Help!!!

[Eric4040]

2011 ram 1500. Gave signs of dead battery. Jumped it all was good....for few hours. Replaced battery. Having same issue. All lights turn on. No crank to fire engine up. Clicking sound when first turn key. Being told might be grounding issue.
Appreciate any help.

 

[Burla]

Starter.

 

[Eric4040]

Thanks. That’s my fear

 

[Brandon-w]

I second burla. Could try tapping the starter. Sometimes that works.

 

[Burla]

For sure, old school mechanics move, knock it around some, not too hard. If it starts, you know it is the starter and not ignition, which would be my second guess. I guess starter first because when you charged it you were able to start, more indicative of starter then ignition.

 

[Burla]

The part only looks like it's 100 bucks. Anyhow, don't sweat the battery replacement it was due anyway. I'm not saying just go buy a starter and replace it, just saying it is a possible culprit. You need to verify. I think in 2011 they changed the starter, yours might look different, dunno for sure.

 

[Eric4040]

More and more looking like that’s the issue. Any thought what would have killed the battery or just weird coincidence?

 

[Brandon-w]

Was the battery actually dead? Or just thought to be?

 

[Burla]

What were the signs of dead battery? No lights? Did you run codes? did you whack the starter?

 

[Eric4040]

Autozone tested it and said it was. Showed me the tester. Haven’t had chance to whack the starter.

 

[Gator57]

Pause your fuse block cover and isolate your starter relay first. Have someone turn the key over while you have your fingers on the starter relay and make sure the relay is clicking. If the relay is clicking move to the starter solenoid and repeat. If the solenoid is clicking but the starter motor isn’t engaging then your starter is bad. If your battery was tested and was indeed bad then it is possible that A low charge issue with your battery added extra wear to your starter. Ignition failure is highly uncommon on anything built post 2001. Don’t get me wrong it’s still possible but highly unlikely.

 

[Burla]

Great post there.

So if there is a short in the wire that can burn out the starter and in theory drain battery as well. The fuse is "supposed" to stop this from happening, but I've had a transfer case burn the motor three times before we fixed it, we didn't look for a short until the third transfer case. That was the good thing I chose to let the dealer fix that one, because they had a year warranty on parts and labor, so there was only one charge for three transfer cases. That one cost the dealer a bunch of time and money and parts. So if these two are related, there might be a possible way to this happening as well.

Point being, if you replace starter and there is a short or ground issue, you could burn the starter again and again until you fix short. So if you whack the starter and it works, less likely it is burned out.

 

[Burla]

You can bypass relay as well, this is a pretty informational video, may not be related but offers bypass.

 

[JohnnyMac]

I'd look at grounding and connections at the starter before putting any money into it. Might only need a simple cleaning of a connection.

 

[Eric4040]

This has really stumped me. Tried all your suggestions, still can’t figure it out. Really appreciate all the help.

 

[Fast69Mopar]

This has really stumped me. Tried all your suggestions, still can’t figure it out. Really appreciate all the help.

What exactly happens when you turn the ignition key to the RUN position?

Does the instrument cluster come to life?

Is the red security lamp flashing in the cluster?

Warning lamps illuminate and go out?

Do you have a test light and a DVOM where you can connect to the started and see if you have B+ 12.0V on the large battery wire? Have an assistant turn the ignition key to the START position while connected to the signal wire to the solenoid is receiving battery voltage to engage the bendix in the starter. If you have battery volts on the large battery cable at the starter and you have switched ignition voltage at the starter solenoid then the started is no good.

If you have battery volts on the large battery cable to the starter and no volts when the ignition key is in the START position then we need to look at a few other things.