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.

(This is not my post but my problem is EXACTLY the same. Same make and model as well. If anyone knows what the issue is please let me know!)

 

KIDDOC:

Sounds like your battery is still the factory unit at almost 6 years old. I would start there even though the indicator is green. History shows that these Durangos are very picky when the battery is not 100%, and the symptoms you are having are associated with a battery that is on its way out.

This is alsoa chance to make sure the terminals are clean and making good contact. If the battery shows good, then your PCM may be getting tired or suffering from bad connections.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

Don

 

^ What he said.

 

^ x3

Just beat me to the post

Bad battery = Odd stuff in the D

IndyDurango

 

agreed..i have just found out myself what a bad or wrong battery can do to these things.......

 

It's the battery.++++ Also check the conections.

Funny how the D will do this type of crap with a bad battery. I would get one from Auto Zone. I always buy the biggest baddest one I can get in there and I've never been stuck.