well guys i experienced this problem today and its got me mind boggled....so i was parked for a while and i tried to crank it up and it wouldnt start,...i thought the battery had died on me again but it wasnt the battery it had a full charge.And it couldnt of been the starter it was just replaced less than 6 months ago...when i tried to crank it...it didnt turn over...i arced the starter (connecting the two points on the starter) and the starter turned like it was new.I decided to try to crank it in neutrual and it started. Im puzzled on what this is or what this is a future sign of?...if i can get my fellow org. members to help me solve the problem .

 

Inhibitor switch.

 

inhibitor switch...is that an external part to the auto trany?.it only did it that one time..i got it home and it starts in park fine..is it just something that went into fail safe mode or something?

 

Its on the auto shift lever isnt it? under the trim panel? But +1 on that being the issue.

 

sometimes if you are not fully ingaged into "park", it will not close the circut on the inhibitor switch. if it happens again, take it out of park and then back into park ... see if it works. neutrel has no switch ... so you can always do that if you need to.

 

Help, I think I'm having the same problem.

It would happen once in a while and I would just shift to neutral and back into park, or just try starting in neutral.

The problem is that now I can't start at all!

The thing won't even turn, i hear no sound at all as it i were not even turning the key.

It would do the exact same thing before but it used to go away after messing with the shifter/ignition/brake for a while although I think messing with the shifter is what really made the difference.

What you mentioned about the Inhibitor switch makes sense.
Do you have any additional advice?
I have not been able to find anything in the stickies.

 

OK, I just tried starting the Max again today and it started without a glitch.

At least I should be able to get to work tomorrow ( without having to drive our spare rusted Doge Caravan ) but the problem is bound to return since it seems to be happening more frequently.

Does anybody know where to find this "Inhibitor Switch" since that really sounds like a winner.

I guess I should try replacing or cleaning if possible.

I have an Auto 95 Max by the way.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

i believe its mounted on tranny...

 

it is mounted on the tranny, i have one for sale if interested....PM me

 

I'm having the same problem but the strange thing is that I never got the 1101 code. If the switch is bad should the code fire off?

 

Watch out for the dreaded Coincidence Monster here. You can't make assumptions based on one or two incidents. If if refuses to start in P and starts in N, and that happens every time, it's probably the inhibitor. But if only happens once, or doesn't always work that way, it could be something else, like ignition switch, starter, etc. That's what makes intermittent electrical problems such a PITA.

 

Well here's my testing methodology when it does happen...about once a month for the past 2 years. When it happens I first continue over and over to turn the key...about 20 times in a row. The car makes no sounds...much like the battery is dead, but the battery is fine...I've testing it numerous times, and when the engine does crank it starts immediately. This would not happen on a dead batt. Then my second test after minutes of trying to just turn the key, is to move the shifter to N and try to start there. I turn the key once only. 95% of the time it starts in N on the first turn. If it still doesn't start I move it back to P and it always starts here on the first key turn the other 5% of the time. As I said when it does start it starts normal. With a lot of gusto and power. Definately not a bad batt or a bad starter. It either makes no sound or it starts right away.

Another strange thing is that sometimes after driving the shifter stiffens up on me and it's tough to get into P, when I park. I recently had the tranny flushed and it still does this.

 

GoldMax--

That sounds a lot like my problem. I'd get full dash lights but no crank, and if I kept trying it would start, sometimes after 10-15 tries. Occasionally putting it in N would help, but not always. I finally decided it was probablay the ignition switch. I had already replaced it a few months before, so this time I just put a piece of electrical tape in the slot on the switch, so the flange on the key cylinder would have a better chance at pushing the switch all the way over. (It makes a lot more sense if you're looking at it.) It's been fine for the last couple of months, so I'm hopeful...

 

Sounds like Ignition switch if you have to do it about 20 times.

 

every few months or so my max doesnt crank (in park). I wiggle it around in park a little and walla - cranks right up.

 

My 95 has had starting problems when i bought it. It would crank but wont turn over. I bought a new battery as a start to repair the problem as well as a tune-up. The day after i got my tune-up my car I made a few stops and it was fine. Until, i made one stop and was only gone for ten mins the car would not crank. The exterior/interior lights still worked when put on. I tried giving the battery a jump and seen a little bit of attempt to crank. Could this be an alternator problem? TIA

 

So many places to go with this lets see if this makes sence.

If the problem is intermitant and the car started afterwords it is probebly not the battery or the alternator. You can test your alt out put with a DVM across the battery terms with the car running it should read 13-14v

I liked the sound of the shift inhibit idea do maximas have a microswitch that tells the inhibotor when its in park? or is it a directlinkage? Check to make sure when you are in park that this shift inhibtor is getting activated.

If its intermitant and it fixed it self I would check the ground and power connections at the starter and battery. The starter has a direct connection to the battery through the power cable. Wen you turn your key to the start posistion you send a small signal voltage to the soilnoid wich closes and allows that main power connection from the Positive battery cable through to turn the starter motor. Shift inhibitors are used to protect the car from being started in gear. so they will block the signal from the key switch to the starter solinoid when this shift inhibat is not activated.

If any of my thinking is flawed please fell free to ***** and moan to me about it.

hope that helps.

 

DBear it sounds like we have the same problem. I've changed my testing methodology and no longer mess with the shifter. I just keep trying to turn the key until it starts and so far it will always start. So it no longer seems to be the inhibitor switch. My ignition switch is only 2 years old. What I have noticed is that if I put the key in the ON position and wait a while...about 30sec, it will start on the first try. Is there anything that happens with the key in ON that might affect starting?

 

yah, I was gonna say... It has to be the switch that is causing this issue.

 

Goldmax--

I never tried just holding it on, I kept switching it on and off. I don't know the answer to your question.

It sure sounds like ignition switch. I replaced one, and the problem didn't go away, so I spent a lot of time looking for something else. But I finally focused on the switch again. I think the problem is that there is a little play between the flange in the key cylinder and the slot in the ignition switch, so turning the key doesn't always force the ignition switch all the way over. I ended up putting a piece of electrical tape on one side of the slot in the ignition switch, to try to eliminate any play between the flange and the slot. For the last couple of months I haven't had a problem <knocking on wood...>.

These cars are notorious for going through ignition switches. I'm guessing the problem is not the switches, but the fact that the flange doesn't go quite far enough over some times. If I have the problem again, I'll expose the ignition switch and try starting it by putting the key directly in the slot. I expect it will work every time.

 

I finally took apart the intake did some tests with a dvm. Here are my results. I first tested the contacts on the contacts on the inhibitor relay. This is the last part before power goes to the starter solenoid. At contact #6 of the relay the voltage was over 12V as it's suppose to be with the key in START. With the key ON it was 0V. So then the problem was either the relay or the starter. Finally I took apart the intake and was able to see the contacts in the starter. I tested the B+ and the Solenoid cable. The B+ had 12+V and the solenoid thin cable had 12V when key was in START. The solenoid made no clicking though. So my last guess is the solenoid is bad. There are two screw on the solenoid, the one with the boot is the B+, but is the other screw the same as the solenoid thin cable?

 

There are two relay boxes under the hood some of these relays are of the same color/type. If you suspect a bad relay swap it out with another one of the same type, if one is available. Also check the socket where the relay plugs in, make sure no damage or corrosion.

 

Not sure if this will help, but here's some info:

Ignition lead on solenoid gets low current from ignition. This is converted to the linear energy of the drive kicking out. Simultaneously, the solenoid completes the circuit to the starter motor itself allowing high current from the battery to drive the starter motor. Thus, creating the torque needed to turn the engine.

Hope this helps.

 

FINAL ANSWER!!! The solenoid was bad. I replaced the entire starter and she's happy again.

 

Congrats! Glad to hear your problem is solved. I completely empathize with that. Out of curiosity... where did you buy your starter?

 

"And it couldnt of been the starter it was just replaced less than 6 months ago"

It may be better if you don't know where he gets his starters, unless you want to avoid the place.

 

Just trying to gauge how much consideration people give to parts suppliers.

 

same problem here, guess I'll have to check that switch..