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1999 Dodge Caravan My Van died at the stoplight.

Tiny
TAMI TIPTON
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 12,000 MILES
My van was fine, I drive it back and forth to work 70 miles a day. I was low on gas and stopped at a red light. When I pushed the accelerator the van lunged forward died. I thought OK, ran out of gas. But when I tried to start the van nothing worked. Like the starter was out or my alternator died. Towed it home, added a couple of gallons of gas; charged it up and nothing happened. Ok I thought starter, but the starter works, my boyfriend hooks up a wire from the battery to the starter and it turns over but won't catch. Checked the fuses, they work, could it be a relay? He also stated that he never heard the fuel pump kick in. He says that while trying to start it fuel is coming out (pressure being built because it squirts out somewhere?) Earlier that day, I hit a speed bump a little hard did I do something? Please help! I'm sorry but I'm not a car person, I keep the oil changed and basic needs for it but hopefully anyone might have an idea?
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Thursday, October 1st, 2009 AT 7:15 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
CH112063
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,320 POSTS
I have a feeling that the neutral safety switch on the transmission has an open circuit like the connector fell off. Do you know where it is on the left side of the transaxle near the lower corner, check to see if the plug connector or the wire came off. Also check out the fuses in the black power distribution center under the hood(has a black lid on it-battery side. And swap relays there also and check interior fuses and then check for trouble codes with the scan tool in the OBD connector. Maybe you damaged the wiring or PCM or something like a ground. Get going, times a wastin. Ok good luck
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Thursday, October 1st, 2009 AT 7:54 PM
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Common a bad ignition switch
turn key on do you have a check engine light on if not check fuses and ignition switch
if you do have check engine light on
cycle key on off on off on read codes in odometer area
check for a good ground
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Thursday, October 1st, 2009 AT 8:55 PM
Tiny
TAMI TIPTON
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Well he's changed the crankshaft sensor and the camshaft sensor (except we do not know the right spacing) it now turns over but will not spark. We have checked the fuses, so now we are working hard on it.
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Sunday, October 4th, 2009 AT 5:38 PM
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Do you have spark
with key on do you have check engine light on
I would suggest checking the video collection
should help in showing you how to do some tests

https://www.2carpros.com/video.htm

check ASD relay
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Sunday, October 4th, 2009 AT 5:50 PM
Tiny
TAMI TIPTON
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
LOL! We have tried, no spark, we hooked it up to a code reader, no codes, no check engine light on, so now I've (and meaning my man) took out "the brain" (it's what he calls it) thinking that maybe what is faulty. I'm bound and determined to fix this thing, why couldn't it have been something easy like a fuse? LOL!
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Monday, October 5th, 2009 AT 7:48 PM
Tiny
CH112063
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,320 POSTS
Tami, if you have no check engine lamp, no spark, no fuel, drive to cliff and push it off, then no car, Are you sure you found the black box in the engine compartment that has a black cover. It opens and has big, little, and tiny fuses in it. Tell whoever is looking at it that if he uses a test light he can tell if there is electrical power there, then the inside fuses, then from there. Do you know what I mean? I need this van to start for you. All the way with his test light to the steering wheel then the ignition switch. See you ok. Joe
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Monday, October 5th, 2009 AT 8:03 PM
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Few thinks not adding up here
if no check engine light on, PCM (the brain )not being powered and I can not see the OBDII reader communicating with a dead brain to give you no codes

with key on you should have check engine light on

if not check fuses and ignition switch

very possible to be a wiring
and you may be in need for wiring schematic

have your man check if ignition switch working the way it suppose to be
good luck
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Monday, October 5th, 2009 AT 8:42 PM
Tiny
TAMI TIPTON
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I am guessing this one is for the books! We now have the engine turning over from the ignition. There is power to relay, fuses, my radio and lights are working, We changed the crankshaft sensor and the camshaft sensor and got it to crank but no spark, so we took out the new ones we got and put the old ones in looking for which one got it that far and it now works with the old ones! There is no check engine light, I've looked myself, we are going to change out the pcm to see if ours is faulty. Yes we are confused with a "no code" there should be a code. If this does not work, I'm towing it to a mechanic that will let us use a real OBD machine (the one that was borrowed was the wal-mart cheapy thing and not the Snap-On Hold on to your butts 'cause it costs more than your first child one).
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 AT 7:47 PM
Tiny
CH112063
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,320 POSTS
The codes, even when you read them with a 6 thousand dollar Chrysler mini desktop does little good because no codes are common and the biggest reason a dealer gets any non warranty work. So at least your getting somewhere, they come in with 10 codes but you must write them down cause one failure and they all go haywire. Good luck anyway. Joe
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Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 AT 8:21 PM

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