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Another 2000 Dakota Not Starting
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madman1991
New User
Aug 27, 2012, 12:04 PM
Post #1 of 5
(2339 views)
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Another 2000 Dakota Not Starting
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Hi folks. I have a 2000 Dodge Dakota. It has the 2.5L 4-cylinder engine, 5-speed manual transmission. I have owned it for about 3 weeks now.
Last week, the truck would not start in the morning. I tried and tried to start it, eventually wearing the battery down, so I left it alone until the afternoon. It started with a jump start, and ran fine for a few days.
3 days ago, It wouldnt start again, after sitting all night. There was no spark at the coil. I pulled out the battery, charged it, then after a few hours charge, I replaced the battery and it started and ran fine the rest of the day.
2 days ago, again, after sitting all night, it would not start again. I replaced the coil, and it did not fix it. I took my battery out, Autozone tested it, said it was bad. So I installed a new battery, it started right up.
This morning, AGAIN, after sitting all night, it did not start. No spark. So this is an intermittent problem. After sitting all night, the truck "quits". I wake up to find it won't start. I have done all the diagnosing, and I am stumped. Can anyone help? Thanks...
Tim
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 27, 2012, 12:12 PM
Post #2 of 5
(2324 views)
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Re: Another 2000 Dakota Not Starting
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You may have a parasitic electrical draw.
There is a procedure for finding a battery draw like that.
You will need a digital ammeter and a jumper wire with clips on the ends to do this.
First rig any door switches so you can have a door open without triggering the interior lights and unplug the hood light. Remove one battery cable and attach the meter in series between the battery cable and battery post. Take the jumper wire and also attach it the same way. Leave the jumper wire on for at least 10 minutes to expire all the automatic timers. Now remove the jumper wire and read the meter. Anything over 50ma is too much draw. The way you locate this is to start removing fuses one at a time until the meter drops to normal level. This will be the circuit with something staying on. Determine what components are part of that circuit and check them individually until the problem is isolated.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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madman1991
New User
Aug 28, 2012, 7:51 AM
Post #3 of 5
(2273 views)
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Re: Another 2000 Dakota Not Starting
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Well, I appreciate your input. The plot is thickening with this truck. Yesterday, before work, around 6am, it would not start. After work, around 6pm, the truck started right up. That is with no charging, and no troubleshooting. I drove it to the grocery store and back, stopping and starting with no trouble. I tried it again before I went to bed, and it started at 10pm just fine.
Then I get up to go to work this morning at 6am, and AGAIN it would not start. It cranked over and over just fine, the battery is not discharging. I even put on jumper cables from another truck to give it added power, but still, it would not start. If it were a parasitic power draw, wouldn't the addeded power from a jump be enough to start it?
When I get home this afternoon, I am sure it will start up. What does it all mean?
I appreciate any more input on the situation.. thank you.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 28, 2012, 8:28 AM
Post #4 of 5
(2261 views)
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Re: Another 2000 Dakota Not Starting
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That could be any number of things from a connection problem to an intermittently bad component like a starter, relay, ignition switch, etc, etc. It's going to have to be troubleshooted during the failure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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madman1991
New User
Sep 4, 2012, 8:40 AM
Post #5 of 5
(2164 views)
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Re: Another 2000 Dakota Not Starting
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The truck had finally just quit starting altogether. No more intermittent problem, it was just done. And I was fit to be tied!
I have a pocket code reader, and it was not showing any codes at all. After reading around on here, I saw that I could get codes from the truck itself by turning the key on and off three times. So I tried that, and it showed a P0320. It led me to the crankshaft position sensor. I pulled out the old one and sure enough... it was melted and deformed. $70 later from Autozone, and the situation is resolved. Thanks for the help.
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