everything shut down

Replace the brushes in the alternator. The worst way to test it is by removing it from the engine. They almost always test "good" that way. Any testing has to be done while the problem is occurring, and that's when the "battery" light is on.

The brush assembly costs around nine dollars, and I can describe how to replace it. There ARE other things that can cause intermittent charging, but once the alternator is already off the engine, you might as well just pop the brushes in. On older models that could even be done without removing the alternator from the engine.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

As for the corrosion on the battery terminals, that is a very good sign the battery is going to fail in the next six months.

When the ignition key is turned on, nothing happens, nothing turns on. The car is completely dead. This happened after work was completed on heating problems, new radiator and new fans. The mechanic checked out all electrical components and the all checked out OK.

Are any of the dash light coming on? Does the horn blow or at least the headlights come on? If not, have you checked all main fuses in the power distribution box under the hood? Also, check to make sure the battery cables are tight, clean, and undamaged from the work that was done.

I mentioned in my original statement that vehicle if COMPLETELY DEAD, no dash lights, no horn,... NADA! Fuse box, cables and all electrical components checked and seem to be functioning. But, like I said, turning on ignition switch ilicits no response.

Have you checked the ignition switch? Is there power to the switch?

Reply From Expert Caradiodoc:

If the battery had to be disconnected for the previous service, it is common for fuses to blow when it is reconnected, from the current surges to turn on the many computer memory circuits. Start by checking all the fuses inside and under the hood.

It isn't likely so many fuses blew that everything would be dead. A much more common cause is a loose battery cable at the fuse box. Follow the smaller positive battery wire to the fuse box and be sure that connection is clean and tight.

I have a 2000 Dodge caravan nothing inside works,dome lights, door locks, radio ,Head lights and nothing works until the key is turned on. Then if you turn the key off everything works untill you switch off the headlights.Nothing with key in assy position also

My money is on the ignition switch, Chrysler products of that vintage, especially Caravan/Voyager, were known for it. You can spen a few bucks and have Dodge scan the codes, their equipment will pick up the key positions and if there is a problem with it, You will also need the Dodge boys to program the new keys.

Ok I hooked up a obd2 code reader onto the obd2 connector and guess what no power there with key on or off. Would that still be the ignition switch? I'm thinking it would be.

double check the pcm fuse under the hood.

There seems to be an issue with how power is being distributed throughout my car.

I returned to my car after shopping,I turned the key and no prep-lights or key ignition sound was generated....needless to say that my car was dead when I tried to turn the engine. so I called AAA and had my car looked at on sight. he tested the battery and it had a full charge,so he asked me to turn the key again....a clicking sound was created. it wasn't the sound of the starter,it was coming from the cabin fuse box underneath the steering wheel, it sounded like a ticking time bomb and then stops after about a minute.

The AAA operator then asked me to turn the key again and the car started. it was baffling, he believed it could be the positive cable that is causing this issue.

since then, every time I go to start it, nothing happens but the clicking. i am forced use a jump pack to start it.

any thoughts as to how i can prove this theory and fix it up?

If it is a relay clicking, Which one is it? If you place your finger on it, you should feel the vibration. I might also have to check the actual voltage feed to and from your ignition switch.

thanks for the quick reply

I tried it, and no one rely seems to be teh culprit. the whole unit seems to be struggling.

the pinging sound of the door being ajar is the only electrically powered devise that seems to work.

also....how do I go about checking voltage feed to and from my ignition switch?

I looked at grand caravan LE didn't see LX? Get at the wires going to the ignition switch, You may have to get under the dash? In the diagram, the wires coming into the top of switch are voltage feed to the switch, hot all the time, use voltage tester. The wires coming from the bottom of switch in the diagram, go hot when you turn on the key, check for voltage. Notice the wiring colors.

stopped at gas station to get a drink come back put the key in and relay starts chattering in the inside fuse box
it is the bottom row all the way to the right
all electric is out and cant start cat roll windows up nothing at all.
Had someone push me into a parking spot.
called someone and they told me it might be a bad ground, but could that just appear after turning it off and coming back ?? if so is it a bad ground in the stear column ? cause all i did was turn the key off
weird thing is when i turn the key on the chattering stops
if i have the key off it starts again , when i hit the brakes it stops also
what the heck is going on here.

Your alternator could not be charging and when you went to restart it there wasnt enough in the battery to start it again.Check the basics first like battery fully charged also battery cable ends clean and tight.

Problem is that intermittently (once every week or two) when I go to start the car there will be no electrical power to start it. Everything is dead ( dashboard, starter, radio, power locks, etc) except that during that problem time there is a slight buzz or clicking of some relay or relays (not related to trying to trying to turning the key in the ignition. Maybe door open relay?). Later, for some reason everything will be normal.

As a temporay fix, I have found that moving the transmission shift lever slowly back and forth one or two times will restore power when this problem occurs. When power does comes back, the clock has reset which seems to indicate that all power to the car was somehow cut off. This temporary fix works immediate and well but again a week or two later the problem returns.

Sometimes while driving, odometer and transmission gear lights will flicker and maybe the gauges needles start to get jumpy. This generally means that the above starting problems will occur if the car is later turned off and tried to start.

I am worried that this will get worse and perhaps electrical power will be cut-off during driving.

What is wrong? Can I fix it myself? Why would the transmission lever action have anything to do with restoring electrical power to the entire car?

Thanks in advance for help!

i too have a 97 caravan sometimes it will start and sometimes not. i pulled an unknown relay from under the dash that would make a clicking noise. i replaced the relay and still have the clicking noise. when it does start and i tunrn the key over without starting the fan acts like it wants to kick on then shuts itself off. i dont know if that has anything to do with it. if you find out what is causing it please let me know [email protected] thanks

It's just a bad connection, usually the positive battery cable, it has a bad corrosion problem, the contributing factor is inferior metal being used instead of good quality pure copper.

I have a Caravan that I have been troubleshooting for 10 days off and on. I was kind of like your problem with the flashing lights on the A/C control and a relay clicking.

It started with a auto tech replacing the evap coil by removing the dashboard. Then the relay clicking started and I could here a vent motor trying to move but stopping. I did a cooldown test by pressing the wiper buttons however it would only flash lights till I bought a used A/C control unit :

Did not fix the problem so I was up late many nights looking and pulling things apart.

I found that the auto tech pinched some wires when putting the dash back in. The pinched wire was for the common motor driver the opens and closes the vents.

The Blu / Whi wire runs to three of the four motors and should not be grounded but was. I used an meter to find this out and the diagram in the Dodge manual.

I pulled the wire out of the connector and hooked up the control unit and the the lights would flash and try to run a test but would never complete the test.

I had the auto tech pull the dash and he found the pinched wires were behind the dash running down into the air duck.

After pulling it back and remounting the dash everything is working and no clicking of the relay.

So is your problem a short ?

[quote:fb8650e22b="RogerDoger"]I have a Caravan that I have been troubleshooting for 10 days off and on. I was kind of like your problem with the flashing lights on the A/C control and a relay clicking.

It started with a auto tech replacing the evap coil by removing the dashboard. Then the relay clicking started and I could here a vent motor trying to move but stopping. I did a cooldown test by pressing the wiper buttons however it would only flash lights till I bought a used A/C control unit :

Did not fix the problem so I was up late many nights looking and pulling things apart.

I found that the auto tech pinched some wires when putting the dash back in. The pinched wire was for the common motor driver the opens and closes the vents.

The Blu / Whi wire runs to three of the four motors and should not be grounded but was. I used an meter to find this out and the diagram in the Dodge manual.

I pulled the wire out of the connector and hooked up the control unit and the the lights would flash and try to run a test but would never complete the test.

I had the auto tech pull the dash and he found the pinched wires were behind the dash running down into the air duck.

After pulling it back and remounting the dash everything is working and no clicking of the relay.

So is your problem a short ?[/quote:fb8650e22b]

I suppose it could be a short. Maybe some wire in the area of the transmission lever switch and the ignition. I'll have to look in that area. Thanks for the suggestion.

A number of years ago I had the clockspring replaced, I think that is in the same area of steering wheel. Something piched there and related?

By the way, my dome light can be turned on when the dash/ignition is dead. That's on a different circuit from the dash. Seems to prove some power is getting through to other parts of the car.

I fixed it. The problem deteriorated to the point that the car would never start or have power to the dash. Only the relays would buzz (door open relay).

I decided to clean the battery terminals and cable clamps with a brush. That fixed it immediatley.

Lesson learned: Clean the battery terminals/cables clamps first even if they don't look corroded for odd electrical problems (especially buzzing ignition-off relays). It is simple to do as a first step.

If I had had a solid constant no power condition, I would have removed the battery cables earlier to check/test battery and discovered this fix earlier, but the marginal battrey connection fooled me. Ignition-off relays like door-open buzzed because they were apparently not getting enough voltage/current due to poor battery connection. Of course dash and ignition didn't have enough juice to power on either. Transmission lever temporary fix above must have somehow changed load on battery enough to get juice flowing - further distracting me from the real fix.

Thought you would like the confirmed happy ending (seems like few posters ever come back to confirm the fix).

With the key in the on position (engine not started)
every system is working Radio, windows, turn signals,

after starting the engine no Radio, windows do not work, abs light on, turn signals slow

any ideas thank you

I would suspect ignition switch
after engine start try and move the key a little back not to much ,so the engine stay running do you get things working now and if so remove and replace ignition switch

My battery was bad and I jumped started the vehicle. I reved the engine to charge the battery. During reving everything shut off. Afterward the car would not start at all, and I think there was no electrical to anything (happened a few months ago).

I suspect some (and hope) some sort of main fuse was blown but can't seem to find one.

Thank you.

If the battery is down, take it off and get it charged. Check the charging system. Check battery connections. If the starter won't crank, check the starter circuits. If it cranks good but won't start, have a helper crank it, while you visually check for spark at the plugs. If you have spark everywhere, use a gage and check fuel pressure. Are there any applicable trouble codes?

Thanks.

I have no codes. The battery is definitely bad and needs replaced. But while the car was running I reved the engine and imediately everything died. In an instant it went from running to having ho electrical power to anything. Not the ignitiion, door locks, lights, etc.

The national brand autostores will check the battery and recharge if need be. Without good battery voltage, you can't test anything.

Thanks. If I can't find a main fuse to look at I'll start my trouble shooting with a new battery. I'll also continue trying to even see if the is a such thing as a main battery fuse so I can at least take a look at it.

Thank you for you help.