Starter Solenoid problems of the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan

Three problems related to starter solenoid have been reported for the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan based on all problems reported for the 2008 Grand Caravan.

1 Starter Solenoid problem

Failure Date: 06/24/2012

Van would intermittently not start. Would turn key and van would click once like solenoid was activating but starter would not turn on. Turn key a second time and van might start. On one occasion, van would not start on several attempts. Jump starting would not work. Battery tested ok. Replaced starter, after couple days van again would not start. Took to dealer, dealer replaced starter. After a couple of months, van is again intermittently not starting. We have discovered if shift lever is moved into neutral, van will start. This evening (9/25/12), my wife went to turn on the high-beams and the windshield wipers came on and would not cut off. The low-beams remained on, but high-beams and the turn signals would not turn on. I disconnected the battery for ten minutes and everything seemed to work fine when I reconnected it.

2 Starter Solenoid problem

Failure Date: 05/10/2012

2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. Passenger side front and rear doors power unlock problem. I have a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan stx. It has power windows and locks and power sliding doors. 3. 8l engine. The passenger front door lock, right passenger sliding door lock will lock when the button is pressed, but will not unlock when the button is pressed. This happens no matter which door unlock button you press (driver, passenger or key fob). I have traced the wiring no power when 'unlock' is pressed, but there is power when the 'lock' button is pressed. Also, I tested the passenger sliding door, again same result. I took off the passenger front door panel and unplugged the door lock connector at the solenoid and tested it. Again, no power when 'unlock' is pressed on any of the wires. The black wire on the connector is getting good ground. I traced the wires from the lock solenoid connector under the seats and to the drivers kick panel where they go through a grommet and into the fuse box under the hood. I probed the wires again by the kick panel and got no power when 'unlock' was pressed. I hear a relay clicking in the fuse box when I press 'unlock', but I can't find it. It is coming from within the fuse box under all the fuses and relays. Those relays are located in the fuse boxes inner part, and probably low quality, so they are gone in just few years of usage. Unfortunately, relays can't be replaced by owners due to location and connections.

3 Starter Solenoid problem

Failure Date: 08/23/2010

When key is inserted into the ignition and turned, the vehicle does not start. The starter makes a click sound but does not turn over. Several attempts turning the key are needed to start the vehicle. Sometimes after trying 5-10 tries with no start, pulling the key out and reinserting or opening the driver door with the key removed will start the vehicle. Eventually, the car will start normally. First it seemed to happen on after the engine was hot or hot outside 85 or hotter, but it got worse. I took it to the dealer, I told them I checked the starter solenoid and it wasn't reading 12 volts when van wouldn't start only reading under 5 volts, when the van would start it would read about 10 volts. The first trip to the dealer they replaced a starter motor, with in two days it happened again, they replaced the starter motor again with moper brand starter motor. This still did not fix the problem. I switch the battery with my other car to confirm not battery. Still van has starting problems. I was able to leave van with dealer for a week, they couldn't reproduce the problem, but when I got in the van all the electronics were turned off, radio, ac. . That was not an accurate test. The van still has intermittent starting problems. When winter came the starting problems stopped. But this spring and summer is almost here the starting problem has occurred again. We don't if the van will start or leave us stranded.




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