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2004 Dodge Dakota Won't start

Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 DODGE DAKOTA
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 174,000 MILES
Hi,
a couple days back, I started my truck to warm it up, after a few minutes I shifted into Drive, started to pull forward and it died. Now it won't start. When I turn the key it acts like the battery is dead or dying, lights and stuff work but dim. After it trys to turn over a couple times it just clicks.
When I hook up jumper cables and try to jump it, it turns over and starts. But dies immediatly. What is wrong?/

thanks in advance

Nathan
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Friday, December 19th, 2008 AT 6:19 PM

20 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,117 POSTS
Hi:
The first thing we need to determine is if you battery is the cause. Remove it from the truck, fully recharge it and take it to a parts store to have a load test done on it.

Let me know what you find and we'll move on from there.

Joe
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Saturday, December 20th, 2008 AT 2:37 PM
Tiny
MUSHR00M
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
If it isn't the battery, sounds like you could use a new alternator, which most parts stores (such as autozone) can test for you as well.
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Saturday, December 20th, 2008 AT 2:39 PM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
Thats what I figured, the alternator looks like a pain to pull out, there is a bunch of stuff on top of it. And I had a typo it is a 2001 not an 04
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Saturday, December 20th, 2008 AT 8:52 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,117 POSTS
Before getting the alt, make sure the battery is good by recharging it and having it load tested. If it's good, then have the alt tested. It's much easier to get the battery out and tested, and it may save you some work.

Let me know the final outcome.

Joe
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Sunday, December 21st, 2008 AT 12:50 AM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
Is there a way to charge the battery other then hooking another car up to jumper cables, and running it for a while.
We are buried under about 6 in of snow, and Ice, right now, so it may be a while before I pull the battery.

I will keep you posted

thanks for all the help
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Sunday, December 21st, 2008 AT 12:33 PM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
So I charged the battery, got it to keep running, still kind of idled rough, but it did run, maybe it fixed itself, but I am not holding my breath.
the bad part is, while it was idling the hose right under the radiator fill cap popped off, I don't know if I can hook it back on somehow, or if I need to replace the whole contraption, I am adding a picture????.......

but I pulled the battery out, and I will be taking it to get tested tomorrow,, any help on the radiator would be great

thanks


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/289104_DSC01777_1.jpg

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-1
Thursday, December 25th, 2008 AT 8:33 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,117 POSTS
Is that the upper radiator hose? Did the steel housing break? If so, it will need replaced. I'll be honest, I've never seen one of those break like that.

Also, if the truck is running with the battery fulley recharged, there may be a problem with the alt. Have the battery tested first and then we'll move to the alt if needed. (Remember. "If it works, don't fix it.") One of my old shop teacher's favorite sayings.

Let me know.

Joe
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Thursday, December 25th, 2008 AT 11:43 PM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
It is right where the upper hose attaches to the radiator cap, it doesn't seem to be broken, just like it popped of, but it doesn't have any kind of clamp I can figure out around it.

Thanks
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Thursday, December 25th, 2008 AT 11:53 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,117 POSTS
Hi:
The picture is good, but I can't tell if there is a flange that it goes on to. Also, on the hose itself, it looks like there is something that looks like a clamp. What is that?

Joe
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Thursday, December 25th, 2008 AT 11:57 PM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
There is some plastic thing that goes around the hose, but I can't figure how to get it off, thats why I wonder if the whole unit needs to be replaced
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Thursday, December 25th, 2008 AT 11:59 PM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
Here is a pic of the clamp, I don't think it comes off, any ideas????

thanks


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/289104_DSC01780_1.jpg

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Friday, December 26th, 2008 AT 12:08 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,117 POSTS
It must come off or you would need to replace the entire unit every time the hose goes bad. Let me show another tech this picture. I want to see what he says.

Joe
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Friday, December 26th, 2008 AT 12:34 AM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
I wonder if maybe the piece with the radiator cap broke of inside the hose and clamp.
All the hoses I find online are not hooked to the radiator cap, there must be a way

I will ask at the parts store tomorrow also.
Thanks for the help
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Friday, December 26th, 2008 AT 1:43 AM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
Ok, so I found the part but I still have to figure out how to remove that clamp thing, another post on here for a durango, says they come from the dealer with the filler neck, and two hoses attached, what a pain
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Friday, December 26th, 2008 AT 2:01 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,117 POSTS
I see the part and am trying to figure out why they would make something like that. Based on you picture, it looks like the part broke off inside your rad hose.
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Friday, December 26th, 2008 AT 10:35 AM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
Ok,
so the battery load tested weak, so I replaced that, I looked at the coolant filler neck in the daylight, and the edge is definitely broken off, but I have to get that from a dealer, so I am off to the dealer, I will let you know how it goes
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Friday, December 26th, 2008 AT 11:30 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 108,117 POSTS
Hi:
It sounds like you have the same kind of luck as I do. I thought something broke off with the hose, but even though the picture was very clear, it was hard to tell.

Let me know what happens. Now that we are sure you have a good battery, we will be able to point fingers at other parts if the problem still exists. An old (Excellent) mechanic once taught me to always start at the beginning with electrical problems and that, he said, was the battery. He was one of my auto mechanic teachers and he just reciently passed away. And I know if I wouldn't have had you do that first, he would be in heaven trying to hit me with a wrench. (LOL) He was a good teacher and a great mechanic.

Joe
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Friday, December 26th, 2008 AT 6:58 PM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
Got the radiator part today, I will put it in tomorrow, along with the new battery, and we will see what happens.

Thanks again for the help
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Friday, December 26th, 2008 AT 10:43 PM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
Well, I put it all back together,
the hose clamps on the radiator hose, above the alternator is a pain.
Started it right up, let it idle for 5 min drove it to the end of the driveway, and it died again, just like the first time. After we pushed it back in the driveway, I started it again, drove it back and forth in the driveway several times. And drove it around the block a couple times.
Seems to be working well.

We will see what happens
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Saturday, December 27th, 2008 AT 4:24 PM
Tiny
NATEP73
  • MEMBER
  • 13 POSTS
So I drove it to work today, it overheated on the way, drove it home after work. Over heated again, worse on the way home.

After I changed the radiator hose, I filled the lost fluid with water, probably should have used antifreeze.

Just filled it with antifreeze, seems to be running fine, haven't driven it enough for it to overheat yet, I will test it again tomorrow.

And now my heat isn't working, just blowing out cold air.
Are these problems linked?

Thanks
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Tuesday, December 30th, 2008 AT 1:39 AM

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