All Gears Lit/Selected on Dashboard and Car Will Not Start (Solved!!)

[email4walker]

Hello Everyone,

 

I have a 2009 2.4L (4 cylinder) Dodge Journey. It is not a bad car, when it works.

 

The problem:

 

I was having a problem for about 2 years, where all the gears on the dashboard were selected/lit and the car would not start (no crank, no click, car had full power everywhere). It was an intermittent problem and would happen about every two months. If the car sat for a few days, out of the blue, it would work/start again.

 

The solution:

 

Short answer: I had a broken ground on the passenger side of the car I had to repair. After that, the car started right up!  (All the pictures are below)

 

 

Long answer/story: Trying to fix this problem, I had...

 

-The battery replaced

-Replaced the starter

-I re-grounded the driver's side of the car

-had the ignition module/switch replaced

-I took the TIPM completely apart (no issues there)

-had the dealer look at it (could not fix it)

-had error codes pulled (Nothing pointing/leading to the real problem) 

 

I started looking around the engine and noticed a broken cable on the passenger side. It was corroded badly already (which would explain why the car would work on and off). Once I replaced it, I unhooked the red power cable to the TIPM to reset it (for about 10 seconds), and the car started up with no issues! 

 

I am posting this because there was NO solution on the internet about this! People were starting to think it was the range selector, but that did not explain the car working on and off (it drove fine, when it worked). I re-grounded the car (the driver side) like some people have said, but that was not enough. Look around for broken/corroded wires and re-ground the passenger side too. (Running a ground from the driver's side to the passenger side did NOT work for me!)

 

 

Also, I noticed that some of my anti-freeze was overflowing out of the reservoir and leaking onto a wire harness. Look out for that too. That was not my problem, but that can cause a problem in the long run.

 

 

My 2009 Journey is 16 years old. The only major thing I had replaced was the brake calipers all around. The electrical system is trash, but it is a good car, when it works

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Edited September 20 by email4walker

[2late4u]

thanks for your solution to your journeys problems and yes good clean grounds for any vehicle are VERY important,,before replacing parts start with the basics is a very important solution...I am lucky to live in a southern state with very little snow or ice .