2001 dodge dakota 3.9L, 160,000ish miles. Has ran great since I bought it but recently when the cold it the truck would not turn over and instead makes a whirrling noise whenever you turn the key, the starter has been replaced, the battery has been checked, the ignition switch has been replaced and the wiring and fuses have all been cleaned and checked. I'm truly stumped any help would be awesome. Sometimes it starts up first try no hesitation and other times it takes over 30 tries over a days period to start
What makes this problem better or worse?
When it is cold or hasn't ran for a day
How long has your 2001 Dodge Dakota had this problem?
RepairPal Certified shops can diagnose and repair your 2001 Dodge Dakota. They provide transparent pricing with a minimum 12-month or 12,000-mile warranty on repairs and services.
Whirling noise -- perhaps the "new" starter motor is not engaging as it should? Or, perhaps it's not able to find teeth on the ring gear / flex plate / flywheel to crank the engine due to teeth being damaged?
Since I can't hear the concern, it's really hard to even guess on even that. Hands on testing is what is needed.
All starting concerns should start by checking the battery for state of charge and the ability to sustain a load.
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