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Electrical issues, can't start 94 Caravan


arobinso
08-30-2004, 08:27 PM
Have a '94 Caravan "Sport" w/3.0 and 4spd (original!) trans. Drove home from work Friday, parked it (outside) as usual and Monday a.m. it wouldn't start. Turn the key and nothing - no clicks, no sounds, no warning lights. With the ignition on, the dash doesn't light up - no idiot lights, warnings, check engine, oil pressure - nothing at all (not even the clock on the radio). Tried to read the codes from the computer just in case but the check engine light won't flash. Battery is a 6 mo old DieHard and is fully charged (put 10A fast charger on it to be sure). With the ignition on, the headlights and hi beams are good, the turn signals and heater blower work, the pdlocks (and the remote clicker) work but not the pwindows, radio or the front wipers. Turn the key to the start position and the signals and/or blower shut off as expected but nothing else happens. Checked all fuses and re-seated all relays in the "power centre" and in driver's footwell (fuse block down low and relay block up behind the metal panel). Got my tester light and checked the circuits / fuses. Confirmed no start signal at steering column, no power to wiper and pwindow fuses. The van has a remote start that I installed myself so I checked all those connections - nothing cooked or corroded. The remote start will power up the fuel pump until full pressure (the key won't do that) but remote start will not try to crank the motor. Remote start flashes "no start" trouble code using park lights so it seems to be OK. Checked through all the electrical posts here but nothing sounds the same, just some similar. Because the remote start won't start it, I don't think it could be the ignition switch because the remote start sits between the switch and the engine. Could it be one of the relays or worse something expensive? We had a lot of rain and humidity for the 2 days while it sat still. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanx.

arobinso
09-01-2004, 06:51 AM
Is it bad form to answer your own post? Oh well - with apologies, here goes. In case someone else browsing later has a similar issue, the problem was a broken ignition wire at the power centre under the hood. The wire from the large "Ignition Run" fuse had been rubbing on the bottom of the power centre tray, the insulation got a tiny hole but thanks to our northern location, moisture + salt corroded the wire right thru. Got a tip from a mechanic buddy to check all the wiring in that area since there are a few minor fusible links and the symptoms suggested only one ignition feed was affected. The clue to look for is the green fuzzy stuff.

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