I am trying to troubleshoot a 2000 300M, the symptoms is absolutely nothing happens when you turn the key no lights, so we attempted to jump, using the two _ and - post that are assigned in the engine compartment. No go. We moved the negative to the engine block and actually get a spark and the engine turns and starts... The car can be driven for 10 minutes, at some point the ABS and Trac light come on, and then a few minutes after that the car kinda shutters and dies and immediately you just have a oil light dimly on and you turn the key and nothing happens.

Now if you turn the key to the on position, you get all the idea lights, but the moment you turn the key you get a single click and oil the oil light remains on until you turn the key all the way off and back on, and repeat the process a few more time, then nothing will eventually happen.

I have a cigarette lighter voltage tester that is suppose to check the alternator. when the car is jumped and running I am getting over 14 volts at the cigarette lighter, but it almost seems as though the battery itself and we have now put in two batteries, are not getting charged. I have not tested voltage at the battery for sure and I am unable to test at this time as the car is now 60 miles from me.

So it appears when you jump it you have enough voltage to carry out a short drive, but the only systems really showing signs due to the low voltage is the ABS TRAC that those lights come on before it stalls and you have a no crank situation.

Now I personally noticed there is two what appear to be pulleys on the left side of the engine one being up top near the engine oil stick on the 3.5 and there is no belts or anything on them and there is one below that on the lower part of the passenger side, you can spin these freely. Is this normal that there would be pulleys that are not used? There is a belt on the alternator portion on the drivers side.

I am curious why the negative post to jump doesn't seem to have any effect on anything, and why the alternator appears to not be charged when the car is running, but appears to be feeding 14 volts to the cigarette lighter as if its working fine. Any thoughts on what to look for. part of me says maybe a bad ground... I just want to arm myself with some things to check and what tools I should bring besides a multimeter, but what test points should I be checking..

Thanks all for your help.

 

Replace the battery and check the connections at eh battery see if they are broken

 

I had to change my battery also because of not holding a charge had to boost the car, when i boosted it (only twice) it started with no issues.
So the first chance I had after sitting in the driveway for a week bought a new battery (one that was recommended for that type of car) I had no issues installing the battery but found that the battery terminal connector was cracked and replaced the terminal, hooked up the battery connected the wires for the extension to access the leads from the top of the car, put the wires on the terminal and everything looked fine, until i opened the door to test start the car and the alarm went off. Now i have a red light on the top of the dash that flashes when i usually lock the door and when i unlock the door with the remote it stops flashing and away i go once the car is started, but i have another blue light that after i hooked up the new battery is always flashing and i cannot turn it off and the alarm goes off each time i enter the car, the car will not start the blue light on the steering column continues to flash and cannot get it to turn off.
I have tried to the remote on my key fob to unlock and lock the doors and even the panic alarm works but it wont shut the alarm off, I have tried unlocking both the passenger side door along with the drivers side door as suggested by some posts on the internet, i have tried also to put the key in the ignition and turn off the alarm and nothing seems to work.

Has anyone out there had the same problem? and if so how do you reset the alarm it seems as though the blue light will not stop flashing no matter what i try, I have not been able to use or start the car since I changed the battery, everything worked before the battery was changed except for holding the charge, and now it stops me from starting and wont shut the alarm off any ideas, i need to get the car on the road again.

Thanks in advance
Shylow

 

What ever that blue light is that's not factory

 

This may be helpful. With wierd battery problems, check all the circuit, not just battery posts, but the engine ground strap, both ends for corrosion. Remember it has to carry the starter current of hundreds of amps. I just loosen the bolt a little, give the strap a good wiggle clock and anticlockwise, then tighten well.
Also check tightness of the alternator main charging terminal, which is the BIG one. A good alternator can push out 50amp. (a lot more for a police vehicle).
I see this as routine checks.

Leedsman.