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Comments
Until the last 3 months, I have loved my car. Now it's just driving me insane.
Thanks.
Any help would be appreciated.
About your starting problem. As you say that periodically it won't start (turn over) but radio and other electrical seems to work it kind of rules out a lot of possible reasons. I must question your dealer's trouble shooting skills on this one.
You also say that it takes anywhere from 3 to 12 tries to get it going.
For me this sounds like there is no problem with the engine itself to start. It starts if it turns over when you turn the key, correct?
So, the problem is that when you turn the key for some reason the starter motor does not always engage.
There are some interlocking safety features build in the car's starting system. One of them is a switch in the gear selector. The switch does not allow car to start (engage starter motor) if gear is not on either park or neutral.
You can test for this next time your PAC doesn't want to turn over when you turn the key. Just move gear to reverse and back to park a couple of times and try again. You can also move gear to neutral to see if it makes it to work.
If any of this helps you can go back to your dealer and tell about it. It requires adjustment on the Park-Neutral switch (or replacement) and should not be a big job to do at all.
Arrie
thanks for the heads up...I have been online today researching alittle bit and someone also suggested the starter solenoid actuating but not completing the circuit to power up the starter. they suggested the starter to be replaced. Have you heard of anything like this. I am so unmechanical. I do not want to be taken by the dealership thinking I am a dumb woman. Thanks for any help.
Annie
Of course it can be the "starter solenoid" but I would do the test with gear selector first as I was explaining in my earlier post.
If it is starter solenoid actuating but not completing the circuit I think you should hear it. Modern cars have starters with built in solenoids. The way this usually works is that when solenoid is powered up it moves the gear in the end of the starter motor shaft to engage with the flywheel gear and when it does this move all the way at the end of it it starts the starter motor. If this all takes place you certainly will hear a clunking noise when the starter motor solenoid actuates only partially. There are mechanical parts moving when this happens.
If you do not hear anything like that when you try to start then I don't believe you have a starter motor issue. The problem probably is that your starter does not even try to start because it never gets the signal from your ignition switch when you turn the key. This can be caused by the Park/Neutral switch, which I was explaining about.
There are other possible reasons for it too but it is a good start for trouble shooting the problem next time it happens. Just move gear shifter around and try starting with it at Neutral.
This problem happened to myself with an old Ford Thunderbird years ago.
Arrie
I'm inclined to agree with it being the ground wire. My husband says that the way all the gears light up when we try to start it indicates a short somewhere.
Wes
If these are the symptoms:
1- Car clicks very fast when trying to start
2- lights flicker in sync with the click
3- Sometimes the car will start just fine, sometimes it will click
Then you have a dead cell in the battery. Easy fix. The same happened to me. Changed the battery. Haven't had the problem in one year.
Let me know
I'd be willing to bet that I won't have another issue with it until next summer, when it's humid with heavy condensation... If I were the first owner I would've qualified for the lemon law...but a stupid rental agency had it before me. I absolutely love this car - it does everything I need (great snow car with the AWD, comfort, style, room for all of my kid's gear), it just doesn't start for me once in a while.
So - those of you who have had repairs done (battery cables replaced, etc), is your car still doing ok, and how long has it been since you've been 'trouble free'?
Rebecca
~~~~~~~~~~~
I've also experienced this problem on my '05 Pacifica. The first time it happened I thought it was due to my remote lock keyfob being defective. I tried the other keyfob and it still wouldn't remote lock. It started working again so I didn't give it anymore thought. Now a few months later I tried to remote lock the vehicle and it didn't respond again. I put the key back in the ignition and noticed the instrument panel was dark but the car would start. I shut it back off and manually locked the doors (the power lock button on the door still worked) and went inside. When I came back later it started up and the instrument panel was back on again but now the 'check engine light' was illuminated. I did the old 'on acc on acc on' trick to get the fault codes off the odometer. It showed fault codes u110c (No Fuel Level Bus Message) and u0140 (Lost Communication With Body Control Module). Unfortunately my Pacifica is over 3 years old but still only 27k miles. I'm not sure what to do about this since it is no longer under warranty. Was hoping for a TSB or Recall. I will post a solution here if I get one.
I cant even trust my vehicle to go to the grocery store.
Im so done with Chrysler I wish I could get rid of it.
Rebecca
10/20/08
I noticed that the "Check Engine" Light is on with “gas cap” message. I decided to read and reset trouble codes by following a post I found on one of the Chrysler forums: depress odometer reset button, turn key to on position, release button. I tried it several times and may did something wrong, but instead of codes I’ve got messed up computer that started blinking dash lights including odometer. The odometer is blinking even with key off. I can not start my car anymore. No crank at all. Because constant blinking and clicking relay in the fuse box I had to disconnect battery.
Have you experienced anything similar and know what to do to fix this problem? :confuse:
no mysteries there. You have a bad batterie cell. I had the exact same problem (see one of these posts).
The clicking is heard every once in a while and it usually click in sick with the lights flickering.
Sometimes it will work just fine. Sometimes, it won't. I changed the batterie 18 months ago and it never happened again.
Good luck.
The throttle that you control with the foot pedal closes all the way when you take your foot off. For the engine to run idle it needs air thru another route and this is done with an Idle Air Valve. When your engine runs while keeping throttle open by foot pedal but stalls when you take your foot off it means that your engine is not getting air.
Older engines used to have an idle adjustment screw for the throttle but with changing engine loads there had to be separate adjustments for example having the A/C on. There used to be a plunger that pushed throttle more open wnen A/C compressor came on.
Now engine speed is monitored by the computer and idle speed is maintained by the Idle Air Valve.
I have not had any problems with my Pacifica so I do not know how to change the valve but looking at it, it is quite easy job.
Idle Air Valve is most likely that cylindrical part mounted on the throttle body just before the air intake opening. In my Pacifica the electrical connection points towards rear of the car.
As your problem seems to be somewhat intermittent your problem could be just a corroded loose connection of the wire harness. The fix for this is to disconnect the wire harness for a few times, i.e. rub the corroded lead surfaces to get better connection.
It could also be that you need a new Idle Air Valve. The valve opening is controlled by a small step motor and over time this motor just goes bad and the fix is to have it replaced.
It is not very expensive part. I replaced it once on my RAM truck and the part was only like $70 or something like that. Of course labor will cost but I did it myself so I don't count cost for..
If you are at all a mechanically inclined you could do this yourself.
If after explaining how your engine starts and runs if you keep throttle open by foot your dealer did not know where to look you need to find another dealer shop. This is a prime example how stupid some dealer car services have become. They only check for codes and if there is no code they do not know what to do. Idle Air Valve will not give a code unless the connection fails completely, i.e. if the step motor stops moving but circuit is not broken there is no code.
Arrie
I just wanted to say that yesterday I drove my car to his shop and told him my problem. He immediately said it was the starter. $300. Thankyou to everyone who took the time to post their solutions. It cost me $35 and I am crossing my fingers that I don't get the stalling etc. problems that some of you are experiencing. I am so sorry that there has been no solution to your problems. BEEN THERE
cartmellauneas
Car Rentals
It has approximately 86K on it. This week, my wife drove it home from work, it poured down rain and now it is dead. I did verify that the battery was bad. This has been replaced with a new one. Now, when the key is turned on (tried both keys), the immobilizer light on the nav control panel comes on. No dash lights, can't shift out of park, no radio. Power locks and keyless works, but no horn chirp to verify security set. Interior lights, heater control and blower still work, but the outside temperature shows up as "--". Since the immobilizer light is on, I suspect that the car no longer recogizes the keys and needs to be reprogrammed. Anyone else have this problem?
Does you car work when it is not raining? Does it work after it dries up?
I doubt this is the key. I have a non electronic key for my car (to keep a spare copy in case I loose all of the electronic ones). I can start my car with it, but it stops after 2 seconds.
It sounds to me like you have a short somewhere. The water may be getting to some place in your wires or circuits.
If they tell you that the entire harness is being replaced due to a bad battery or engine ground, you should request that they just replace the damaged areas by soldering and shrinking a new piece on. If they are just replacing the harness without knowing exactly why to the tune of $2700, I'd find a different dealer or find a good independent mechanic.
Good luck.