99 Durango, 175k, 5.2l. Driving it today, and the truck shutoff. Rolled into a parking lot and tried starting it, nothing. It wouldn't turn over, no idiot lights on dash, and no radio. I figured out the started relay blew. I switched out the relay from the trailer lights, which also used a 40amp light, and it started right up. I shut it off and started it 5 times, and figured i was good to go. Drove 2 miles, it shut off again. I walked 2 blocks to Napa and bought a new relay, drove it 5 miles home, no issues. Drove it another 10 miles, no problem.

I do not have confidence in the truck now. Why did 2 relays blow, and the new one didn't?

To top it off. I pushed the truck into a parking spot the first time it broke down. While muscling the steering wheel around, I blew out a line on the power steering pump!

 

Are you talking about a relay or a fuse?

 

Fuse.

 

If the fuse blew then you have short.


There must be a wire that shorted to ground and this would have to be a BIG short! Look at you battery wires, alternator wires, and starter/solenoid combo as the culprit.

 

I found the problem, i think. The truck has a remote start, which stopped working about 2 years ago. One of the wires from the harness going into the remote start "computer" is broke open, and blackened. I plan to fix it in the morning. I have to wait for my electrical tape to warm up, and maybe my hands to.

 

yup that would quite possibly be the problem, the blackened wire points to the fact that it shorted to something and arced

 

Blackened anything when it comes to electrical is no good. But blackened catfish or chicken... YUM!