1995 Intrepid Starting Problems

[TINA BERGHOLM]

I have had my 95 for 2 1/2 years. The day after I got it I noticed that sometimes when I turn the key over nothing happens. The problem got worse over time and was taking me 100 or so tries before I could get it to start. I got the starter replaced 3 times in the last 3 days, I also had my starter relay replaced. My charging system is good. Now, after the third starter put in this morning, I have nothing again. It started fine for the first few hours, now it takes me 50 or more tries before it will start. The place I had it fixed said it was the starter and that I must have a secondary problem, but they don't know what. I am going crazy, does anyone know what the hell is going on? Thank you for your help!!

[neon_rt]

I would assume bad ignition switch.

[KimMG]

Check to see if you have power on the yellow wire going to the starter relay when you are trying to start your car. If there is no power, then I would suspect a poor connection between the relay and the ignition switch or the ignition switch itself.

[TINA BERGHOLM]

we installed a new ignition switch and have not had any problem with it since. I would bet that was the problem all along, and we got screwed with the new starter. Just glad to have it fixed, thanks for the advice.

[AWP9521]

Glad you got it sorted and sorry it cost you a starter too. I had a 95 Concorde that exibited the same problem, sometimes you turned the key and it would start, and sometines you turned the key and got nothing but lights on the dash. The experiment I tried can be beneficial to others that have the same problem crop up.

What I did first was pull the Starter Relay in the Power Distribution Box and swapped it with another known working relay (Such as the Fuel Pump Relay since the car always ran when the starter did work, all the relays are identical) and tried it in the Starter Relay position and tried the key again, still nothing happened. Then I pulled the relay and carefully took off the plastic cover with a small flat blade screwdriver and plugged the uncovered relay back in, I then turned the key to the on position and pushed down on the relay contactor and the starter immediately cranked over the engine then released the relay contactor when the engine started. That alone tests both the relay that was originally in the Starter Relay slot (Engine running because the original starter relay was now running the fuel pump) and the Starter itself was not bad (Engine cranked and started) which leaves either the ignition switch, neutral safety switch, or the wiring circuit to the relay itself in question. It was of course the Ignition Switch that was the culprit, but that little trick got me and the wife through til the next payday so we could get the switch and replace it, I just left the relay cover off and closed the Power Distribution Box and made a mental note what to do if the Key didn't start the car til payday.