2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo----I need Help Please----

Tiny
KRYSTAL.ABKER
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO
  • 197,000 MILES
My 2000 jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo dies randomly and I can't figure out what needs to be fixed. The jeep dies sometimes going down the freeway doing 60mph, sometimes when coming up to red light or stop sign, and sometimes it just won't start )it has this problem in rain, sunshine, hot or cold, weather I have a full tank of gas or at a quarter tank) There are no warning signs and I don't loose complete power. The engine just shuts off and drops down to 0 rpm but the radio and lights still have power. There is no sputtering or stall before it dies, it just dies and the brakes and power steering are lost. Sometimes it just starts right up after dying and then other times it can take hours or days for it to start again. It has never had a check engine light come on (still after 5 months of this problem) I drive 20 miles to work and on average it dies 3 or more times each way on a daily basis. I have had the crank sensor replaced(it wouldn't start for a week then we replaced the crank sensor and it started right up and drove fine for about 4 days then again started dying daily), the idol control valve replaced, the battery replaced, the alternator replaced, and have checked the fuel pump relay. Recently, one of the mechanics told me they are pretty sure its the fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter, but I was just wondering if anyone can offer some insight before I spend even more money on parts. Also, recently the ignition has been having problems. One day I was trying to leave work and after trying to start my jeep for almost an hour, I took a break and went back inside when I came back out to try some more, the key wouldn't turn. A locksmith told me to take WD 40 and grease my key then tap with a screwdriver. This worked but since then it has still happened several times, the reason I am mentioning this is because he said something about my theft system killing my car. Several times now it has died while driving and then when I try to restart it the ignition is locked and the key won't turn, so I am not sure if maybe he was right and the chip in the key is shutting off my engine. (I thought he was crazy when he originally told me this might be my problem because the dying problem has been consistent for about 5 months or more and the ignition is a recent problem from 2 weeks ago) Any thoughts or helping tips would be greatly appreciated. I have a four year old that I refuse to drive in my car because I live in a big city with lots of crazy traffic and too many times now it just dies in the middle lane and I am stuck like a sitting duck with my hazardous on hoping people don't hit me. Please help
Monday, October 8th, 2012 AT 11:04 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
EVOLVE960
  • MECHANIC
  • 63 POSTS
Part of the starting problem does sound like the chip in the key, or a serious electrical problem, although it shouldn't be shutting off on the road. This isn't a typical issue with Chrysler vehicles. Mainly cam and crank sensors cause drive-ability or no run conditions, I would surmise that there is a electrical short somewhere that keeps causing the sensor to fail or the PCM is just bad, which also is common for Chrysler, If it were me I would be checking to see where my parts are coming from as well, they all should be under warranty especially, if a shop is putting them in. I would if I were you take it some where they can hook it up to a genesys or a snap-on scan tool and pick on the individual components.

I would absolutely hate to say dealership but they may have more insight, I will run this passed my commercial guy and see what he thinks as well, he worked for a dealership for 15 years and know quite a few of the Chrysler quirks.
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Monday, October 8th, 2012 AT 11:24 PM
Tiny
KRYSTAL.ABKER
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Its a jeep mechanic but he is a friend of the family and has come to my house to fix it. He brought a scan tool and hooked it up there were no codes. My father in law works at a dealership(not jeep) but they hooked up several individual parts to test them. The only thing was the alternator wasn't registering enough so thats why they replaced it and then the battery ending up getting drained from trying to restart the car constantly, but it has been good since I replaced it. Every time the mechanic comes to see it or I take it, it drives fine and won't mimic the issue. Yesterday he came to look at it and we drove for 20 minutes and it never died, he said his best bet is fuel pump but without seeing it while its not working he can't say for sure. But then that night I drove it to the store no problems its only a few blocks but then after shopping it took several tries to start. In the last few days the oil pressure is reading low but the oil isn't low and was changed 2 months ago. Today it wasn't even reading 1/8 but, that was also checked yesterday when he looked at it. Thank you for your help
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Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 AT 3:40 AM
Tiny
EVOLVE960
  • MECHANIC
  • 63 POSTS
While trying to restart the vehicle does the security key light come on?
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Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 AT 4:13 AM
Tiny
KRYSTAL.ABKER
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Not usually but a few times just hitting the unlock switch on my jeep will fix the ignition locking up. And a few times once I got it started the alarm started going off. But that is just as random as it dying. I am taking it to a locksmith to replace the ignition and get a new key in the next few days to see if that helps. It didn't die today at all not sure if it likes the colder weather or if it is going to run right for a few days (sometimes it likes to trick you and run right for a while) And today my oil was reading at a hair above zero but the oil place said that it may have a clog or something but it wasn't low and it was black but not that bad, its almost at 3000 so I am getting that changed a little early because the check gauges light kept coming on. The oil was a half way when I started then a few miles later it dropped to almost zero but never got any hotter or anything. They said its reading it wrong and not to really worry but I will just get it changed tomorrow to be safe. Today it felt very sluggish while I was going up little hills. Again thanks for your input
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Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 AT 6:06 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
I would bet on the crank sensor. Done hundreds for this issue

Roy
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Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 AT 8:36 PM
Tiny
KRYSTAL.ABKER
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
The crank sensor was replaced already and it ran for 3 or 4 days with no problem but then started dying again. The mechanic said he would replace it again because the part is under warranty still, it was replaced about a month ago. He said he thinks maybe it was faulty or something because they tried turning the key 3 times to on position and it had code p320 or something he said is related to crank sensor. My only concern is why would a new one work for a few days and then stop? So I haven't considered that being the problem again.
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Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 AT 1:57 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
It could also be the flywheel. Have him check that when he replaces the sensor again.

Roy
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Wednesday, October 10th, 2012 AT 9:59 AM

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