Is it my starter or something worse?

For the past week when I try to start the car, at first I just get a click
but on the second attempt it turns over. Yesterday when I tried to turn
the car off the engine continued to run for a minute until it eventually
shut down. Then ther weirdest thing is that the car tried to start itself,
even with the key out of the ignition you could hear the car trying to
start. All power eventually drained from the car. I had to jump it to
start it and then it sounded like the starter war cranking in the
background. This morning it was dead & wouldn't take a jump. Please let me
know if you have any ideas about this.
Thanks a million...

 

Given that you don't bother specifying whether you've got a '56 DeSoto or
an '05 Chrysler or something in between, you cannot be helped at this
time.

 

The starter solenoid sounds like it's stuck in the start mode. I had the
same problem with my minivan last summer. I started the engine and it
was making a hell of a racket. Finally figured out that the starter was
still cranking even though the engine was running. I had to disconnect
the pos. battery cable to get the starter shut off. You need to replace
the solenoid on the starter.

 

Sorry, I neglected to mention that I'm talking about a 1996 Chrysler Town &
Country Minivan.