn should you do it while holding a wrench in your hand. If the battery is near the end of its warranty it might be good to check its voltage and its state of charge with an hygrometer to see what the specific gravity of the battery acid is. If you have or can borrow a charger that would also be a good thing to use overnight.
For the starter solenoid to click loudly and connect the battery to the motor it must get 12V from the starter relay (in the power distribution center under the hood) on a brown wire that runs between them.
To fire up the starter motor, you need to have current flow to and thru both the primary circuit: consisting of the ignition switch, park/neutral safety switch on the transmission, and the starter relay located in the power distribuition box under the hood near the battery AND you need the main current to the motor from the battery to reach the starter solenoid that is located on the starter motor behind the engine (that big red cable is probably o.k. because the failure (as you describe it) seems to say that the solenoid is not getting the go ahead from the relay (i.e., you don't hear a loud click coming from the solenoid)).
There are several components in the primary to consider:
1. The ignition switch (it may have a flakey contact), and be aware that the displays/brake light are controlled by a separate section of the switch from that which operates the starter relay, so it doesn't prove the ignition switch is o.k. to have other functions of the switch work.
2. The park/neutral safety switch on the trans (it may be flakey, or be out of adjustment, so try moving the shift lever a little bit one way or the other from the detent when in park and while you have the key turned to "start" to see if that solves the problem). If the relay now clicks/starter motor works, then the switch needs to be adjusted to close when you have trans in park or neutral. If not then ground the violet/black wire at the safety switch and try the starter again. If it now works then that switch is bad.
3. The starter relay (ask a helper to operate the ignition key while you get under the hood, and listen for a soft click to come from the starter relay when the helper operates the ignition key to "start"); if you hear that then you know the ignition switch and the relay coil and the safety switch are o.k.; and the problem is either the relay's internal switch contacts are burnt, the brown wire from the relay to the starter solenoid is open, or the starter solenoid itself is bad. If you don't hear a soft click, then either the ignition switch, the safety switch, or the relay's internal coil is bad.
If you hear the relay's soft click, then you have to determine if the contacts in the relay are worn, the brown wire from the relay to the starter solenoid is open/ loose/corroded, or that the starter solenoid itself is flakey. The relay is pretty cheap, and the brown wire can be checked at the solenoid to see if 12V is getting there when the relay has clicked, so you might try checking for 12V at the solenoid and if it isn't then buy a new relay. If that doesn't fix it, then the solenoid on the starter motor is probably worn enough to be flakey or something is wrong with the brown wire that connects the relay's closed contacts to the solenoid at the starter motor. That latter possibility could be checked by measuring for voltage at the brown wire in the relay plug at the time when the starter is tried and you hear the relay click. If you get 12V there then the relay is good and if the wire is good too there should be 12V at the other end of the wire at the solenoid proper. If you don't get 12V at the brown wire of the plug of the relay then the relay is no good (or the black wire on that plug does not have 12V on it directly from the battery because it is open, though that is fairly unlikely yet it should be verified).
Finally you can check the solenoid by jumping between the brown wire at the solenoid and the big red wire that is direct from the battery and will carry a very large current if it is accidentally grounded. So be very careful to put one clip of the jumper on the terminal of the solenoid where the brown wire is attached and then just touch the red wire connector momentarily which should cause the solenoid to click and the motor to operate (be sure you are in park or neutral when you try this test). If it doesn't activate the motor then the solenoid is bad.
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer, but if you have a voltmeter or a simple 12V neon glow light probe I have described to you where to check for voltage to figure out which of the components in this chain is the weak link. I can't be sure which would be the most likely to fail.
Feel free to write back if something here doesn't make sense to you. And you might want to buy a neon glow type of 12 volt tester at an auto parts store so you will be ready to figure out which components or wires is causing the problem.
Roland
