Ongoing problem, my local mechanic can't figure out. 96 Grand Caravan, 3.8lt. Engine turns, starts, runs for 1 sec and dies. Nothing lights up on lower dash, no odometer, gear indicator. If I turn the key and nothing lights up on lower dash, I know it's not going to start.

Have changed crankcase sensor, camshaft sensor and ECM. Problem still remains. Not a constant problem, I have started it 50 times this week after replacing ECM, just tried it and wouldn't start. Usually if I let it set for at least 4 hours, it starts like there was never anything wrong.

No error codes in computer, just hooked it up and it said nothing was wrong.

Any ideas????

 

Okay guys and gals, I think I may have found the answer in another thread. As crazy as it sounds, another thread claims that the problem can be traced to a bad solder on the instrument panel. I went through the whole process of removing the dash and instrument cluster and sure enough, there was a broken solder exactly where it was stated. I pulled it out, heated the solder until it melted and filled the crack and re-installed.

Too early to claim this fixed, but it makes sense.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-c...tarting-2.html

 

Good find. I've heard of this issue as well. I hope this fixes your problem!

Regards.

 

Just an update, it's been 8 days now and the Van has given me no problems in at least a hundred starts. I'm going to wait before calling this fixed, but I am very optimistic that this took care of it.

 

Glad to hear this fix is still working over the years. It's an all too common problem on 3rd generation vans (96-00). Those solder joint cracks can cause several different fail modes. Your's was the worst - starting problems. Good to see you avoided spending big bucks on this as many have.

Did you see 98t&c's how to video. It explains the whole process.

 

For the last few weeks, I'd noticed my entire dash go out. At times the speedometer would freeze at whatever speed I was traveling and everything else would be out completely. It never stranded me so to avoid the expense of having it fixed I ignored it.

Just yesterday, I drove it to town and had no problems. Then, in the evening I went out to start it and the engine would fire, run for a second then die. Over and over, then it stopped turning over at all. I removed the ground from the battery to reset the computer. No change...

I came inside and Googled, "Grand Caravan starts then dies after a second." The third hit sent me here so I read and made the decision to pull the instrument panel this morning. Sure enough, I had a broken solder joint on one of the outside pins where the wiring harness connects to the circuit board. I fired up my portable butane soldering iron and carefully soldered all of the pins for that connector.

After putting everything back together I turned the ignition key on and waited for everything to power up. No ABS or ALARM indicator like I had when it wouldn't start or died after one second. I turned the key and she fired right up and didn't stall. Time will tell but I'm 99.9% sure that this fix will work...

 

Great info Steven. You would be amazed how often this solder joint problem pops up on this and other forums concerning 3rd generation vans. Yet another example of a vehicle manufacturer getting away with shoddy manufacturing.