I have an older van, 97 Chrysler, that has a problem running. It will start, but not keep running. It has had electrical issues in the past, but nothing that could be pinpointed and fixed. The door locks used to go crazy up and downoccassionally when I was driving at lower city street speeds. Hasn't done that for several years. Last spring it started THIS nonsense, but after sitting for a bit, maybe 10 minutes, it would start and run fine. When I got it to the shop where thy could look at it, it wasn't doing anything where the codes would show up. You can't fix what you can't find! It would run fine for several months and do it again. Last Friday, I had it towed to the shop because it wouldn't run after an hour. May have found the problem, but then it started running. Drove it Friday and while it was running fine, all the dash indicators went out, then came back on, while the radio was still playing! Today, Wednesday, it wouldn't run and I am sitting at the shop while they are looking for the problem again! GRRRRRR! Pray that they canfind and fix the problem! :?

Had that problem with one car we USE to have and found out that it was the computer in it that would keep it from starting up again!

My truck started that four years ago, it ran fine during spring and summer, then once fall arrived it would start great, but would not stay running unless I kept my foot on the gas. For two years I spent more time at the garage then I care to remember. Of course as soon as it saw the mechanic it ran beautifully which made the mechanic seriously wonder about me. lol

They thought maybe there was water in the gas, so told me to use gas line anti-freeze. Then they said it could be ice crystals in the gas filter.Then they decided it needed a new battery, it ran great for two days then we were back to the same old hassles. Finally mechanic threw his hands up and said that it was a Dodge, get used to it! Once I got it moving it was fine, I used to leave it running when I checked the mail or ran into the grocery store for something.

Finally after two winters of dreading having to go out and do battle with it they discovered the alternator was toast, it wasn't charging my battery so when I started it, the battery didn't have enough charge to keep it running. So get that changed and it's been great. Except for the day I went to town and pulled in to park and the brake pedal went to the floor and the poor woman in front of me I swear saw her life pass before her eyes! LOL Turns out the young kid who did the service on it decided to top up the transmission fluid, only problem was that he topped up the brake fluid with transmission fluid..... a new master cylinder and brakes lines all flushed out and I was good to go again. Needless to say the only person I allow to work on it now is the mechanic.

Thanks, Shadow! We are looking at the body control module. The thing is not communicating the way it should!
These mechanics are the only ones who work on it because they are right across the street from where I spend most of my weekdays, and they are within walking distance of home if necessary!

Don't you just hate it when the car will only misbehave for YOU??? One of the things that drives me crazy (yeah, I know -- short trip)!

Years ago I had this old clunker and she ran just fine. Kept telling my dad, mechanic and anyone else who would listen, that I kept smelling gas. Well, they pretty much just ignored me and/or gave me "the" look that made you feel like they had just patted you on the head. Anyway, driving down the street, she caught on fire. I managed to get out of her okay but the flames were spectacular. The fireman told me that it was a good thing she was running on fumes as it would have exploded if the tank had been full. (Being poor does have it advantages sometimes....)

The problem appears to be a computer that is malfunctioning. We can get a used one, and at a third of the cost, I think I will do that! The rest of the car parts will be jealous if I go with a NEW part, and then they will ALL want to be replaced! :? But it will spend the night away from home! And my day is being reprogrammed! :?

I hate car troubles!!! I can sure appreciate all that you are going through :x :x :x I hope they get it fixed for you and you don't have any more mechanical issues for a good looooong time!!!

When my car or my sewing messes up makes me just want to stomp my foot and throw a fit! lol!! Not much is more frustrating than a car that won't run right! I'm very lucky in that my three sons can all fix anything on a car, my ex was a mechanic, so they learned from him.
I hope they got it figured out for you now! :-)

That is the most frustrating feeling. Why do those cars run fine for mechanics and give us fits. It's like someone telling you what a joy your child is right after they have dealt us fits.

It is Thursday and I am still carless! The problem was NOT the body module! Put a new one in and the problem was still there. Took it out and put the original back in. Seems the problem is in a pigtail thingy that is NOT sold as an individual item, only with the complete assembly. It is staying there overnight and they will work on it again tomorrow! Hope I have a vehicle for the weekend! But if not, I guess I can do some quilting! :lol: and housecleaning. :(

Shemjo.....It sounds like you are having the same problem my van was having. They replaced and fixed pretty much everything they could think of. Come to find out, it was a relay switch thingy in the engine somewhere. I wish I could remember what exactly it was. I looked thru all my paperwork, but since it took them about a month to figure it out and they didn't charge me for it, they kept the paper.

The last time I had car trouble and of course it ran fine for DH when he would test drive it to see what it was doing, I drove it right onto a car lot and came home with a another car. That's how I fix a stubborn car.

Oh, I did that too! Except hubby was out to sea and when he came home, he had to sign all the papers. I had signed most of the using my Power of Attorney, but the rest he had to sign. lol

Mine is in the shop right now. I brought it in for not only a 30K mile checkup, it has 50K on it and it's 7 years old. It also had the dreaded Check Engine light go on and it was hesitating when going up hills. Well, after the $500 for the 30K check up, they also find out it needs a HUGE tuneup, plugs, new wires, new coil and some other thingamabob. Total will be $1300 when I pick it up in the morning. Ya know,,,,every time I get the savings accout to read what I LIKE it to read, something happens.....sigh..........

I like the way you think :wink:

When I bought my car I wasn't asked if I was married, why would the car dealer care about that? :shock:

Dh's old truck always knows if we have an extra dollar, it will break down immediately.

I hope they get yours running, nothing worse than a car that won't run, makes me want to shoot it!


Ninnie

I had a mechanic give me that.. "if it isn't happening when we look at it we can't fix it" poop once.. I told him to give me his home number, 'cause I was going to call him from the back of beyond at 3 am when I was going home from work at the hospital and the danged thing died again. (Bloody car was only a year old, and I TOLD him what was wrong with it.) Guess what.. took it in, they fixed what I told them was wrong and I never had a problem with that part again.. worst lemon I ever had...hmmm, also the most expensive car I've ever had.
Go figure. Good luck darlin'.

I have my van back! :lol: :lol: It appears to be running fine. Replaced the under dash wires and stuff with salvage parts! Most of the expense was for labor looking for the problem and testing to see if that was really it! The computer even set the odometer correctly! Will be praying that it will run well now. BUT, the power steering was growling! What is this? Just because I have a little extra cash because I am not paying for heating right now, the car thinks I should spend it on HER! Sheeesh! Don't want to get a new vehicle until I get shed of my trailers. Don't want to put a hitch on the next vehicle! :?

Glad they got it fixed for you.

I have to go pick mine up. Don't like the pricetag that is put to it to get it, but that's ok.
My van always knows or SOMETHING with this family knows when I get the savings account to a certain amount...everything goes "flooey".
Maybe if I open another savings accoutn, divide the money in half to each account, THEN, nothing will need fixing because the "magic" number hasn't been reached yet. lol

Vehicles DO seem to know when there is extrs $$$ around! Just doesn't want me to get too big headed! :?