I picked up my 2005 Caravan (100,050km) this morning after having the sway bar bushings replaced. The vehicle was parked in the cold all day during work. After work, upon turning the key, I heard a loud clicking while holding the key on and the gauges went crazy (all the way up, then slowly back down).

After tapping on the starter (I guess that's it... directly under the alternator?) with a hammer a few times, it starts fine. It'll start again right away, but left for a while to cool down, it produces the same clicking noise and, intermittently, gauge activity.

Any ideas?

 

And does it require you to tap on the starter again to get it started each time?

 

Generally, if you tap on a stubborn starter and it turns over, the starter is at fault. Your gauges going crazy at the same time make me lean towards a battery issue. I would have it load tested for free at the parts store of your choice.

 

So far, no. When turning it off / on again, it starts fine. If left to cool, it needs some convincing.

I'll be looking at this over the weekend and taking it in later next week. I'll report back here with (hopefully) the fix.

Thanks guys

 

I have the same problem for couple of weeks now. I jsut parked and took the keys out and came back after two minutes turned the key on and the gauges went haywire, will go up and slow back down. Since then the problem keep coming and I thought it was the battery and replaced new one but I noticed that the illumination lite was stuck in reverse but it was @ parked gear. Van will sometimes go back in gear by itself and I can start it, then I can switch to drive, but when I put it on park it will stuck in reverse. Only this will happens on a very cold days. When I park and the illumination lite only lit on reverse I know I am stuck and if I turn the ignition off it will not start again, I can gear down to L but the Neutral illumination lite will not go on. ANY IDEAS or SOLUTIONS FOR THIS???

Thanks
Igorot

 

So are you getting the fast clicking when turning / holding the key?

Turns out my solution was the starting motor (mechanic said it was "acting up"). It's been replaced and it starts fine now / gauges are normal. He said a load test of the battery came back "borderline" as well, after charging over night. I'll swap that out later.

There was also an error code in the computer for a theft switch / transmission immobilization feature-gadget that he cleared, but he did nothing relating to that other than to clear it. That sounds more like what you've run into. Unfortunately, I don't have any additional info on it.