Hi all, I'm new to the forum. Hopefully I don't sound like too much an idiot. I normally drive our grand caravan and I haven't had any problems with it myself. My daughter was driving the van to classes this morning, she slowed for a right turn merge at an intersection when it suddenly died and would not restart.


When I arrived the battery was too low to attempt a start but I noticed that the left blinker was on and did not stop when I removed the keys. There was also a clicking sound that seamed to get louder and softer on its own, coming from the left side of the dash. There was no power steering or power brakes due to the car not running. It only stops clicking when the indicator switch is put in the left position even though she never put it that position. I had the van towed to my house. The first thing I did was to purchase a new battery, the old one was over 7 years old, which gave the van the power it needed but it still would not start. The engine wants to turn over but doesn't fire and the left blinker is still on. No matter what position I put the indicator in, it continues to blink.


Can there be a short in the indicator that caused the van to shut down and keep it from firing again or is this a different problem all together. I have already removed the instrument cluster panel and there are no broken or cracked soldier points (just thought I'd try it first). I do all my own work because I can't afford a mechanic. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

Did you check the fuses, and try swapping the relays?

 

Getting spark and fuel? Have you checked for codes? Any other problems associated with the data bus like erratic instruments, alarm light on, dead accessories?

When you checked for solder cracks did you reflow them anyway? Some can be microscopic. Dash bash ever bring anything back to life?

 

Hi, thanks for replying.




cv2003- I checked the fuses both under the dash and in the module box on the driver’s side of the engine but could not find any blown. I haven't tried to swap any relays mainly because I don't know too much about those and I don't know which ones I can be flipped flopped. Do they work merely off resistance or are there microcomputer boards within them? I’ll recheck the fuses today.



Cougar41- I believe I’m getting fuel although I didn’t think to check that yet. I do hear the fuel pump cycling normally when I turn the key to run. I haven’t checked for codes because it’s sitting in my driveway and I have no way to check those. The only other problem I had been the ambient thermometer indicator (located above the windshield) stopped working 6 months ago but I believe that’s unrelated. There have been no other problems; no erratic instruments, no alarm lights, and the radio and lights all worked perfectly. I usually drive the van full time so it’s not just a case of no one noticing.


Concerning the solder; I have not re-tacked the points yet, but I can. I still have the instrument panel sitting on my kitchen table. I figured I would try to find the answer before I put it all back together. Also, I didn’t do any sort of banging on the dash. The only thing working when I arrived yesterday was the left blinker (flashing very dim on the outside of the van and the emergency flashers would not activate) and that annoying clicking from the left side of the dash. When I installed the new battery, the clicking got louder and the blinker became stronger (although it doesn’t change with the movement of the indicator handle), also the instrument panel came to life. That’s when I removed the instrument panel anyway, just to check the points



I assume that there must be a short in the steering column because of the way the blinker is working but I just don’t know where to start to look.


Also, my daughter told me this morning that the van died after she activated the right blinker began her right turn. She said that the steering wheel was halfway into the turn when she lost the steering and brake assists and the clicking started. She can’t remember if the instrument panel died then also or sometime before I arrived.


Thanks for all you help. Any other suggestions are very much appreciated.

 

OK. Thanks to those that offered suggestions and here is an update. After I re-checked all the fuses, cleaned the battery terminals and checked the large bundle of wires on top of the tranny, I found that the clicking was coming from the auto shutdown relay. I decided to go back to my original post. I just couldn't stop thinking about the fact the van shutdown while turning right and the left turn signal would not stop, no matter what position the switch was in. That's when the light bulb hit. This was obviously an electrical short and the only problem that was jumping out at me was the turn signal. I spent the $120 for a new aftermarket turn signal switch and everything seems to be working fine now. It goes to show that it usually is the exact thing that is slapping you in the face. Thanks again for all you help.

 

Great news. I have to say that's a first in many years of reading multiple forums - a turn sig switch killing the engine. It is what it is. Now I have to spend some time in the diagrams and figure out why. The obvious thought - both the ignition switch and the turn sig switch are in the steering column. That's a start. Good bet it's more related to the locality and configuration of the wiring in the steering column rather than anything I can deduce from a wiring diagram.

BTW - For future reference, you don't need a scanner to check codes. Cycle the key from off to on (NOT START) within 5 seconds leaving it on. Now count the flashes of the SES light. Codes 21 and 22 would be flash,flash, pause, flash pause pause pause flash, flash, pause flash, flash. These are the old two digit MIL codes. A scanner will give you the more comprehensive 4 digit powertrain codes.

 

Thanks for the info. Is they a sight i can go to that lists those code combos? Yeah, I figure that if something weird is going to happen, it will happen to me.

 

This is a list of the common generic codes. http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/

Click on the manufacturer to get additional Chrysler specific codes.

A second source: http://www.equus.com/DTC