Hi everyone, I have searched the site for a while but I can't find anything on this specific issue, so I need to post a question. I am about to pick up a 2004 Sebring LXi 2.7 with 84k for a great price. The previous owner is getting rid of it due to a random no start that happens almost always after driving a a while and shutting it off. Here is what happens:

Car starts cold just fine.
Runs great to wherever you are going.
You shut it off and go into a store.
Come back out to start it and you get dash lights as normal, but no click or anything.
It doesn't happen all the time, and it might not happen for 6 months or so. Then one day, nothing.

He has been throwing parts at it, and is tired of sinking money into it. No codes, new battery, new cam and crank sensors, ignition module, and computer, and coils, among some others.(He hasn't kept track of what he has replaced.)

I would hate to see this beautiful car go to the scrapyard over something stupid, so I'm hoping someone here has seen this before, and can help me out.
Thanks in advance!

 

being a novice backyard mechanic, and not wanting to step on any expert toes..... have you tried using another key when it won't start?

I had a Park Avenue what had theft deterrent system issues, and using a different key often worked. I'm not entirely sure, but, given that keys for
these cars are expensive to replace, I'd bet there is a similar system on them.

hope this helps....and good luck!

 

No, but I will look into that. He said you have to let it sit for a few hours or even overnight, then it will fire up like nothing ever happened.

 

Yes...the Buick did the same thing. You just never knew when it would decide to work. I spent one long, cold winter fooling with it...laying on the ground, tapping the starter with a hammer (worked sometimes, sometimes not)...jump starting (worked sometimes, sometimes not). Finally figured the security system thing out, bypassed the key altogether with toggle-switch direct to the starter (I know, pretty rube goldberg-ish, but it worked). Was too stubborn, and cheap, to take it somewhere for professional help.

Wouldn't recommend any of these methods for your Sebring - they're way too nice for such treatment

 

Well, the security system was one of my suspects, but I'm not convinced that's whats it is yet. It seems to be dependent on heat, or lack thereof. Cold starts are fine. But once it is warm and you turn it off, you have to let it cool off completely before it will start again. Like I said also, all the dash lights come on like normal, just no signal getting to the starter when warmed up. And it's random, it doesn't do it all the time. I used to own a repair shop, and I've been through the Sebrings pretty thoroughly, but this one has me stumped. My prime suspects right now are the ASD relay, a loose ground or short in the wires related to the ASD, or something else I'm not thinking of. I was hoping someone here knew of something in particular like this that happens to the 04'ish Sebrings.

 

Well....you're way beyond my skills - in fact, your last post sent me to google to see what an ASD relay is! You learn something new every day.

I truely hope you get it sorted out - having just come through an extended overheating fiasco, I know how frustrating it is to not trust your car.

 

OK time for an update. I have searched hundreds of pages on the web about this issue, and no progress yet. In fact, now the car wont start at all, and here is what I have found:

All fuses and relays tested good and you can hear the starter relay click when you turn the key to on or "run", but not start position.

Seems to be getting power to all the proper places in the fuse box.

When you turn the key to on or "run" position, dash lights and buzzer work normally, except red security light comes on for test, goes off, then comes back on and stays on, also message "no bus" under odometer.

When you attempt to start the car, radio and dash lights go off, then come back on when you let off, but no click from solenoid or starter at all, just dead.

Unplugged cam sensor and crank sensor to test for bad sensor causing the "no bus" condition as is common, but it did nothing.

Battery is hot, windows and locks work, inside lights work, but radio is acting weird. It shows the clock, powers on normal, switches stations normal, but no sound at all and displays only 0 or 1 when trying to turn it up.

Unplugged the radio and tried but no change.

At this point the only thing I can think of is the SKIM module malfunctioning, a bad key chip, or a bad body control module throwing the no bus message. PCM has been replaced (Powertrain Control Module) or engine computer.

WTF. Any ideas?

 

"PCM has been replaced"

Was it properly programmed with the VIN and mileage before you put the new one in?

"Battery is hot" What does that mean? What voltage does it read? Low battery voltage can cause havoc with computers.

"No Bus" reading. You need to address that. The "bus" is the data bus that connects all the computers in the car with the systems they control and with each other. Think of it as a wire down which the computers send signals. Everything is connected to the wire but the things connected to the wire will read and react only to signals they are interested in. If the bus is not working the computers cannot talk to each other and things won't work. Almost everything is connected to the bus including the PCM, the TCM, the BCM, the SKIM, the stereo, the climate control system, the ABS, airbags, etc., etc.

 

I talked to the previous owner and he said yes the PCM was programmed as needed when installed. The battery has 12.5 volts, and is fresh off the shelf. I also read where a bad SKIM module will allow the car to turn over or even start, but then shut off in a few seconds. This is not whats happening so I'm going to rule out the SKIM or key. So, this leaves the BCM, and the previous owner said he had not replaced it. However, he did say that the car was supposed to have had the alarm and starter kill removed at the dealer, and the light was a dummy light. The local dealer said the BCM may be bad, thus the no bus message, and the no-start/lockout condition. Also the alternator is missing, someone stole it while it was sitting in the back, and I have been told the system requires ground through the alternator, and it should start once it's replaced. I've heard of this before, but never had an issue with it.

 

Hi,


I have the same problem with my '04 Sebring.
Bought mine in jan. 2013 (was imported 2008 from the States), and one day in november I started my car, motor ran for 3 sec. and stopped.
This for three times and then the motor completely stopped.
There was power enough, the whole electrical circuit was functioning.
I tried to start the next day again, and again the next, with the same result.
Tried a jump start, without result.
Informing, asking around, search the internet, nothing found.
A friend of mine has a PT Cruiser and told me of a tiny little knop on the steering-house to push it in with a ball-point, but no **** on the Sebring.
My Sebring stood there whole winter and in april '14 I gave it another shot and tried again the jump start, this time with result.
I was so happy to hear the motor running smoothly and softly, without problems.
I drove my car to the Chrysler garage and they did a checkup.
They only found a few bad fuses they replaced, but none of them were the reason.
When looking on the net I came upon a problem similar as ours, and he adviced, next time to disconnect the battery and make sure there is no electicity left in the circuit. Then make a jump start.
Still don't know what the problem was/is, but took an Insurance at the garage that where ever I am in Europe, they will pick me up. just to feel safe :-)


Asking around