No crank, no start has a brand new battery ?

1997 DODGE DAKOTA
165,000 MILES • 5.2L • AUTOMATIC
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CARADIODOC
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Where do you see the water? If it has a sunroof, there are drain holes with hoses that run down the "A"-pillars that can become blocked. You'll see water dripping from that opening.

If it's wet under a door, check the weatherstrip around that door. They have to be torn up pretty badly to leak. Those rubber strips have a bunch of small holes in them. They are hollow tubes. The holes let air inflate the tubes while driving to create a better road noise seal. If there's tears in the rubber, that can prevent those tubes from expanding while driving, then you may find "witness marks" in the form of dust and road dirt settled on the painted sealing surface. If the weatherstrip is not torn, but it is not sealing well, you can cut a small slit in it, then slide in a small piece of vacuum hose to help it hold its shape.

On some car and truck models, rain can enter the fresh air intake just in front of the bottom edge of the windshield, and not flow onto the ground due to blockage down lower.
Sep 7, 2026 at 7:07 PM
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DALEC6328
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Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it. You're the best!!
Sep 9, 2026 at 9:52 AM
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CARADIODOC
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Thank you. I have more experience with wind leaks while driving. If you haven't solved the water leak problem yet, start a new question. That way all of the other experts will see it and have a chance to reply. If I see it, I'll follow along on the side to learn the solution.

For that and all your other insurmountable problems, here's the link for a new question, if you need it:

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/new

Please come back to see us again.
Sep 9, 2026 at 1:55 PM
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DALEC6328
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I'm referring y'all on my Facebook truck groups as well
Sep 10, 2026 at 11:00 AM
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STRAILER
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Nice! we appreciate it :)
Sep 12, 2026 at 8:52 AM
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DALEC6328
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I can't seem to get the harness plug to "snap" into place on the neutral safety switch. What should I do?
Sep 16, 2026 at 10:35 PM
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STRAILER
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Sometimes the weather pack seal gets in the way try a little WD40 which should help it "click" into place.
Sep 17, 2026 at 11:06 AM
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DALEC6328
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Ok thanks I did it and it seems to have clicked into place
Sep 19, 2026 at 11:47 AM
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STRAILER
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Nice! Have a great weekend!
Sep 19, 2026 at 11:50 AM
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DALEC6328
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This goes back to our other conversation. What's the deal with the alternator. He said it's old and not a single output""??
Sep 24, 2026 at 9:39 PM
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STRAILER
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I would watch this video and then start a new thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YRW8fyNudY&t
Sep 25, 2026 at 6:04 PM
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CARADIODOC
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The left photo is of an older Ford generator. What the comment might have been in reference to is there's just one field terminal on the back. The second one would be grounded internally. I don't think this is the best choice for wind power. Remember when I said "all generators are very inefficient at low speeds"? With a car engine idling at around 800 rpm, and an alternator pulley roughly one sixth the circumference of the crankshaft pulley, at idle, the alternator is already spinning at close to 4800 rpm, and it's producing almost no usable power. It isn't until you raise engine speed that they become efficient enough to produce usable current. To do that, it can take up to around five horsepower to drive the alternator. It's going to be almost impossible to get enough wind energy to drive an alternator fast enough.

If you were to experiment with car alternators, the better choice would be a Chrysler unit from 1970 or newer models. Next would be a Nippendenso alternator used on mid '90s and newer Chrysler vehicles. Both have both field terminals on the back, with no internal voltage regulator or internal circuitry to contend with. They still need a good five horsepower and pretty high rpm.
Sep 25, 2026 at 9:00 PM
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