Sudden No Start

[Claydus]

2020 Rebel 5.7 Hemi 88k miles. Battery date 11/2022 on unit that was swapped out.

About 2 weeks ago, out of nowhere my truck didn't start 1 morning. I get a 1 click from the starter and the electronics all turn on but no start. I cycled it on and off a few times. But kept getting the 1 click no start. Felt like it was getting enough cranking amps from experience it other cars. I went out and bought some jumper cables thinking the obvious. I jumped it off with my wife's van later that day and drove it around for about 1 hour.

Didn't have time to get a new battery so I had to let the truck sit for 1 week due to my family going on vacation.

I get back from vacation and go to start the truck and voila! It starts with no issues. I was expecting to be buying a battery that day. That was last Friday 9/29.

I drove the truck Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Now to Tuesday 10/3. No start that morning. I get it jumped off but not before getting the EXACT SAME 1 click no start when connected to jumper cables on the van. After this I run out to get an AGM battery. I install it at the house and let the truck sit for a few hours.

At 4PM on 10/3 I go to start truck and I get the 1 click no start. I turn off truck. Then I try it again. Now it turns over and I go to son's baseball game and then start truck again without issue after game and head home.

On Wednesday 10/4, I go to start the truck. Same thing, I get the 1 click no start. Turn off truck completely and try again. Now it works.

Does this sound like a starter issue or maybe a starter relay issue? Or something else?

Updated below: Could this be a ignition switch click that I am hearing? Possibly the ignition switch going bad?

 

[Tulecreeper]

Pull and clean your battery connections. Sometimes as simple as dirty contacts.

 

[SniperDroid]

Ditto, dirty or loose connections...

 

[Claydus]

Checked connections last night. Positive connection was slightly loose. Tighten it as such.

Went to start truck this morning and same thing. 1 click no start. I let it sit for 10 seconds then started right up.

I paid more attention to the clicking sounds this morning. And sounds more of the ignition switch and not the relay or starter perhaps.

Like the ignition clicks like half way over or something. Its the push start ignition switch. Do these typically go bad?

 

[chopperman1]

Bring the battery to any auto parts store and have it load tested. 99% times it's a bad battery and nothing else.

 

[SniperDroid]

Does your truck have the dreaded Auto Stop/Start? They are notorious battery killers.

 

[gtomike60]

Get your starter checked along with the battery

 

[JayLeonard]

Several years ago I had some electrical funkyness going on in my 05 Ram. I added a ground cable from battery to a body mounting screw in the engine compartment. No more problems after that.

 

[TestPilot57]

I had the same issue. FCA replaced the starter under warranty - no problems since.

 

[Sherman Bird]

Checked connections last night. Positive connection was slightly loose. Tighten it as such.

Went to start truck this morning and same thing. 1 click no start. I let it sit for 10 seconds then started right up.

I paid more attention to the clicking sounds this morning. And sounds more of the ignition switch and not the relay or starter perhaps.

Like the ignition clicks like half way over or something. Its the push start ignition switch. Do these typically go bad?

Try putting the truck in "Neutral". If it starts, you may have an issue with the transmission range switch. Also, check grounds THOROUGHLY!

 

[ibike]

I had the same exact experience. Took a long breaker bar and tapped rather hard on the side of your starter. If it cranks you’ve narrowed it down the the starter solenoid. You can easily access the starter from the drivers side wheel well.
HUGE WORD OF CAUTION. The battery cable is right down there where you will be tapping on your starter. Don’t hit the cable or you’ll get some sparks flying.
Tap it hard close to the solenoid.

 

[phillthy]

I had this same problem. Had to rip the tipm in the engine bay apart and solder a new chip (cost less then 5 bucks) on. Apparently this was an issue up untill 2021. Simple test and temporary fix is is to jump a wire from the fuse for the back seat 12v power outlet to the fuse for the fuel pump.

Here is a video

TIPM Fuel Relay Test and Bypass Solutions - Most 2007-2021 Dodge, Chrysler, Ram, Jeep, VW Vehicles

Visit https://verticalvisions.com to build your own, order from us, or obtain additional details. We do not sell these on Amazon. If your 2007-2021 Dodge, ...

youtu.be

 

[Juice17]

It sounds like the problem I am having since March '23. My truck is a 2019 3.6 e torque. I'm having the same issue I get in the truck push the button I get one click sometimes no click and nothing happens. Back in March when it first started happening I had it checked out they said it was the starter I had a new starter put in it. One week later same thing happened again. Went back they load tested the battery said the battery was good but since it was 4 years old it wouldn't hurt to try and they couldn't duplicate the problem. Put a new battery in it I will say for about 2 months I didn't have a problem. Fast forward to June of 23 and it started all over again hop in the truck push the button all the lights light up on the dash sometimes I hear one click other times I don't. Usually if I let the truck sit for about 20 minutes I can hop back in starts right up. I've tried the key fob up to the push button I know it resets because I get a lot of different clicks the dashboard flashes still no luck making it start by the push button. This past weekend it happened to me I tried the auto start on the key fob and it started right up. Sometimes that works sometimes not. Going back to the dealer. We've gotten to the point I can't shut the truck off when getting gas for fear it may not start again.

 

[GGracie_1]

2020 Rebel 5.7 Hemi 88k miles. Battery date 11/2022 on unit that was swapped out.

About 2 weeks ago, out of nowhere my truck didn't start 1 morning. I get a 1 click from the starter and the electronics all turn on but no start. I cycled it on and off a few times. But kept getting the 1 click no start. Felt like it was getting enough cranking amps from experience it other cars. I went out and bought some jumper cables thinking the obvious. I jumped it off with my wife's van later that day and drove it around for about 1 hour.

Didn't have time to get a new battery so I had to let the truck sit for 1 week due to my family going on vacation.

I get back from vacation and go to start the truck and voila! It starts with no issues. I was expecting to be buying a battery that day. That was last Friday 9/29.

I drove the truck Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Now to Tuesday 10/3. No start that morning. I get it jumped off but not before getting the EXACT SAME 1 click no start when connected to jumper cables on the van. After this I run out to get an AGM battery. I install it at the house and let the truck sit for a few hours.

At 4PM on 10/3 I go to start truck and I get the 1 click no start. I turn off truck. Then I try it again. Now it turns over and I go to son's baseball game and then start truck again without issue after game and head home.

On Wednesday 10/4, I go to start the truck. Same thing, I get the 1 click no start. Turn off truck completely and try again. Now it works.

Does this sound like a starter issue or maybe a starter relay issue? Or something else?

Updated below: Could this be a ignition switch click that I am hearing? Possibly the ignition switch going bad?

I had the same issue, after trying everything I called a local locksmith to reprogram my computer and make me a new chip key. So apparently the chip was going bad. Hasn’t happened since.

 

[jman69]

2020 Rebel 5.7 Hemi 88k miles. Battery date 11/2022 on unit that was swapped out.

About 2 weeks ago, out of nowhere my truck didn't start 1 morning. I get a 1 click from the starter and the electronics all turn on but no start. I cycled it on and off a few times. But kept getting the 1 click no start. Felt like it was getting enough cranking amps from experience it other cars. I went out and bought some jumper cables thinking the obvious. I jumped it off with my wife's van later that day and drove it around for about 1 hour.

Didn't have time to get a new battery so I had to let the truck sit for 1 week due to my family going on vacation.

I get back from vacation and go to start the truck and voila! It starts with no issues. I was expecting to be buying a battery that day. That was last Friday 9/29.

I drove the truck Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Now to Tuesday 10/3. No start that morning. I get it jumped off but not before getting the EXACT SAME 1 click no start when connected to jumper cables on the van. After this I run out to get an AGM battery. I install it at the house and let the truck sit for a few hours.

At 4PM on 10/3 I go to start truck and I get the 1 click no start. I turn off truck. Then I try it again. Now it turns over and I go to son's baseball game and then start truck again without issue after game and head home.

On Wednesday 10/4, I go to start the truck. Same thing, I get the 1 click no start. Turn off truck completely and try again. Now it works.

Does this sound like a starter issue or maybe a starter relay issue? Or something else?

Updated below: Could this be a ignition switch click that I am hearing? Possibly the ignition switch going bad?

My 2017 did this last year and it turned out to be the starter/solenoid assembly. Everybody said battery, connection, ground wire, etc but it was the starter. They don't go out like they used to with a little warning period, they just go. A starter is probably cheaper than a battery now.

 

[Claydus]

It's been almost 1 week and it just started doing it again this morning.

I got the old battery tested and it still had 680 CCA so I am keeping that one along with new one for now.

Got up under the truck about 30 mins ago and hit the starter a few times with one end of a breaker bar very lightly.

Still no crank. Reset the battery cables and ECU.

Still no crank.

Going to try to jump off again when wife gets back to the house.

Trying to avoid RAM dealer at all cost since they are terrible at scheduling and will never give me a call back.

Trying a local shop first but they said they only sell/install AC Delco parts so I will be getting AC Delco starter if it turns out bad.

 

[Claydus]

I was able to hook up my "old" battery and jump off the truck. Going to have a local shop look at it tomorrow.

 

[mtnrider]

If you jumped it then its a battery issue. 99.9% of the time issues like you described are the battery, these trucks are very sensitive to having a good working battery.

/

 

[Claydus]

If you jumped it then its a battery issue. 99.9% of the time issues like you described are the battery, these trucks are very sensitive to having a good working battery.

/

I don't think its that simple.

Why if this was a battery issue, take 9 months for this to occur? I bought the truck in Jan 2023 with the "old" battery that was new at the time. The specs shows is has less CCA that the one I have now.

Things I am questioning at the moment.

Starter Solenoid
Starter
Starter Relay
Alternator issue (however... battery volts go from 12 volts to 14.5 volts when idling)
Bad/Loose ground somewhere
Battery draining issue

BCM issue (but no codes are present)

 

[Bob1313]

Heavy Equipment Mechanic here. Have seen this sort of thing hundreds of times over the years.
First thing I look at is if the headlights get dimmer when engaging the starter. If they do, then more than likely it will be the starter as it is using a large amount of power but not doing anything. If the lights don't dim, then it will probably be a witch or connection. Connections just don't need to be tight, they need to be clean, clean, clean.