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Bryce Chapman
Dodge Dakota
10/27/2001
14:15:50
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 Subject: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
After making it through the panel blaster in the carwash, I advanced to the wheel cradle and put it in park, turned off the engine but kept the radio on. during soak/wash/rinse/wax, while the robot arm was washing around the side, the radio went dead - all the electronics went dead.
Stunned, I turned the key off and tried to re-start. It turned over slowly, but I made it home without further problem. In the morning, it started slowly and then stalled before making it out of the driveway. It stalled at the end of the street stop sign. That night it started ok and made it home ok. In the morning it stalled several times more, this time while I was merging in to traffic. That night it would start but could not get out of parking spot - it died when trying idle (autotrans) backup or forward. I sat there and ran the engine at 2K rpm about 10 minutes - then it worked ok and made it home ok. This morning, it starts fine and drives fine - no stalls.
Could something have happened in the car wash to make the electronics die, and maybe the wax phase coated a sensor or something ? The panel blaster could have shot water into the engine compartment... thou shalt not use car washes ???
no engine check or other lights on dash. holding in the odometer button and turning key to on, after a few seconds it says 'check'. Have not had any other problems with the dakota, though some times it would seem to have high rpm in the morning before switching gears - I thought that was because it wasn't warmed up yet. I know I'm overdue for an oil change... the oil is dark.
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Bryce Chapman
Dodge Dakota
10/27/2001
14:23:33
|  RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
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Message:
One other thing, when I was in the parking lot last night while idling the engine at 2K rpm, periodically I'd take my foot of the gas and watched the tach. it sat a couple units below 1K rpm and seemed to oscillate over about a unit on the scale - possibly there was an unstable voltage reference? I checked the wires in the engine compartment - battery grounded to chassis ok and don't see any obvious corrosion/wire/splicing concerns (there's a lot of wiring in this engine)
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Todd W
Dodge Dakota
10/27/2001
14:36:04
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
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Message:
Mine hovers around 650RPM idle, swinging between about 600 and 700 usually. More when it's cold, but I'm talking warmed up. Sounds like you got water in a connection somewhere. Take off the battery leads, and check couplings further down the line. Somewhere you got water in it!
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Trader
Dodge Dakota
10/29/2001
11:38:28
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
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Message:
Hey,
I just hand washed my 98 Dakota and had the exact same problems. Definately water getting in to the electronics. I wonder if there is anyone else who has had this and can pinpoint the exact cause???
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Bryce Chapman
Dodge Dakota
10/29/2001
18:04:25
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
Update: It's been about a week since
going through the car wash. This morning
had the same stalling problem (I did
have the oil changed Saturday).
While still in park, when I take my foot
off the gas it drops down below 500 rpm
then dies. Sitting at 1.5K rpm for about
5 minutes allowed me to put it in to drive
without stalling out.
There hasn't been rain the past week and
I haven't exposed the dakota to any moisture
since the car wash. I drive it about an
hour a day on the freeway - could water
still exist in the wiring somewhere ?
The weather has started cooling down here in Denver, lows in the 30-40's.
Time to talk to a mechanic, will let you
know what I find out.
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bernd
*GenIII*
10/29/2001
19:18:28
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
The PCM is water-proof as it's epoxy and gel sealed. Take off your Cap and Rotor and check for moisture under there.
1997 Dodge Dakota SLT - V6
Supercharged @ 10# w/Nitrous
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3rd Gen
Dodge Dakota
10/30/2001
12:08:10
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
I had a similar problem a few months back on my '97 but it was related to the battery or bad gas I'm supposing.
Finished fuelling at a gas station, started the truck and the dakota wouldn't stay idling. I had to rev the engine to keep the truck idling. Since then I've bought a new battery and stuck with Exxon and Chevron gasoline.
Water may be in the gas tank, try adding some STP and charging the battery.
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Danny
Dodge Dakota
10/30/2001
12:14:37
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
My wife's '93 Jeep with the 318 stalled in a car wash. Finally got it going again. A few weeks later, it died in dry conditions. Discovered a bad coil wire as the cause. You may want to check your wires.
-Danny
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Mar
Dodge Dakota
10/30/2001
12:40:12
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
Check fuses
Then check coil and coil wire. Spray everything with WD40. THen if problem still persists check under cap and roter since its of replace with a new one.
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Bryce Chapman
Dodge Dakota
10/31/2001
14:39:51
|  RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
It was the battery. The dakota
starts and runs like a champ now.
When starting the truck, on my
way to the mechanic, I got the
click-click-click-click noise.
Besides getting out my meter
and measuring the terminals, I
think the meter on the dash
indicated but I didn't notice -
when turning key to on, the
voltage would slowly rise
up to 15 or so as I'm guessing
the generator juiced it up.
The battery lasted about a week
once it started acting up in the
car wash. oh well. glad it was
an easy fix (as far as I know).
At 39K miles, I'm looking for
at least another 100K.
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markv
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/19/2002
23:15:30
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
My 97 Dakota is exhibiting very similar symptoms, if not the same. When the engine is cold mostly, then engine will start but RPMs drop to about 500 -600 and then dies. I have to keep my foot on the gas and drive for about 30 seconds to a minute before it will finally idle decent. Seems to be getting worse. Idling is now really bad. It's been doing this about 8 months now. Battery is almost 4 years old now. Is this suspect??
Thanks for any recommendations/thoughts!
Mark
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Bryce Chapman
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/10/2002
17:23:44
|  RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
Check the battery - it seems most likely
and is the easiest fix. It costs about
$100 for diagnostic, installation w/replacement.
or you can do the swap out in front of
a checker auto with your own tools.
A few days after I had the new battery, I noticed
a durango out in front of home depot needed a jump - it was a '99, so 2 years newer.
The factory installed battery doesn't seem
to have a long life, or these things are
really hard on batteries.
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Rascal
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/10/2002
18:04:29
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
a week battery on my 98 5.2 made it act like that, replaced it with an Optima Red Top and its all happy now..
Rascal
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jeff
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/13/2004
14:06:04
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
my 97 just started doing this today. once running, runs fine but if you let off the gas it's all over. gauges all good, no warning lights, battery less than one year old
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Jeff
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
1/13/2004
14:40:51
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
where i live here in the deserts of southern cali, car batteries only last 2 years.
(dunno about the color-tops tho)
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Bobby
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/04/2004
11:55:08
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
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Message:
Same Problem with stalling and idle. Replaced Battery . Problem fixed.
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graham
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
3/21/2004
14:24:47
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
my 97 died in the car wash when it was new when i lifted the hood and got my wife to crank it over i could see a arc coming from the coil wire the dealer replaced all the wires the next day no problems since
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Andy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/11/2005
14:46:55
|  RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
Hello,
I have the same problem as the rest of you have. I start it and it turns over, but then it dies. I have to keep my foot on the gas and keep trying. Then i get on an incline, and it dies again. Could the battery still be the cause? I will try replacing the battery and see if that works. the indicator says fully charged. I don't know. PLEASE HELP ME!!
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/11/2005
16:12:50
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
Before just buying new battery test it with meter or have an autoparts store test it, they do that for free.
- Dan M
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andy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
12/13/2005
00:35:13
| RE: carwash mystery: 97 dakota stalls/dies
IP: Logged
Message:
Hello again
I talked to my father and he listened to it. Turns out that the
engine was flooded. Too much gas, not enough air. He let it run
for a little, keeping the RPMS above 2000. He ran it for about
30-45 seconds, and it has started awesome ever since. No stalls
or anything
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