1997 Dodge caravan 3.0 v6 120,000 miles
Symptom: On occasion the van will turn over and start to run then after a second or two it will stall out kind of like the gas had been turned off. This will continue to happen over and over. Turn on, run for a second or two then stall out. Maybe an hour later it will turn over and run just fine. This will happen once a month or so.
The last time it happened none if the dash board gauges would work either.
Recently I had new fuel pump put in along with new filters and connections.
I asked the dealer if my van possibley had a anti theift shut down system but he said it didn't and I am not sure if I trust him.
Please, Please, Please help me with this problem. I need to be able to trust this vehicle for the sake of my wife and kids and I do not want to sell it to someone like this either.
Rod

 

It's my understanding that on a 97 van if you have a 3 button remote keyless entry key fob and an alarm light on the info center above the dash, you have an engine immobilizer. It's all part of the anti-theft system. Your stalling symptoms sound like a classic immobilizer problem. If equipped, does the system arm and disarm correctly?

Loosing instruments steers me towards the all too common 3rd generation (96-00) cracked solder joint issue on the instrument cluster circuit board. Specifically it's the solder joints securing the cluster connector to the circuit board. Yes, this can effect your stalling issue too. The CCD data bus circuit travels through the cluster. If that circuit opens, all sorts of electrical problems can appear including dead instruments and stalling. The fix is to remove the cluster and retouch each of the solder connections with a soldering iron. This is far from an all conclusive test but sometimes if you smack the dash above the instrument cluster it can bring the instruments back to life.

Another place to check is the HVAC control connector. It sometimes overheats and melts breaking the CCD bus circuit and creating your same symptoms.

An extreme long shot - disconnect the negative battery cable for 10 minutes. This may reset the system.

 

Thanks for the advice and your time. I will keep you informed and let you know if this fixes the problem

 

Thanks for the advice. Today the van acted up again so I gave it a good hit on the dash board above the instrument panel and the van turned over no problem. I will keep you updated on the situation and if this works.