Minivan Blues

I love my 1998 Town and country minivan. It’s perfect in every way. . . but one. Every once in a while, when I crank it, it dies. When I try to crank it again, it dies. If I keep trying to crank it, it dies 3 or 4 more times, then when I turn the key, nothing happens. The lights, radio, and AC work fine during all of this. In an hour, or a day, or a week sometimes with no other action, the car starts and runs just fime for a few weeks or months until it has another spell of what I’ve come to call the “vapors.” We’ve had our mechanic look at it multiple times, and he can’t figure it out. Any ideas? Thanks for your help!

It is either electrical or fuel or a combination of both I think. It could be the fuel cutoff switch is malfunctioning or there is a problem with the wiring to the fuel pump itself. I once had a truck that would die unexpectedly from lack of fuel. There was a small crack in a line and air would get in and form a vapor lock. You need to check for fuel flow, the next time it does this.

I just had another thought. It might be the fuel pump relay is sticking. It would keep the pump from sending the gas when it malfunctions. It might not stick all the time.