[sadams211]

Hello,

I just bought a 2017 Ram Promaster this past Saturday. I dropped the van off at my house and went out to dinner in another car. I did not see that I had left the lights no, but there must be an automatic shut off because I didn't see them on when I came back home. I woke up the next morning to take it out and the van wouldn't start. It didn't turn over, it didn't click when I turned the key, it didn't make a sound. I saw that the lights were left on so I tried to jump it, still wouldn't turn. All of the electronics went on just fine, but nothing happened. I checked the large fuses on the battery terminal, that was still intact. I tried to start the van from neutral. I put a 10 amp charger on it over night and it still wouldn't work on Monday. I checked all of the fuses and this is when I started to see that some of the fuses in the fuse box under the hood were not getting power (the ones on the lower left side and most on the right side), and some were not getting power in the fuse box in the dash. Could this be a starter problem, fuel pump issue, could some relay be out in the fuse box? Does it have to do with something in the security system and the key fab? I'm wondering what could have happened by leaving the lights on over night, and the battery was never drained. I am in the Chicago are and it has been cold. I have no idea at this point.

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[phil]

verify that the big fuse on the battery is good

 

[sadams211]

verify that the big fuse on the battery is good

Hi, Phil,

The 20 amp fuse on battery cover is intact and getting power to both sides. Man, too bad that wasn't the fix...

 

[phil]

Hi, Phil,

The 20 amp fuse on battery cover is intact and getting power to both sides. Man, I wish that was it! Thank you!

I'm talking about the giant fuse, watch the video at about 1:50 he checks it,

 

[phil]

 

[uralwrench]

Have you tested the battery to see if it is accepting a charge? If you try to charge it across a blown master fuse like that, it's not charging.

 

[Kip-on-truckin]

We are certain the battery is getting and keeping a charge? It’s less than ethical, but I have been known to buy a battery, try it, then return it as a test.
From there, I’d be testing the starter relay by swapping it for others in the fuse box. Cheap date.

then I’d test at the starter. If no voltageto the starter solenoid, it’s going to be key related.
If it’s key security related, there’s a dash light for that.

 

[208034/]

Perhaps it's a dealer installed anti theft device that was not disabled when you bought the van?

 

[sadams211]

I'm talking about the giant fuse, watch the video at about 1:50 he checks it,

Thanks for sending that over! I did see that video and I made sure both sides are getting power. I might just replace that fuse anyways. But when I checked that side for power the lead tester lit up.

 

[phil]

Thanks for sending that over! I did see that video and I made sure both sides are getting power. I might just replace that fuse anyways. But when I checked that side for power the lead tester lit up.

For me a fuse is either good or bad, no need to replace it.
Did you happen to get a voltage reading?

 

[phil]

Also have you tried disconnecting the neg side of the battery, wait 10 mins or so, reconnect and see what happens.

Just knocking out low hanging fruit.

 

[[email protected]]

I have a 2017 and leave my lights on all the time, they automatically cut off when I leave the vehicle. I had a problem with a "dead" battery a year ago and discovered the positive side terminal was loose and had carboned up, had to clean with a wire brush and reattached.

 

[tgregg]

I have a 2017 and leave my lights on all the time, they automatically cut off when I leave the vehicle.

Yes the headlights and parking lights go off automatically when you turn off the engine, but if you turn the headlights on when they key is off the parking lights will turn on and stay on until the next time you start the car. I did this accidently and my battery was dead the next day.

 

[sadams211]

Hi Everyone! It's been a crazy week and I will finally have a chance to look at everything tonight. I'll put up a post following up on all of these recommendations. This was my first post on a forum, ever. And you all have been so helpful. I look forward to paying it forward in the future in this forum! Talk to you all tonight!

 

[sadams211]

Here is what I have tried so far:

I Checked the fuse on top of the battery and it is getting power on both sides. I removed the negative side, waited ten minutes, reconnected it and tried again and it still didn't start. I used a multimeter to check all of the connections and it was getting the correct amount of power on each side of the fuses. I don't see anything on the dash that says it is key related, no lock symbol light.

I am taking the battery in to get it tested today. Buying a new single relay that I can swap all of the relays to see if that will get something moving. Then I plan on checking the power to the starter solenoid.

I took off the underside cover of the steering column and found some loose wires, but the van worked during the test drives and the first day I had the vehicle. I am wondering if these wires have anything to do with an anti theft device. There is also a connector that is hanging down, but it doesn't look like it goes to anything.

 

[proeddie]

Can you read the writing on those silver labels on the yellow pieces. They (the yellow connectors) don't look factory to me (but I haven't looked in that area since I added cruise control (but that's only 1 wire))

 

[Kip-on-truckin]

I think you’ve found it. The red wire thst goes to the round looking thing is the key release solenoid. It isnt the problem because your key isnt stuck in the ignition.
But the yellow things are non factory, and appear to be intercepting the main ignition (crank) wire coming from the connector on the cylinder. Looks to me like somebody wired in an ignition kill switch. I see a broken green wire sticking out of the lower one as well. I’d trace the intact wire and I bet it either goes to a hidden switch, or it goes to ground. That’s how you’d make a simple ignition kill system.

 

[Kip-on-truckin]

 

[sadams211]

Here are a couple of more angles. There is this brown cable that goes to nothing, but is definitely from the factory. The yellow wires go somewhere down the steering column.

 

[sadams211]

Update! The van is running! The wiring underneath the steering column was the culprit! I removed the aftermarket wires that were connected to the ignition switch. I then attached the longer loose wire to a random wire sticking out of the ignition wire connector. It started right up! Thank you for all of your help with everything!