'98 Grand Voyager - computer gone mad?

I recently have had electrical problems with my 1998 Plymouth Grand
Voyager. Sometimes it wouldn't start, all the lights would just
flicker. I tried checking all the fuses, including the ones next to
the computer under the hood. I tried unplugging the computer to check
for any faulty cables, everything seemed okay. It seems the battery is
dead now, so I tried jump-starting the van, to no avail. Something
(starter maybe?) just clicks repeatedly. It's strange, since I've
never had any problems with the van. Also, sometimes I'd wait for the
clicking to stop and all the panel lights would become bright again,
which usually meant I could start the van. Now I can't start it at
all. What's going on?

 

sillynoid

 

Have you checked the magnetic switch on starter?

 

| I recently have had electrical problems with my 1998 Plymouth Grand
| Voyager. Sometimes it wouldn't start, all the lights would just
| flicker. I tried checking all the fuses, including the ones next to
| the computer under the hood. I tried unplugging the computer to check
| for any faulty cables, everything seemed okay. It seems the battery is
| dead now, so I tried jump-starting the van, to no avail. Something
| (starter maybe?) just clicks repeatedly. It's strange, since I've
| never had any problems with the van. Also, sometimes I'd wait for the
| clicking to stop and all the panel lights would become bright again,
| which usually meant I could start the van. Now I can't start it at
| all. What's going on?

Check the battery terminals..could be loose or corroded.

 

Battery terminals: a bit corroded, but not bad. Don't think that's the
problem.
Solenoid: maybe
Magnetic switch on starter: don't know how to check it, but I have a
friend who is a mechanic. I'll have him look at all those things.

Thanks for all the help!
-Joe

 

These cars are very fussy about battery connections and good grounds. It
would be easy to eliminate the batter terminals as a possibility by removing
the cables, scraping/sanding the terminals and cables and replacing. I
think you may be pleasantly surprised to find that this is the gremlin. If
not, you can move on to continue to find the real cause.