this morning after i parked my truck to drop off my kid at daycare, it wouldn't start after i got back in. it has never even had a hiccup before. i turned the key about 10-15 times, and no dice. i put it in neutral, to see if maybe it was the park/neutral switch, and it started up the very first time while in neutral. i turned it off to try to repeat, and it wouldn't start in neutral for 10 times or so. i went back and forth between park and neutral, and it wouldn't start again for several key cycles. after waiting about 5 minutes, it started right up again in park.

since it was running again, i decided i should probably take it home while it was running, assuming it wouldn't start again later. so i drove it home, grabbed the minivan, and went to work. when i got home, the truck started right up on the first try 5 times in a row.

it's got 175,000 miles, so it wouldn't surprise me if the contacts on the starter were worn and my starter just needs a simple refurbishing. but before i go through the hassle, i figured i'd ask and see if these trucks (2000 dakota, 4.7L, automatic, 4x4) have any other common problems that i should look at.

 

It could be a bad starter. The contacts do wear out. I've had a similar problem, the starter actually came loose. Once I tightened it, no more problems.

When you turned the key, did you hear a click under the hood - from the Power Distribution Center? There is a relay in the PDC that actuates the starter motor solenoid. If you hear the click the neutral safety switch is working correctly. No click and it, or the relay, may have a problem. You can swap the relay with another easily.

Hope it helps you narrow it down. Intermittent problems can be a pain to trace.

 

Usually if its the park/neutral switch when you turn the key nothing will happen. All the dash lights will go out and then as soon as you let it off start they will all come back on.

 

Sounds like the park/neutral switch. But do check the contacts to the starter.