I had the following problem. I was at an fuel station filled up my tank. When finished, I started the engine and moved forward to a parking place and switched off the engine. 5 minutes later, I triyed to start the engine and nothing happend. When I turned the key, the gear indicatorsing was off, the gauges didn't move also the controll lights (batery, oil, ..) didn't work.But the green cocpit light swiched on by turning the key. Turning the key in start position didn't start the engine. I tried it several times within 90 minutes. nothing happens. Then the tow truck came and the driver turned the key and the engine starts as normal. We tried to simulate my situation and we could do it. But we also could start the engine. I brought the Durango into a garage. 14 days and no result. They couldn't find a problem and the car started allways in the right way. When I picked the car up the first thing he did, was not starting. The man from the service tried and it run!! This was 5 weeks ago. Between this time the car run perfect. On wednesday it happend again. I tried to start the car and nothing worked. No gauges, no gear indicator, no start. One day later it started without any problems.

It is a 2003 4.7 Durango

Is there someone who can give me a hint what's going on with my car?

 

Sounds like a classic bad connection at the battery. Clean the battery posts and terminals tell they are nice and shinny.

 

But why does the engine start over weeks and then without any hint not?
Over the whole winter with 0 and less the engine started without any problem.

only cleaning the posts? I try it, Thank you

 

When shes cold the terminal constricts to give you enough connection to start and run the truck, but when it gets hot (or warm) is relaxes causing the issue. Go get a $2 battery post and terminal cleaner and clean it up:

 

dont you think thtas a bit backwards hydra? metal constricts in the cold, which would INCREASE the gap in the terminal and the wire clamp, unless the clamp constricts more than the terminal itself

 

Maybe I said it wrong, this was my train of thought;

The clamp is made of metallic compounds and the terminals are solid lead. With the lead being a such a condensed molecule I would think it would not move very much. However, the clamp is a metallic/brass so I think it would move more not to mention it is banded around and constricted. As the band warms it loosens and with a little corrosion and the electrical arch causing oxidization, wallah, = bad connection.

After it cools the the clamp constricts just enough to break the oxidization that formed and give it just enough to start and operate until it gets hot again and he turns it over to the start position and it arch's again.

This could also be because of a loose/broken battery cell, when it gets hot the cell moves and when it cools it moves back.

I've had both of these happen many times personally over the years.

 

At first, thanks for this discussion!!

Now I have two way to go,
first, cleane the posts and the clamps
second, checking the battery.

 

When you clean the connections use some baking soda/water mixture. It will get her really clean.

 

yup hydra, when you reason it out that way it makes sense

 

LOL he has a way of doing that!