2009 Dodge Caravan Misses When Starting and Continues to Start While in on Position
If your 2007-2021 Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, or VW vehicle fails to start ("crank, no start" or it acts likes it's out of gas) and/or your fuel pump continues pumping after turning the vehicle off (draining your battery), you likely have a faulty fuel pump relay. See our chart below to compare various solutions. Starting problems related to a faulty fuel pump relay often occur when the vehicle is cold and progressively get worse over a period of weeks or months. More symptoms are listed below. Dealers and mechanics will want to change your fuel pump ($$$), but don't do anything until you can verify the fuel pump relay is working properly. Relays are like switches that turn on and off to provide power to your fuel pump (see image at right). Silicon and carbon build up on the relay contacts is the main cause.
Fortunately, numerous cost-effective fuel pump relay solutions exist (see table below), such as the TIPM Bypass Cable that we first developed in 2014 and our patented TIPM Plug-In Relay Systems invented in 2017. Faulty fuel relays are extremely common in 2011-2013 vehicles with the Dodge Grand Caravan, Ram 1500, and Chrysler Town & Country being the worst. 2011-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durangos were the only vehicles ever recalled and fitted with an external relay. Additional relay problems with windshield wipers, door locks, horn, backup lights, and other systems are also very common in these vehicles with a TIPM repair being the best solution at this time.
Before you spend $1500+ on a new TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module or "fuse box"), please read below regarding five cost-effective solutions for TIPM relay problems. Depending on your skill level, you may be able to implement some on your own or purchase parts/service from us. As the owner of a 2011 Dodge Durango with 27+ years of mechanical engineering experience, we've spoken with thousands of people regarding TIPM fuel pump relay issues.
TIPM Faulty Fuel Pump Relay Solutions (Comparison Chart)
| TIPM Bypass Cable | TIPM Plug-In Relay System (Lite) | TIPM Plug-In Relay System | TIPM Repair | Used TIPM | External Fuel Pump Relay | New TIPM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image |  |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Cost | $25-36 | $59 Most Popular | $99 | $199 | $350-$450 + possible core charge | $400-600 through dealer or $50 do it yourself | $1500+ (requires dealer visit) |
| Availability | In stock | In stock | In stock | Repaired within 24 hours | Stock changes daily | Very difficult to obtain (check with dealer) | Likely backordered or supply chain issues (check with dealer) |
| Long Term Solution | No. More details here. | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (external relays continue to fail after several years) | Yes |
| Installation Time | 5-10 minutes | 5-10 minutes | 15 minutes | 30-60 min after 3-5 days vehicle downtime | 30-60 minutes | 1-2 hours | 1-3 hours (dealer visit) |
| Limitations | None | None | None | None | None | None | None |
| Potential Problems | Tight fit if using new M37 connection | None | None | None | Might have to do a hard reset after installation | External relays fail within 1-3 years and some dealers won't install | Dealer will want to program new TIPM (avg. cost $100+ labor) |
| Test OEM Fuel Pump Relay | Yes (standard cable versions only) | Yes | Yes | Yes (during the repair) | No | No | No |
| Test Fuel Pump | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Bypass OEM Fuel Pump Relay | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A |
| Disable Fuel Pump Relay | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Onboard Diagnostic LEDs | Pump on | Run/start signal, fuel pump on, original relay | Run/start signal, fuel pump on, original relay, 12.0+ VDC battery, disable fuel pump | None | None | None | None |
| Onboard Fuel Pump Relay | No (uses existing Run/Start relay K4) | No (uses existing Run/Start relay K4) | Yes (MOSFET) | Yes (Electromechanical) | Yes (Electromechanical) | Yes (Electromechanical) | Yes (Electromechanical) |
| Dealer Visit Required | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (unless you install it yourself) | Yes |
| Return Policy | 30 days if not used (restocking fee may apply) | 30 days return for full refund on part regardless if used | 60 days return for full refund on part regardless if used | N/A | Unknown | See dealer | See dealer |
| Warranty | 30 days | 1 year | 2 years | 1 year | Unknown | See dealer | See dealer |
| Install Difficulty | Easy | Easy | Easy | Moderate | Moderate | Difficult (soldering) | Dealer only |
| What We Recommend | Buy this if money is tight and you don't require a long term solution | Buy this if you want an easy installation along with a long term solution | Buy this if you want the most advanced patented fuel pump relay bypass solution with diagnostic LEDs and additional functions | Repair your TIPM if downtime isn't an issue and you don't want add-on solutions | Buy this if downtime is an issue and you have multiple TIPM issues that can't be repaired | We do not recommend this option due to the requirement for harness wires to be cut | We do not recommend this because it's the most expensive option and no one wants to visit a dealer |
| Legend: | Favorable | Not favorable |
Symptoms of Faulty Fuel Pump Relays
The fuel pump relay, located deep inside the TIPM, is the most common relay to fail since it's powered on 100% of the time while you're driving. You likely found this website because your dealer wants to change your fuel pump ($600+) or TIPM ($1500+). Symptoms include:
- Multiple attempts to start, perhaps occurring most often in the morning when the vehicle is cold. The problem gets worse over time and eventually won't start at all. Vehicle acts like it's out of gas (ie. crank, no start). 70% of our customers experience this failure mode.
- Unexplained battery drainage due to a fuel pump relay that is stuck in the closed/on position. You can likely hear the fuel pump running if listening from the rear of the vehicle after it's turned off. Battery drainage may still occur even after a new battery or fuel pump is installed. 25% of our customers experience this failure.
- The vehicle stalls while driving and you coast to a stop. This situation is sometimes fuel pump relay related, but also could be due to thermal expansion issues inside the TIPM or other electrical components.
- The vehicle won't start and appears to be out of gas.
- Jump starting your vehicle resolves your starting issue since fuel pump relays perform better at higher voltages. When you start your vehicle, you're relying on the roughly 12.50 VDC battery voltage. If jump starting from another running vehicle, you're pushing nearly 14.0 VDC to the vehicle since the alternator outputs a higher voltage.
- Remote start resolves your starting issue since its use disables power to certain areas of the vehicle. Disabling power to these areas allows for higher battery voltages during the starting process and fuel pump relays perform better at higher voltages.
- Your vehicle starts fine in warm months, but won't start during colder months.
- Your vehicle tries to start, but stalls seconds or minutes after starting.
Location of the fuel pump relay soldered to one of six circuit boards inside a TIPM-7 series fuse box
Symptoms of Faulty Wiper, Door Lock, and Similar Relays
Problems with front and/or rear windshield wipers (on/off, high/low speed), door locks, front and/or rear washer fluid, horn, backup lights, and other relays are becoming more common with time. The most common double relay (two relays in one enclosure) failures are 2007 and newer Jeep Wrangler wiper and door lock issues. These relays are used less often, but are similar to the fuel pump relay in that they fail to power on the device and sometimes get stuck in the on position. Most failures result in the function being inoperable. Most of the time, functions that are located on double relays (wipers, door locks, washer fluid) will fail in pairs, which means you will lose two functions at the same time. If you experience loss of two functions at a time, there is a very good chance the double relay has failed. Symptoms include:
- Windshield wipers won't turn on or will only work on low speed.
- My horn won't work or will get stuck on (forcing you to pull the fuse or disconnect the battery).
- My door locks work intermittently or fail to lock/unlock, Normally only the lock or unlock function fails, but not both.
- My backup lights work intermittently, all the time, or not at all.
You can save thousands of dollars by implementing one the proven solutions listed on this page for a fuel relay problem. A TIPM repair is often the cheapest solution for wiper, door lock, washer fluid, horn, and backup light problems. We also encourage you to file complaints at the following locations: CAS, Car Complaints, and NHTSA.
Source: https://www.verticalvisions.com/tipm-fuel-relay-solutions.html
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