So I get into my truck, and I turn the key, and right when it should start cranking, everything electrical dies. Absolutely everything. No lights work, nothing.

What the heck?

I've retried starting it a few times, and I haven't seen anything electrical work since...

It's dark out, but I could tell that the battery is still connected. Is there some master fuse somewhere?

Edit: Well, I went back and wiggled some wires that were connected to the battery and now it works.. so.. I guess I'll have to look at that.

Could it have been a wire shorting out somewhere?

 

which wires did you wiggle? make sure your main leads (positive and negative/ground) are secured to the battery trerminals

 

my 85 dodge ram is like that it will be fine you could still listen to radio and whatnot but as soon as you try to start it I will loose everything so I have to open the hood wiggle some wires and then it will start. I even once thought about putting a throttle cable to it so when it happens I can do it from in a cab then I thought dumb *** why dont you just fix the wires.

 

Iv been having the same problem lately. The first was after I went through a car wash so I thought it was water related but it happened over the weekend and yesterday both times was sunny and warm. But randomly Ill lose everything except the radio my blinkers and windows. Im still trying to figure this one out...

If it happens I can usually disconnect the battery and everything will work once I reconnect it.

 

Some of the earlier Gen 2 Dakota's had a bad problem with an electrical wire splice in the wire harness under the Power Distribution Center. Look under the underhood fusebox and unwrap the tape on the harness about 6 to 10 inches back, you should find a splice of 3 wires. The connector that crimps them together corrodes over time and causes bad electrical problems. Cut the connector out and re-splice the 3 wires together with butt connectors or better yet solder them and insulate it with heat shrink or a good quality electrical tape.

Maybe that is what's causing this problem now.

Jimmy

 

mines an 02 though, could it still be that problem though?

 

No, I am pretty sure Dodge fixed the bad wire splice starting with the 2000 model year. With wiggling the wires around at the battery and then the truck starts, there has to be some loose wire or bad connection in that area some place. Maybe take a look at the wires connecting to the side and the bottom of the Power Distribution Center. Check the ground wires from the battery to the chassis and the engine too. It has to be some simple problem from what you described.

Jimmy

 

Alright cool, thanks Ill take a look at it when I get a chance. Got a couple big projects due in the next week

 

I have the same problem with my 05 caravan sxt. Started 3 months ago. I replaced the starter has not happened since today. I cleaned the battery terminals and the connectors. Under the wire harness none of the connectors water tight so most of them all corroded( wtf dodge). I cleaned them up cleaned all the lags on the relays. I had to remove the battery terminals 10 times and try till it starts today, Its driving me crazy. I am planing to get new Power distribution center.