Questions and Answers
Dodge Starts And Dies
Q. The problem I am having with my car is, in the morning when I go to start my car, it starts! But that's not the problem. Once it starts the car stays on for about 3-4 minutes then shuts off. Then when I try to start it back up it won't. I will be cranking and cranking until I hear this noise from the front of the car like something is turning on. (Like the noise you hear when you first turn on the car). Then once I hear that noise the next crank it will start up. It will do this like 4 or 5 times. When I get the car to start, it makes a squealing noise and I noticed that the battery gauge is below halfway while it's squealing. It will do this for about 25 seconds. Then it stops and the gauge goes back to the middle. Once the car is warmed up it stops turning off. I can go to the store come back out and start my car and just leave and my car doesn't give me any problems. It's when it's been off for more than 2 hours it gives me trouble. Also when it's warmed up it runs fine. I have replaced the map sensor, fuel pressure regulator, fuel filter, plugs, wires, and throttle body sensor, O2 sensor. I have been dealing with this problem for a year now. Everyday it's the same thing. It's the same pattern everyday. The engine is 2.2 non-turbo, throttle body.
Thanks a lot,
NorbertoA. You have two distinctly different problems here. The squealing noise is the alternator belt. It needs to be tightened or replaced. That will fix the charging problem and the noise.
The stalling problem sounds like something in the fuel pump circuit. The running noise you hear is the fuel pump. When it's running, it is supplying the engine with fuel and it starts. When you don't hear, it won't. It could be a bad fuel pump relay of the fuel pump itself. You can try a new relay and see if that solves the problem. They're cheap and easy to replace. If it doesn't, then I would suggest taking it to a shop that can test the fuel pump electrical system and confirm the bad fuel pump before replacing it.
