I have a 2001 Dodge Durango! 4.7 Liter V-8. My truck has been driving fine. NOOOOO problems whatsoever. Starts right up everytime I try. Next thing you know, we go out and it's dead. I mean dead dead. Not even a click. I start messing with it a little later and I'm getting SOME power out of it, but not enough to get a click when I turn it over, but enough to use the remote to lock and unlock the truck a few times,get lights on the dash and get the overhead lights to work. I ask for assistance to jump my truck, my truck fought me tooth and nail to start up with the jumper cables on. I didn't use the gas pedal to get it to start, I wanted to see if it would do it on it's own. Finally, I floored it and she fired right up, but not without a lot of coughing and sputtering. I noticed the lights on the dash (digital) were flickering minimally. If I let off the gas even the slightest the truck coughed and sputtered enough where it sounded like it was going to die on me so I kept the RPM's up for awhile until the fluids started flowing through and I noticed the lights weren't flickering anymore. After about 5 minutes or so I finally let off the gas pedal and she idled JUST fine on her own. Sounded completely normal. I had a bad feeling that when I turned her off....She wasn't going to start back up and sure enough...She didn't. But this time, when I turned the key to try and start her up again, I got a lot of clicking. I checked the battery and there is a fully lit green light as if the battery is FULLY charged. I thought, it's gotta be the alternator but that doesn't make sense to me. The battery would have to be dead first before it would pull all the power off the alternator...Or am I wrong? A friend said it could be the starter solenoid, that can also cause the same problems/symptoms as a dead battery/alternator.

HELP!!!!!!! I don't know what to do and at this point, I don't have the money to have a tow truck take me to some random mechanic and then pay for parts and labor. If it's something as simple as either the starter solenoid, altenator or battery I would rather buy it myself and have a friend install it.

Any info is SO appreciated.

Javene

 

Javene it sounds like your battery terminals need to be cleaned, go and get yourself a wire brush and some baking soda. Mix the baking soda and water into a paste and use it to scrub any corrosion off of the terminals. I just had to scrub mine the other day and it will only take you a few minutes. The terminals may also be loose and in that case you can just buy some new ones and install them. Just a little FYI make sure your caps on your battery are sealed tight because the baking soda will kill the battery if it gets inside. Rinse everything off thoroughly when your done. Let me know if this works for you and for future reference post your questions up in the 1st gen section because nowone checks this area to answer questions.

 

Thank you for the advice. I was new to this forum and needed to find a way to get some information and possibly fix it myself. I didn't know I needed to post above!

I have not cleaned the connections yet because, of course, I just saw this today (friday). I did check all my connectors on the battery the day I had this problem and they were all tight and STUNNINGLY clean. After I saw that....I figured....That couldn't be the problem. But I will do a second check....Just to be sure!

 

this is very ironic..your story is all too familiar. today the same exact thing happened to me. first it was completely dead (wouldn't make but one click) then i jumped it, started sputtering,control panel lights/radio flickering while i was driving, didn't die on me once i got it started, no problems dying or anything like that when i let it idle in the driveway. tried turning it off quick and then right back on again..all i got was click click click click click. but now won't start or jump start. I have the exact same make and model as you. my terminals are clean as well, my battery's idicator is green too. there has to be some short or fuse problem i am thinking because at times my dome light will be bright and then dim, but then if i turn my headlights on everything goes dead or starts flickering...same thing with my radio.....Please let me know if you have found anything out. I'll try and call Dodge. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything.

 

I would also pull a battery off and put one in from another vehicle to make sure your battery isn't just going bad. When the battery goes out on D's they can act pretty funny and run really bad. Or you can just take the battery down to auto zone and they will test it for free.

 

put a new battery in this evening and so far so good. thanks alot for all your help

 

NP Glad I could help keep us updated!

 

I'm glad I checked back in. Connectors were great. Cleaning didn't do anything or change anything. My friend that is a mechanic is coming over Saturday. We are going to take the battery down and have it tested. I think, after reading all of this, that is the problem. He gets batteries for discount prices...So I'm betting I won't have to shell out a crapload of cash for it!

I'll let ya'll know!

Javene

 

Keep us posted.

 

ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!! It was only the battery! My friend flaked on me on Saturday. So my girlfriend picked me up from work yesterday, we grabbed a battery, took it home and one of the guys at the gas station across from where I live put it in (I watched this time so I could learn to do it on my own...EAAAASY!)...She lit RIGHT up.

Thank you for ALL of your help! You are all so appreciated!