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Perplexing New Problem

1K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  Mark Perryman 
#1 ·
Ok, I am going to try and write this so it makes some sort of sense.

First off I have a 2000 Dodge Intrepid ES 3.2L with ATC, SKIM, OTIS, Am/Fm Cassette w/4 disc changer, Smoker's Package, etc...

This issue just started happening after I replaced a blown fuse (15amp) for the Lighter.

I went to start the car and got absolutely nothing and the open door light was rapidly flashing, after a few tries just turning the key I opened the hood and check the battery connections (all looked good and were tight), then I check the fuse/relay box to make sure everything was firmly seated (again all looked good). I got back in the car, turned the ignition to the On position shifted the car into reverse then back into park and my OTIS, Clock (on the radio), Trip Meter, as well as my ATC (which was off) all reset to defaults but the car started just fine.

Car ran and started just fine the rest of the day, but the following day after starting and running fine a few times it happened again.

I have no idea what is happening, could it be a neutral safety switch going out or something else?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
When the door lights were flashing when trying to start, did you hear any clicking in sync with the lights flashing?

I'm thinking you either have a bad (worn out, damaged, or defective) or partially discharged battery, or there is a bad connection in either positive or negative (ground) path to the starter (likely before you get to the starter from the battery because the starting load is affecting other circuits.

You've got to determine which it is. How old is the battery? Has it been drained several times and/or sat completely discharged for a long time over its life (which causes sulfating and very low current capability for starting)? If it is good, is it fully charged (i.e., alternator is charging it and nothing is draining it)? If none of those things, it is likely a bad connection in the power or ground connections between battery and other loads (besides the starter on the car - likely at battery itself or at positive or negative jump posts). You can't necessarily tell a bad connection from a good one just by looking at it. The interface between halves of the connection could be loose and/or corroded. You'd have to take them apart to see and correct any such problem (unless just plain loose).

If the battery is not the problem (not bad, and fully charged), when you have these failed starts, a loose or corroded connection will usually get hot (due to high resistance generating heat at the point of poor connection), so sometimes you can find the bad connection point by feeling for heat.

A test of the battery at Advance or similar may be a good idea to try to determine if the battery is bad (or discharged). To see if the alternator is charging the battery, measure the voltage at the battery with the engine running at 2000 rpm or above. Must be in the range of 13.5 to 14.5 volts (towards the higher end of that range in colder weather, towards the lower end in hotter weather.
 
#3 ·
Had the battery and alternator checked out today and the guy at Autozone said both are in "great shape".

Maybe it was just a glitch? It only did it the 2 times and has been starting and running fine since. The only thing I have done different is make sure my phone charger is not plugged into the lighter when I go to start it (should I switch that lighter fuse back to the ACC slot instead of the battery slot?).

I will post updates if it happens again.
 
#4 ·
Depending on how much current the phone charger pulls when it's just sitting, it could have discharged your battery.

If so, the problem wouldn't be whether it was plugged in *while* you were starting, but how long the car sat with it plugged in since the car was last driven any distance (to top off the battery). The normal "IOD" (Ignition Off Draw) on the battery with the ignition off is 25 to 35 mA (0.025 - 0.035 amps), depending on which year FSM you read. The FSM says the battery charge is only good for approx. 20 days due to the IOD. Any additional constant drain will cut that time for discharge proportionally (discharge time will be inversely proportional to drain current).

If you have anything plugged into the lighter that pulls current all the time, definitely move that fuse to the "accessory" position. If you need to be charging your phone or whatever when the car is off, then leave the fuse to batt., but unplug your charger when it doesn't need to be plugged in. Even if there is only an "power on" LED on the charger when the phone is not corded to the charger, that LED is constantly pulling a few milliamps from the battery.
 
#5 ·
Update: Got off work this evening and went to the car and it did the same thing except that it never started. Had a Friend come give me a jump, and it drove home just fine except the instrument cluster lights were flickering (guess it was just running on the alternator). I guess the guy at autozone was wrong about my battery being in great shape. Looks like I am going to go buy a new battery in the morning, just wish the cheapest I found was not $100 bucks.

Any other group size, besides 34, that will fit fine in the trep?
 
#6 ·
Not sure if what you're experiencing is what I went through last year but my '98 Concorde 3.2 would have intermittent no start or cranking sound whatsoever. Bought a new battery even though the old one (which was a bit of a pain to remove from under the wheel well area) tested okay with a battery load tester off vehicle. Had the same symptoms with the new battery. Took a closer look at the terminals (that connect directly to the battery; not the remote pos/neg posts up above) and found that the smaller terminal that latches to the main positive terminal that clamps onto the pos side of battery was so badly corroded and didn't make good contact. This cable connects to the starter at the other end although I'm not entirely positive. I find that the area where the battery is stored is proned to getting very dirty and corrosion from road grime.
 
#10 ·
Some of those 98-01 models had an issue with the trunk light staying on after the trunk was closed.
The wires get frayed where they cross the opening.

Take a minute to pull down the back seat tonight and see if that light is on.
Or you can disconnect those wires from the connector mounted on the rear quarter.
 
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