Van Went Dead
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2010
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Van Went Dead
I was leaving the resteraunt, I started the van. It idled for a few seconds then turned off. Everything turned off radio, lights everything. Now it won't start at all! I tried to jump it but didn't work. Any Ideas?
Junior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 76
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From: Abbotsford, BC
Sounds like a bad connection upstream. Check the battery terminals. Check the negative cable's connection to the body and the positive cable's connection to the starter relay. If you have absolutely no lights, radio, etc even when the jumper battery is connected then it must be the negativ cable. Disconnect it from the body (if it still attached) clean and reconnect it.
Junior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Abbotsford, BC
Sounds like a bad connection upstream. Check the battery terminals. Check the negative cable's connection to the body and the positive cable's connection to the starter relay. If you have absolutely no lights, radio, etc even when the jumper battery is connected then it must be the negativ cable. Disconnect it from the body (if it still attached) clean and reconnect it.
Junior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Abbotsford, BC
With a broken starter relay you can't start the engine but you would still have power to lights, radio etc and it would not shut down the engine if its already running.
I guess I misunderstood something but I am glad that it is all right now.
Speaking for myself, I have never had troubles with that relay.
I guess I misunderstood something but I am glad that it is all right now.
Speaking for myself, I have never had troubles with that relay.
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Junior User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 50
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With a broken starter relay you can't start the engine but you would still have power to lights, radio etc and it would not shut down the engine if its already running.
I guess I misunderstood something but I am glad that it is all right now.
Speaking for myself, I have never had troubles with that relay.
I guess I misunderstood something but I am glad that it is all right now.
Speaking for myself, I have never had troubles with that relay.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,017
Likes: 209
From: SoCal
Sometimes the nuts on the terminal that all those wires are attached to on the starter relay loosen up. That in itself will cause intermittent problems, but it can arc between connectors and cause increases in resistance, like accumulating corrosion or dirt. It can not show up for a long time, and suddenly, you got no power. So that's one place I would check.
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Junior User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Abbotsford, BC
I agree. Check that connection. My friend's Caravan got stuck right at a drive through window because that freakin' relay. But it wasn't even the relay itself just the connection on the relay.
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