Hello, I own a 1998 Chrysler Sebring Convertible JXi and I'm having an issue with the alarm system. I have a key fob that works and I can sent and unset the alarm with it. The problem is, even if I disable the alarm with the fob it still wont crank. I have power to everything, but it wont even turn the starter. The other issue is it doesn't do it every time. This is a recent issue and it is intermediate. I don't know much about the cars, but I and a reliable mechanic think it could be the computer of the car. Unknown if this is a common issue. Any help would be extremely appreciated.

 

Does the radio work? I ask this because a bad starter will pop/open fuse #8 under the hood. This same fuse provides power to the radio. A bad starter will pop fuse #8, 20amp.

The standard factory key fob has 4 buttons and looks like this, no specific buttons for alarm set/unset. Is there an after-market alarm system?

https://www.keylessentryremotefob.co...iABEgK1bfD_BwE

 

Sorry I meant I can lock and unlock the car with it. Double clicking the lock button locks the car and sets the alarm. All fuses are fine, I have checked them multiple times.

 

Usually, if its a problem with the alarm or security system, the car will start and then shut off after a second or two. Your car doesn't seem to be acting like that. If it won't crank at all, it's probably something simple like a bad connection somewhere. Start at the battery and check all connections and wiring to the key, starter relay all the way to the starter. Look for broken wires, corroded connectors, anything that will prevent completing the circuit. Replacing the computer should be pretty far down on the list of things to be looked at. Begin with all the cheap and easy things. Once all those problems have been ruled out, you can look at the expensive stuff. A bad computer should reveal itself via certain codes. Guesswork should not be part of the diagnostic process.

 

To clarify I was missing some information on this post. It does start and run for a few seconds. It will normally start two or three times. When it starts it will run for about three seconds and then suddenly shut off. I can get it to start two more times but by the third start it doesn't crank at all. I still have power to everything and all fuses are not blown.

 

What you describe is the sentry key not being recognized by the security system. Note the key and keyfob are essentially 2 separate systems. The keyfob does the doors/trunk/panic/alarm where the key is only to start the vehicle. The key should have a gray head (chipped) and needs to be programmed to the vehicle security system as does the keyfob.

When a key that is not programmed to the security system, you are allowed 3 attempts. The engine starts but since the key is not recognized, the security system shuts the engine off after 3 seconds. After 3 attempts, the security system will disable even starting the car. The system will reset after 20 minutes or so and allow the the vehicle to be restarted and the 3 start attempts begins anew.

It appears your key is not being recognized. It could be the key has failed or the skim (sentry key information module) has failed. The skim consists of a wire loop around the ignition switch which feeds into the skim box itself.

Do you have another sentry key (gray head) to try. Was there any work done on the vehicle recently?

 

I do have two keys, both of which are original to the car. Both keys will start the car but the system shuts the car down anyway. The first time it happend it took about an hour or so for it to essentially "reset" itself and the car started up like nothing was wrong. The red security light in the dash was on but it wasn't affecting the car when driving. This has happend three times so far and I haven't been able to drive the car for three-ish weeks now. And for the question you asked before, there was an after market alarm system in the car (manly used for remote start) but that has been taken out and the car security system still won't allow you to start it.

 

Was the after-market alarm system removed recently, that is, was it removed just before this problem started? The red security lamp should turn off after 10-20 seconds so it appears something is amiss.

For an after-market remote start to work, the skim needs to believe a key is in the ignition. This is done in a number of ways, the most common is burying a key in the dash close to the skim wire loop or to add a module that is programmed to look like a key, also near the skim wire loop. Another means is to bypass the skim and fool the pcm that a key is in the ignition. If you can determine what brand of after-market system was put in you should be able to find the installation guide to determine what was done for the after-market system to work, This in turn will give you a hint if the aftermarket system is affecting the skim.

 

That after market system was called viper. It was removed after that car had been acting up. I had it removed hoping that was the issue, but it ended up not being it.

The mechanic that did the work said he tried bypassing the security lock sensor in the door but that didnt help.

 

Did you ever find the solution im having the same problem