ponch326 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 I purchased a brand new 2010 Dodge Journey in spring of 2010. It now only has about 50,000 kms . For the past year or so, I have had intermittent starting problems, I put the fob in , turn the key , the dash lights come on , there is a click , but it will not turn over. I can wait from a few minutes to a couple of days before it works again . I once had it towed home, locked it up , the next day the doors were unlocked and the car started. I know the battery is good , and the starter is good. The problem must be with the fob or computer . Dodge will not recall , although it seems alot of people are experiencing this exact problem. I cannot trust this vehicle . I cannot trust Dodge. I am not sure what to do. dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 The fact that it is clicking means it is trying to start, so I am leaning away from the fob. This (one click) is usually a tell tale sign that the starter is not getting full voltage from the battery (i.e., a bad battery). You say that you know the battery is good; can you expand on how you know this to be true? There are many reasons why a battery may appear to be fine when in fact it is not... dhh3 and jkeaton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) take car to a parts store and have a load test done on the battery. if its org battery you need a new one... Edited December 14, 2015 by 2late4u jkeaton, dhh3 and Taylor9208 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 The click is not coming from the engine , I know what a starter clicking sounds like , and its different. The click sounds like it comes from the dash somewhere. When I tried to start it , I have put the headlights on , and they do not dim at all , no voltage going to the starter or it would dim the lights . In most cases the vehicle did not move it just sat , and then started later . I have never had a battery issue , the dash and headlights are very strong , if it was a battery issue , I believe it would not start after sitting in the cold all night. I do believe its the fob or win module. dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryl Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 The old dreaded transmission interlock?? jkeaton and dhh3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 These newer Dodges are super finicky with the power supply. At 6+ years old, I would replace the battery, but if you don't want to do that I would at least load test it as mentioned. The battery doesn't have to be toast for it to not play nice with the car. Long gone are the days of the simple vehicles; all of the electronics present nowadays bring a new factor to the equation. One dead cell could wreak havoc. jkeaton, OhareFred and dhh3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 The old dreaded transmission interlock?? wouldn't this result in being stuck in gear? Or is it an intermittent thing? dhh3 and jkeaton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Its an intermittent thing, every couple of weeks it leaves me stranded. When it happens , it won't start in park or neutral. Again , if the battery was weak , wouldn't the headlights dim when attempting to start ? My lights are very bright and do not dim . ! Makes me believe that power is not going to the starter at all . have read that people have had this problem and changed batteries or starters because dodge technicians told them and it did not fix the problem. dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Its an intermittent thing, every couple of weeks it leaves me stranded. When it happens , it won't start in park or neutral. Again , if the battery was weak , wouldn't the headlights dim when attempting to start ? My lights are very bright and do not dim . ! Makes me believe that power is not going to the starter at all . have read that people have had this problem and changed batteries or starters because dodge technicians told them and it did not fix the problem. Sorry, I understood that your issue was intermittent, I was asking about the transmission interlock issue. What larryl is getting at with his post is that the vehicle may not believe it is in Park or Neutral and is therefore not starting. I thought that when the interlock was bad it wouldn't shift at all, but thought I may be wrong. I was trying to clarify exactly what larryl was getting at. dhh3 and jkeaton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhh3 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) You may have a bad cell in the battery. It will test fine, but the battery is toast. These new cars do not tolerate low voltage. There are a series of events that must take place before the car will start. The clicking you hear is probably a relay. When the bad cell rears its ugly head, you do not have enough voltage for all of the instantaneous self test before it will start. This is why your lights do not dim. Edited December 14, 2015 by dhh3 OhareFred and jkeaton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 So dhh3 , you are saying it is probably the battery , but a test won't read that , and I should just get a new battery. I am surprized , but you maybe right. It can do this on warm or cold days , first started about 2 yrs ago, but would start after a minute , now it needs to sit a lot longer , very strange. Just want to make sure before the pain of removing the battery . Not a great place for it. I know you were not the first to say battery so Thanks everyone , if anyone else has had this problem , would love to hear about it. dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhh3 Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 I have had this happen to me two times. This is my theory on the bad cell. One cell has a bad internal connection. Trying to start the car heats up the battery. This heat is just enough to close the connection, and the car will start. I have an Electronics Degree from the Air Force: but, I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. Just ask bramfrank. jkeaton, 11journeybama, ponch326 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Larryl might be right aswell , the transmission interlock ...... is that the same as a neutral safety switch. Is that located in the shifter assembly or transmission. I have tried to rattle the shifter with no luck . dhh3 and jkeaton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 I took a chance and drove the Journey tonight . It did not restart ,and left me stranded but, luckily, I tried a boost on it . And it started .... so ...you guys were right. It must be the battery .. before , I had strong headlights that didn't dim when attempting a start and didn't think that I could have a low battery. But I was wrong. Gotta love computers lol . I will be buying a new battery tomorrow. Thanks everyone. dhh3 and jkeaton 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 I put a new battery in last week , thought that was it , but the car won't start again. My wife is stranded right now . Although I know you are trying to help . That was not good advice , you need to listen to what I was saying , and the symptoms. . It is not the battery . It is a computer defect, or some other problem. I still am leaning towards the win module. What a waste of money before christmas . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryl Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 You need to go to someone who knows what they are doing we own Journey's we don't fix them Merry Christmas dhh3, jkeaton, 2late4u and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 well since you blame us for trying to guess what your problem is..i have a great idea try taking it to your trusted mechanic and let him drive drive it for a few days and or let him fix it for you after he does his diagnosis. sorry if this sounds rude but we have limited knowledge of your history of your car and now you complain of our ideas? also replacing a 5yrold battery is not a waste of money. OhareFred, dhh3 and jkeaton 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 my 2011 journeys battery started going bad after about 3 yrs put in a new one just before i traded in for my 2014 crossroad journey so it can happen.. dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 After sitting in the parking lot for an hour or so , it started again, drove it home and now it won't start again. I didn't mean to offend anyone, just very frustrated. You can google this and find people who were told by technicians that it was a battery or starter and they changed them 2 or 3 times and it still doesn't work. I can fix almost anything , I just can't figure out what the problem is. I do know the win modules were recalled from 2009 to jan 25 2010 and mine was built on jan 29 2010. But that is supposed to be an unrelated problem , and they won't change mine. Just hope someone has figured this problem out. dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) well thinking back to my 1989 dodge truck was having a similar problem changed out the battery due to age still intermittent starting problem took it into the dodge dealership they finally said it was a starter problem so about $200, for that fix worked for a while then started the intermittent starting problem so they changed out the starter again their dime and called and said it was ready to pick it up and wouldnt start walked back inside they went and looked at it again and then said it was a small electrical component ( might have been the solenoid) on top of the engine cost about $5. mech looked at the manager and said well we wont charged him for this are we and the manager made me pay him the $5. lol but never had any more problems with it. but EVEN dealers make wrong guess as to what is the real problem and they deal with it all the time.TAKE it to a dealership or a good electrical mechanic might be cheaper and safer in the long run instead of the shotgun approach.... Edited December 24, 2015 by 2late4u dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramfrank Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 You could simply have a bad alternator . . . . someone on the FB group in Chile had a no start issue that supposedly tuned out to be a bad pulley on the alternator. Even a bad battery could just be s symptom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Lol . Thanks 2late , you know what I am going through. I might need to take it in, I'm just afraid they will check the systems and tell me it must be the starter . Dealerships are very expensive in Canada. I will look into the electrical component you were talking about . It sounds similar , Are you sure it was on the top of the engine? By the way , the journey has always started at home , its when I go out and it sits for a few minutes to a few hours , and it won't start. Such as running into a store or getting gas . dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponch326 Posted December 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Thanks bramfrank , but as i mentioned I just put a big new battery in it and have only driven no more than 20 miles ....it can't be the battery or alternator , if it were either it wouldn't start an hour later . dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramfrank Posted December 24, 2015 Report Share Posted December 24, 2015 Batteries do 'recover' after use to some degree.I'm personally a fan of a solenoid or relay issue being the cause, but you'd mentioned that the lights dimmed on start (not to mention that your battery is 6 years old ad likely should have been changed anyway - possibly an intermittent ground or other connection to the coil or maybe a dead spot on a brush in the starter motor which is sensitive enough that slight changes in temperature are enough to make the connection.That leads to the obvious questions . . . . this is not unique. I've seen posts here and on other sites on no-start conditions.When you try to start the vehicle are there any clicks, clunks and so on at all? If you hear a relatively loud clunk, but the engine doesn't turn it could be the starter motor, the solenoid or the connections to it. No clunk at all implies the solenoid or the connections to that are involved - it could also be a worn relay in whatever module drives the solenoid (think expensive). There is a lot involved with the issue, but a good mechanic faced with the vehicle when it is refusing to start will almost certainly have little trouble diagnosing the problem and fixing it properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted December 25, 2015 Report Share Posted December 25, 2015 Lol . Thanks 2late , you know what I am going through. I might need to take it in, I'm just afraid they will check the systems and tell me it must be the starter . Dealerships are very expensive in Canada. I will look into the electrical component you were talking about . It sounds similar , Are you sure it was on the top of the engine? By the way , the journey has always started at home , its when I go out and it sits for a few minutes to a few hours , and it won't start. Such as running into a store or getting gas . yes it was a small black plastic component on top of the motor not sure what it was and this was an 1989 truck so things have changed take it to a good mech. so many things it could be. dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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