I have a 2001 2.7 L Dodge stratus. After having been driven for 45 minutes, when shut off, it will not start back up for one hour. When I try to start it, the accessories will shut off (ignition switch) but nothing happens. No noise, no nothing. After a full hour has passed, it will fire up no problem. The battery is new, the starter is perfectly fine, all the major cables are tight, and the ignition switch and starter relay are brand new. What could it be?
there are no lights and no other visible problems with the car other than that.
How do you know the starter is “fine” ? Taking it off and bench testing it won’t show anything if it starts the car when cold. The only things that can fail with the heat and cause a no crank with the new parts you describe are the starter, or the neutral safety switch. I think it is the starter.
The starter is brand new and the problem existed before and after the installation of the new starter. Is it possible that it is a problem not related to the starting system and possibly a ‘glitch’ in the computer? Are there any sensors that would cause the starter system to not function if heated or over heated? Maybe a safety function?
I had no great ideas about this, but oldtimer did mention the neutral safety switch. I’m not sure why that would be related to heat (one has to assume that you have an electrical issue brought on by heat which increases electrical resistance), but it doesn’t hurt to try.
Next time it does this, put the car in neutral and then give it a shot. If it starts replace the neutral safety switch.
The car also has a problem that I thought previously unrelated. It has a center shifter and the key won’t release while in park. I need to either put it in neutral and press the button on the shifter that releases the stick in order to remove the key. Could all of these be related to the sensor connected to the brake pedal that allows the car to be started while the brake pedal is depressed?