98 Caravan issues

I am having problems with my Caravan not starting. After the battery is jumped, it works fine. This has happened twice in the past 2 weeks. I brought it into my mechanic, and they told me the battery was fine, and all the electrical systems were also working fine. My mechanic told me I may need a new starter since they can't find anything wrong with the car. When I asked them if there was a way to test and make sure it was the starter, they said it would be easier to just put a new one in. My car has only 65,000 miles on it, and am not sure if I should go ahead and let them put a new starter in. Any advice would be great.

Little confused by not starting are you saying that it is turning over but not starting or it is not turning over at all . If the battery is ok then why is it being jump started ? If the battery is ok it should not have to be jumped . I would thoroughly clean the battery posts and the inside of the cables until they are shiney and see if that helps , a starter sounds like a wild guess to me .

If the battery passed a load test then it's a good battery. It's the only true test of a battery. Testing the voltage or using a hydrometer is only half the story. If your mechanic turned on the headlights and said, yup, the battery is good, find another mechanic.

My battery was dead again today. Car would not turn over, and I needed a jump to get it started. I didn't use the car yesterday, so it was sitting for about 36 hours . Once it was jumped, it started up fine at places I went today. I really don't think it's the starter either. A neighbor who helped me thought it is either the battery or alternator. Do you agree?

My battery was dead again today. Car would not turn over, and I needed a jump to get it started. I didn't use the car yesterday, so it was sitting for about 36 hours . Once it was jumped, it started up fine at places I went today. I really don't think it's the starter either. A neighbor who helped me thought it is either the battery or alternator. Do you agree?

if the battery was completely dead this monring then something in the van has a circuit. the glove compartment light may on or the positive batery cable is raw and grounded somewhere.

Sounds like you have a slow voltage drop somewhere. Could be a regulator problem. One of mine had a starter problem which was causing a voltage drain, it finally went, got it replaced and its fine now. I also had a PCM causing a voltage drain.

Does your mechanic have a good load/alt/batt tester? Can you get to a discount parts store to have the alt/batt tested? Like Advanced/Autozone? Is it feasible to go to a Dodge/Chrysler dealer to have them run a check on it? Second and third parties help in pinpointing.