99 Caravan Question

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

My mother's '99 Caravan recently began having a problem starting. The key goes in the ignition and frequently nothing will happen when it's turned. The starter, battery, and alternator were all checked and found to be in good working order. The car has power, the lights and accessories seem to come on ok. The shop that looked at it is puzzled.

My first thought was that it's the ignition lock cylinder. But I'm no expert by far. I was wondering if maybe you all had some suggestions as to where to look. Thanks in advance!

['STANGETR]

OMG!!! O.K., really, this must be a Dodge thing or Caravan thing. My father has a '96 Caravan that has done the exact same thing. He's dealt with it for over a year or two, and still cannot come to a conclusion as to what is causing it. It is very intermittent, will work fine for months and then bam, don't work. He had just put in a new ignition lock cylinder, thought he fixed it, and it recently did it again. I guess you cannot rule out the new ignition lock cylinder, that may be your mother's problem, but it was not for my father. I will also say that my father had resulted in installing a "push-button" starter under the hood so if it acts up again, he just turns the key to the "on" position, pops the hood and push's the button and it fire's right up. This is so he will be no longer stranded anywhere when it decides to be "grouchy"

[Christopherrr]

Hmmm...Chrysler's version of VATS? Being stranded sucks...I've been stranded a couple of times with GMs VATS system.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

Yup, a number of folks seem to have this problem. I've heard various possible solutions incuding the crank or cam sensor. Seems like one of those annoying problems that bugs you for months till you find what's wrong.

The problem is when you take it into the shop, for obvious reasons, they want to duplicate the problem. When it's intermitent like this, it's exrememly difficult to do.

[Jeff_in_Atl]

I know this may sound weird but my wife's PT did the same thing. I grabbed the battery wire where it goes onto the post and it fired right up. Chryslers used to use Exide batteries which tend to leak. Evidently the previous owner had a problem with corrosion and they replaced the batter clamp with one of those connectors with the bolt on strap clamp. Those things are crap. It just wasn't making a good connection. I replaced it with a soldered on connector that bolted to a brass battery clamp and the problem was solved.

Chryslers will do some weird things if the battery connection is not good. The automatics will stop shifting and hang in second gear if the connection is intermittent. The BCM will stop working too which has Chryslers version of the VATS in it.

[Joe 1320]

Steering column mounted lock switches do not contain the actual starter switch. That portion on a column can be mounted further down the column and an actuator rod physically moves the switch when the key is turned, some others are done electrically with the switch remote mounted under the dash. I would check the physical ignition switch and not the lock cylinder.

[Joe K. 99 Zeee!!]

Thanks guys...I'll check into those when I get a moment.

['STANGETR]

Steering column mounted lock switches do not contain the actual starter switch. That portion on a column can be mounted further down the column and an actuator rod physically moves the switch when the key is turned, some others are done electrically with the switch remote mounted under the dash. I would check the physical ignition switch and not the lock cylinder.

I talked with my father again last night and asked him if he did ever find the problem, he said "no", but he did inform me that he replaced the lock cylinder as well as the switch. The van still had that problem after doing this, so he ruled out the switch as well. Hmmmm??? Weird problem!

[Jeff_in_Atl]

The neutral safety switch will keep it from starting. If the shift lever is a little out of adjustment or the bushing are worn enough it will not engage the switch and let the starter work. Move the lever a little and try it in neutral rather than park.