I need some help with my 2003 Sebring Convertible 2.7L Flex Fuel. It has 79K miles on it. We just replaced the water pump, thermostat, coolant bottle, and bleeder screw/temp sensor due to the water pump going out and then it still was overheating so replaced everything else. Pulled the rad out tested it flushed it and its fine. I have the dreaded P0601 code as well. Currently the car is driveable as long as I leave the AC on so the rad fans turn on and off without the AC on the rad fans do not turn on and off even though the relays and fuses are all new causing the car to overheat.
Now I am having some issues starting it I turn it over and have to press the gas to get it to start I have no idea at this point and my husband is on the road for work and won’t be back for another 3 weeks so I am stuck.
I have been keeping a close eye on everything the coolant level is still where it is supposed to be, oil level is fine – no water or coolant in the oil thank goodness, no smoke out of exhaust, runs great once started.
Please if anyone has any information I could sure use the help I am panicking I know I can order a PCM and how to install that but will that solve the hard to start issue?
Thank you!

 

Your starting problem sounds like a recent thread here where he solved his problem with new plugs, coil and wires. Your engine is different, but new plugs could be a help. I assume you have no other error codes but with the 0601 code there's a problem with the PCM so who knows what that might be causing.

The overheating is a real puzzler. A radiator hose can collapse internally and block circulation but if they pulled the radiator I would assume they replaced or at least checked the hoses, maybe not.

 

No its not throwing any other codes than the 0601 code. The overheating has drove me up a wall and back again and into tears a few times you can feel the pressure on the hoses and see it circulating but heres the huge kicker the temp guage on the dash DOESN'T read hot it sits about 1 or 2 lines at most above the "C" when it overheats, the coolant boils and spews everywhere!

I can handle wires and plugs that seems cheap enough I hope maybe I can have a friend help : )

 

did u bleed the air out the system after the water pump was replaced?

 

Yes each time we have added coolant as well.

 

You might want to check the compression to rule out a head gasket problem. It would be relatively easy to to while changing spark plugs.

Make sure the radiator cap is good.