2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.3L V6 - starter noise

May 23, 2007 3 Replies
S

Help please!



I have a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan with a 3.3L V6 automatic. This morning my wife took it into town (about 10 miles there and back) with no problem. Then after being home awhile she was going to go again for an appointment and it would not start. When the key is turned, there is a fairly loud snapping noise coming from somewhere in the engine compartment which I assume is the starter. It's almost the kind of noise you might hear when the battery is low but much louder. Also, the battery checks out to be ok. Can the starter go bad just like that with no warning? Any thoughts or ideas what the problem might be? I'd appreciate any help with this.



Thanks, Steve



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T

I fixed one of those with the same symptom just the other day. It turned out to be the starter solenoid contacts were eaten down unevenly from side to side. As the plunger came down to the contacts, it would only hit one side and not make the electrical connection.

I purchased a new set of contacts as part of a solenoid rebuild kit ay the FLAPS. A very easy fix, and we were on our way again.

YMMV

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S

Thanks! I really appreciate the reply! I'll check out those solenoid contacts.

Steve

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S

On those cars, its pretty likely that the starter solenoid contacts are getting worn. If you try to start over and over, chances are that on the

4th or 5th "click" it will go ahead and start normally as if nothing were wrong.

New solenoid contacts are just a few bucks at a starter rebuilding shop (if you have access to one) and usually nothing else is wrong with the starter at all.

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