Starter will not engage, sometimes...battery is fine.

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jman69

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Dec 8, 2017
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Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I have a 2017 Ram Laramie that will only start when it wants to. Other times I just get a small audible click, wait a few seconds, then it clicks again. The battery is brand new, then another brand new one is doing the same thing. I can boost it and it will start. I can put a 3 amp charger on it and it will start immediately (impossible but true). Something just isn't letting the 13.4 volts get to the starter most of the time. It may do this every time one day, then everything may work perfectly for a week. It started right up after a 5 degree night so it's not the battery or the connections, they look perfect. Solenoid? Starter? Relay? Anybody ever heard of this? Naturally my dealer/service center has never encountered this problem.
 

james.kaschmitter.90

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Ram Year
2006
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5.9 cummins
Sounds like solenoid going bad, or not enough juice getting through electrical cable to solenoid for some reason. When mine started doing that, turned out my batteries were going bad, (Cummins diesel)
 

turkeybird56

Military Vet 1976-1996 Retired US Army
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Hemi 5.7
I have a 2017 Ram Laramie that will only start when it wants to. Other times I just get a small audible click, wait a few seconds, then it clicks again. The battery is brand new, then another brand new one is doing the same thing. I can boost it and it will start. I can put a 3 amp charger on it and it will start immediately (impossible but true). Something just isn't letting the 13.4 volts get to the starter most of the time. It may do this every time one day, then everything may work perfectly for a week. It started right up after a 5 degree night so it's not the battery or the connections, they look perfect. Solenoid? Starter? Relay? Anybody ever heard of this? Naturally my dealer/service center has never encountered this problem.
Check and make sure all connections solid and check all your grounds also. Does sound like solenoid may be going bad in starter, just hard to know. Not like the old days when solenoid was easy to get to or change out.
 

turkeybird56

Military Vet 1976-1996 Retired US Army
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2019 Bighorn, 4 X 4, 3.21 rear, Bright Flame Red Pearl Coat, Mopar tonneau cover,Westin Bed rug
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Hemi 5.7
Sounds like solenoid going bad, or not enough juice getting through electrical cable to solenoid for some reason. When mine started doing that, turned out my batteries were going bad, (Cummins diesel)
He could have a bad cable that is burned somewhere also, OP gonna have to check all and trace, LOL.
 
OP
OP
J

jman69

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 8, 2017
Posts
7
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Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I have a 2017 Ram Laramie that will only start when it wants to. Other times I just get a small audible click, wait a few seconds, then it clicks again. The battery is brand new, then another brand new one is doing the same thing. I can boost it and it will start. I can put a 3 amp charger on it and it will start immediately (impossible but true). Something just isn't letting the 13.4 volts get to the starter most of the time. It may do this every time one day, then everything may work perfectly for a week. It started right up after a 5 degree night so it's not the battery or the connections, they look perfect. Solenoid? Starter? Relay? Anybody ever heard of this? Naturally my dealer/service center has never encountered this problem.
Turned out to be the starter/solenoid assembly. The dealership replaced it and honored my lifetime warranty! $110 total.
 
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