Hey all,
I'm brand new here and have not gone through all of the back logged threads, so I apologize in advance if this has been addressed before.

Also; I am not car savvy, so again, I apologize for any obvious troubleshooting questions I may post.

I have a 2001 Sebring LX with 21K miles on it.
Right now there are a few electrical issues my car is having:

1. Takes about 5-7 seconds to start car
2. Dashboard display lights flicker when turn signal is on
3. Power locks always work to unlock, but sometimes take more than few tries when locking
4. Brake light warning on dash senses/pings when rounding corners or coming to sudden stops (this has become more sensitive as of late; warning me even when the turns are not sharp and my stops are smooth)

These are just annoyances, but I wouldn't want them to be warning signs of a serious electrical problem to come. Perhaps it's as simple as changing out the battery, but I wanted to get opinions here before buying a new one only to have it be something else.

Thanks all!
D

 

Wow! A 2001 with only 21,000 miles on it!
Sounds like there are several different things wrong. The slow starting could be a fuel problem. If the car sat unused for several years some crud could have gummed up something in the fuel system. The flickering lights could be a bad ground. The brake light could be low brake fluid. That's easy to check.

Yes, a weak battery could have something to do with some of these problems. If it's the original battery it's due for replacement. 10 years on a battery is more than you should expect.

If you're willing to spend some money, you might want to take the car to a dealer or someone with a DRBIII scan tool to hook the car up to the tool and read out any trouble codes to trace down some or all of these problems. The dealer will charge you about $90 to do the diagnostics but will often apply that toward the repairs if you choose to have him fix the car there. The DRBIII tool is much more sophisticated than the run-of-the-mill scanner that most garages/parts stores have.

 

Anoyances.......

I hate to be overbearing.....BUT....

A wise old man once told me.......If it dont start...we'll fix it, but if it dont stop, we wont be talking about it anytime soon.

A BRAKE WARNING IS MORE THAN AN ANNOYANCE..IT COULD BE LIFE OR DEATH.

Now...Having said my piece.....

In your master cylinder is a FLOAT, which rides above a magnetic switch. if the fluid level gets low, when you turn, or stop sharply, the fluid "SLOSHES" to one side, allowing the float to drop and activate the switch for the warning lamp.

Low brake fluid is caused by two things, and Two things only....Worn Pads....because as the pads wear down, they get closer to the disc, and more fluid is required to fill in the space in the caliper.....OR

YOU HAVE A FLUID LEAK.....

Either way.....If the lamp is on, your BRAKING ABILITY could be compromised, HAVE IT CHECKED OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It's amazing what a little DOT3 will do!

I’m actually kind of embarrassed that I didn't even think to check that prior to posting, but thanks a lot for the tips.