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Dodge Durango Starting and Stalling Problems
We've been experiencing some odd starting problems-- If anyone could help, or is experiencing the same problem I'd love to hear about it. For most of the summer every other time we start it, it makes a loud screeching noise. This is usually with just the first start of the day, then throughout the rest of the day it is usually fine. A couple of times when it was really bad I saw smoke coming out from under the hood. I left it sit a few hours and came back and it started like there was never a problem.
Our mechanic has not heard the noise it makes, thought it must be the starter and replaced it. Well, just picked it up and it is doing the same darn thing. Would have left it, but need it to tow this weekend. It is not the battery, it sounds like it wants to start, but just doesn't turn over. Again, this is usually every other morning or so. We may even go a week where it is fine, then it starts doing it every other day again. Most times it will start on the second or third try, but two times, it left me sit... Any suggestions would be appreciated, as I'm in $400. and still having problems. Thanks!
Our mechanic has not heard the noise it makes, thought it must be the starter and replaced it. Well, just picked it up and it is doing the same darn thing. Would have left it, but need it to tow this weekend. It is not the battery, it sounds like it wants to start, but just doesn't turn over. Again, this is usually every other morning or so. We may even go a week where it is fine, then it starts doing it every other day again. Most times it will start on the second or third try, but two times, it left me sit... Any suggestions would be appreciated, as I'm in $400. and still having problems. Thanks!
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tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
thx
I hope this helps.
amy
Since then this truck stalls without any warning while driving. It;s happened more then I can count! I replaced the fuel cap, I heard it could be a sensor, fuel pump, filter - I noticed that the gages aren't quite accurate either.
I had all of the fuses checked, even replaced relays, the battery is new and its not the starter, the truck DOES want to start, its as if no fuel is getting to it. I am aware that the fuel pump is built into the gas tank, I also am aware that when I ran it out of gas, its possible that the pump probably got clogged due to drawing off from the bottom of the tank.
Yesterday, it ran great - no problems at all in any way. Today, I made it 1/4 down my road and it shut off on me. Never re-fired. In the past I disconnected the battery to clear the codes (it only has one code it does list - P0455 evap.) but when I connected the battery back, it fired right up. Yesterday though, one of the reasons it ran well, was because I was in stop and go traffic, at crawling speed and I took the OD off -I then noticed it idled higher at stops and no hesitations either (sometimes when I am stopped it feels or sounds like it is hesitating or may stall)
I never took it out of OD before, just briefly yesterday - but today I've had it! It would not refire for nothing AND there was no antifreeze in it! No visible leaks but I had a gallon in the truck and added it immediately when it first shut down on me.
This is unsafe, it scares me. I know it needs to get to a reliable Dodge dealer (not the place I bought it from ugghh!) but for now it's here at my home. Like I said, ever since I ran it out of gas and put crap gas in just to get to a close gas station this stalling problem started and it will not restart for several minutes, sometimes an hour - today it never did re-fire. The engine light comes on at times then goes off, but once I had it filled with Premium which I usually put in there and the low fuel indicator/warning light came on!
I can't keep having this happen when I leave my home, I just lost my younger brother, its been a terrible time in my family and I need this issue corrected. Please, does anyone have any ideas? Could it be the fuel pump or filter? and yes, oil changes have been up to par (routine maintenance) - but this is frightening. Please help!
You can possibly find one online much cheaper though that has been flashed for you.
The coolant leaking out not sure about. It could be a leak in a hose, radiator etc...
Needless to say, the service guys I did speak with about this from Dodge seemed baffled, one DID suggest it could be the PCM also,.......obviously unless they put it on the computer to properly diagnose, they simply aren't sure either........
BUT - see what you think about this,... LOL - I have to laugh here cuz the year I've had, which was not good - I also lost my only brother unexectedly too, so its just been a difficult time for me in pretty much all aspects ................ about my Durango, over the holiday I had a surprise visit from a neighbor of mine, who is in the military, he's very, very high in rank, and has to ship out once again to the Middle East in a couple of weeks, I haven't seen him in a year when he was here last, and it was wonderful to see him again especially beings he's being deployed.....but he's always been great with cars/trucks etc -
He also has a Durango 2002 but never had the probs I am. He asked me "Does the truck have gas? It sounds like its not getting any fuel." ( I did attempt to start it for him) - the battery is brand new, the truck does want to "fire up" - I started with the little things, and before I spend an arm and a leg at a dealership and possible towing fees in order to take it to a dealer) I am trying everything......
Had a plumber at my home last month, my water heater was leaking severly and I thought based on the age of the water heater I currently have that I'd need a new one - BUT come to find out, it was a $3.00 screw that needed to be replaced - and it never has leaked since, - thankfully this guy was honest, any other plumber would've probably have me install a new one and all in all, it didn't need to be replaced............. So hopefully my truck issue is a minor one........
Ok - here it goes,................ I am new to Dodge, I've owned Fords all my life, I have a Mustang GT - their gas tanks are small compared to the SUV's, and I've had my GT on the red-line, sometimes beyond and not once did I run it out - sometimes I threw just $2.00 in it and gauge moved up way above the red-line -
The last time I ran my truck, I had between a quarter and a half-tank in it - it stalled out on the part of my street that is a bit of a an up-hill area, - I had a friend push it home and its been here since, I replaced the batteries in the remote, the computer programmed and the fuel light came on...... I put 3 gallons of gas in since this thing quit on me, BUT from what I've been being told lately is that it may need more gas in order to start. For my Mustang GT 3gallons easily would start that car - but could THIS be the case??? The ONLY other times it stalled on me was when it was near or a bit below the 1/4 tank mark in the gauge, but the gas light didn't come on, however once I threw a ton of gas in it, it fired right up.
IF NOT,............where is the wiring for the PCM? Just curious........tomorrow I am trying to add much more gas in it, and if it still doesn't fire then Monday it will get towed to the dealer -
If you have any further advice or ideas, please let me know - thank you!
Another thing it could be is the coil. Try having that checked out too.
Good luck,.
the computer teach's itself when started the first 3 time's after a new battery is installed, what the pulse width of the fuel injector's should be. so even if you have free'd the shorted wire you still think you have a problem because the vehicle won't stay running. It will but you must start and feather gas pedal several time's for it to reteach itself. Finding the short is your next primary goal. Putting an Amp meter inline with the battery with engine off ignition off and seeing the amp draw, and removing fuse's and relay's one at a time untill the amp draw goes away is the normal technique. remember do not turn key on or start engine as this may damage your voltage or multi-meter, when using it as an amperage probe.
While looking for a solution to my problem I ran across yours and can offer you some help. To start I've been rebuilding cars most of 50 years as both a hobby and part time profession. So my suggestions are unbiased and as honest as possible. I hate to see people get scammed by dishonest mechanics. So I will give you some incite on several ideas about why your having these problems. Because you let your vehicle sit in a hot climate with only 1/8th of a tank of fuel is not really a good thing. Because of the change in temps from hot to cold day and night you have most likely caused the fuel in the tank and in your fuel lines to loose both octane and evaporate causing the fuel to build up a kind of tarnish in your system.
This could include your fuel injectors. The cheapest solution would be to go to an auto parts store or a Wal-Mart and purchase a can of "Sea Foam" fuel line treatment. Don;t let anyone talk you in to buying a cheaper brand. sea Foam is exclusive in marine applications and works very well and very quickly to clean out your fuel system. Prior to filling your tank with gas pour in the entire can of Sea Foam. then add as much gas as you need to bring the tank to about 3/4 full. Do not fill it all the way up. Leaving the Sea Foam in a more concentrated state it will not dilute it as much as a full tank would.
This will make it work faster in your system. I would also suggest you purchase a higher octane gas than the cheapest 87 octane fuel you can buy. A mid grade 89 or high test 93 octane will also work better as the first tank in your Durango since it has been stored. After you use up that tank you should see a marked improvement in your idle and stalling should totally subside. If it still is giving your trouble but running better try repeating the process with the sea foam a second time before taking it to a garage you don't know or trust. Depending on how it was stored it may take two cleanings. If you have to store it again for any length of time I would suggest that you buy a bottle of "Staybil" here is a link so you know what it is.
http://www.amazon.com/STA-BIL-22214-Fuel-Stabilizer-oz/dp/B000B68V6I
I would also consider having a battery disconnect switch installed in your durango. when your ready to go out of town I would park it in it's final storage location and then use the disconnect switch to disconnect the battery from the vehicle and the computer. This way the battery will not drain down while your gone. You might want to purchase a small 2-3 amp battery charger/conditioner that can be left on the battery while your away.
This will keep it charged up so when you return all you need to do is turn the disconnect switch back on and start the vehicle. You will have to reset your radio stations and your clock. But those are minor to spending several hundred dollars to just get your Durango running again. I hope this helps you out. If you need further help drop me an email at Alex739@yahoo.com and I'll do my best to make sure you don't get scammed by a local garage.
God bless,
Alex W.
Roanoke, VA
(ps: please forgive any spelling errors. It's been a very long day for me.)
Any help would be greatly appciated thanks.
*** Listen up fellow RAM OWNERS *** On May 22, 2011 I was driving to the corner store just to get some milk, 6:40pm on a Sunday evening. From my house to where the intersection meets is less than 1/4 of a mile...I made a right turn and proceeded to this little store .3 (tenths) of a mile away. I NEVER MADE IT. The last thing I remember was the gas light had went on, I knew I could make it to and from that store then get gas in the a.m. Instead, the very next thing I knew I was being placed into the passenger seat, because they could not cut me out of the truck. EMTs were at the driver's door assisting me, Firemen and another EMT were in the back seat also assisting. I looked out of my windshield, I could see the black paint,............well the black hood all crinkled up and I asked "What happened." Then I heard an EMT say "Helicopter" and another yelled for a "backboard." -
As I was driving and not going over 40 miles an hr, it was impossible to do the store I was heading to was yards away - however, the front axle broke while I was driving, the hub, tire arm/rod - the whole package came apart while I was driving without ANY warning whatsoever. NO vibrations - the steering wheel didn't vibrate, shake -the tires ....NONE of those things indicated such a traumatic accident was seconds away from occuring. When the front end snapped, the truck fell forward straight into the asphalt of the road I was driving on, then the airbags deployed, the truck then went out of control, crossed the oncoming lane, went off the road hit 3 trees, 2 telephone poles and into someone's house -HEAD ON. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS INJURED!!!!!! To top it off, I was knocked out for nearly 11 mins....and get this, which is a Blessing............I DID NOT HEAR A SOUND, I WAS NOT CONSCIOUS DURING THE ENTIRE CRASH, - in fact, the very next day I was trying to figure out where I crashed at, I even had friends drive down certain roads nearby looking for the remains of this viscious crash I endured. BUT no one could find it. Then I got the newspaper and there it was, in full color on the front page along with the exact location and details of the accident ---- it was my truck. If it weren't for that paper I wouldn't of known where I wrecked at (yes I would've of course eventually but I wanted to know right then and at that very moment!)
I was not flown in a helicopter thankfully- just wisked away on a backboard and neck collar, not even on a stretcher, a backboard with 6 guys carrying me to an awaiting ambulance. It was as if I was in a war-zone. FORTUNATELY --------I WAS OK, I ONLY SUSTAINED AN UPPER THIGH HEMOTOMA, AND THEN WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN UPPER THIGH HERNIA - (the top of my left thigh hit the bottom of the steering wheel hard as heck, in fact the bruising was so bad that it bled thru my skin, and I literally had to wipe it with a damp cloth time to time. The air bags did work thankfully, I had not a single scratch on my face, no neck or back injuries etc -
Long story short..............My Durango had 29 recalls on it!!!! 6 of them were for the front end!! The axle, tire-arm/rod, the hub etc - and it states "may cause the driver to suddenly lose control of the vehicle resulting in a motor vehicle crash." I have done my home work, and yes I have legal counsel also that I retained. I want my money back that I paid for the truck,........3 yrs prior, I lost my only brother unexpectedly he was 31 yrs old...... I am bringing his passing up because - yes these trucks have recalls on them,......BIG DEAL....you cannot recall a life. NOR buy it back either. I want Dodge to do as Toyota did when the throttle on their cars had that sticking issue, Toyota went public, they admitted the problem and urged -in fact strongly urged customers that if they own that particular make of Toyota to bring it to the dealership and it would be corrected free of charge. Hey - if something is broke or recalled etc......as long as they fix it, - then fine, I dont' care, I wouldn't of cared BUT I NEVER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT ANY OF THE RECALLS THE DURANGO HAD and guess what fellow RAM lovers..........ALL MODELS - DODGE DURANGOS YRS 1998-2005 ARE ALL RECALLED FOR THE EXACT REASONS WHY I LISTED ABOVE!!! SO ARE THE RAM PICKUPS, MINIVANS, DAKOTAS....ETC........ My truck was evaluated by the National Transportation Safety Board, someone came from Washington D.C. to take a look at my Durango. AND if any of you would like to see photos of my truck, kindly email me or reply here and I will send you a few photos. BTW - just google the make, yr and model of your Dodge, see for yourself............you won't believe the pages and pages of recalls on these things!!!! They are a death trap and or one in the making.....Please be careful, get your's looked at and research this - this is not a joke, I am just trying to help those of you who do not know about this and/or all of the recalls the trucks have.
be careful - do your research -and unfortunately, Dodge won't say a damn thing about it, (YET ANYWAY BUT THEY WILL!!!) there also have been fatalities due to the problem I listed above that caused my crash. I loved that truck BUT NEVER EVER AGAIN will I drive one!!!
if you would like to see photos, respond here and I will gladly show you the pictures I have of my Durango. (thankfully the airbags weren't recalled!!!)
Actually, many of us do have a clue about this. The problem on some first generation Durangos was due to upper ball joints that allowed moisture to enter the joint, displace the grease, and eventually wear out the dry joint (somewhat quickly). The recall was issued around 2005 or 2006 for 2000 - 2003 models, but only 4wd. The 2wd models were only afforded a longer warranty (10yrs/100k miles, if I remember right) on the front ball joints. I think the rational here was that the 4wd models would get more severe front end travel and wear thus would be more of a risk. The rest of the front end parts you mentioned were usually casualties of the ball joint seperating. I'm not saying that this was what caused your accident, but would be a front runner for cause I think.
Since you didn't own it whe the recall was issued I guess one could surmise that was the reason you weren't aware of it. I have a 2000 SLT 4wd 4.7 that I had the recall done on around 2007 or 2008, but the upper ball joints had been checked a couple of times and were OK prior to that. I don't put that many miles on the Dodge, it only has 103K on it now after 12 years or so. I'm not aware of so many "recalls", but there is a lot of service bulletins out there on this model, most of which I know about but won't go into now.
I wish you good luck with your legal action though. I think that any gain you receive from it will more than be offset by your costs however.
I enjoyed reading your post, that must have been a hair-raising day indeed!
I am at a loss. I have a 2002 dodge durango SLT + and have had it since 2005. I have had TONS of front end problems, stalling, windows falling down in the doors, brakes, ETC. We haven't received anything about recalls either. This hits too close to home for me. I am driving around with my 4 children on a daily basis and I just so happened to stumble onto this website looking for info about my radiator leaking. Something defiantly needs to be done about all the issues. Dodge should pay for the obvious problems that EVERYONE seems to be having. I would def be interested in seeing the photos if you wouldn't mind. Glad to hear that you weren't severely injured.
Sounds like it's a fancy electrical switchbox using integrated circuits.
-thanks
I went to the dealing yesterday. I was told it would be $139.99 to look at what's wrong with the starter AND another $139.99 to see why it's struggling to start. I thought this was absurd. I told him that I didn't think the remote starter was the issue because I'd been online and saw other people having this problem so I only wanted to find out why the car is stalling.
I'm trying to wait it out to see if there will be a recall because I can't really afford the repairs but I feel like the service center is trying to get every red cent that I have. Very frustrating to be dealing with these kinds of issues on a newer model SUV and at the milage I'm at.
1. A faulty cam position sensor
2. A problem in the anti-theft system
The durrango is running ok right now but am sure this is only a band-aid because something happened to cause the control system to fail in the first place.
My 2012 has less than 40K and out of warranty. Intermmittent but happens on 1st start-up of the day. Sometimes takes 2 tries to turnover. After running for a spell no prob. Dealership is no help. Will try wwwfixed solution. Dodge needs to find the root cause and a low cost solution.