2001 300m new battery new starter
 

Hello guys Im new here and have a whopper of a problem...to make it worse just got laid off and money is tight... I have a 2001 300m special. Last summer and the keyword here seems to be summer my car at times would not crank. I would have to get a charge and she would normally start. I replaced the battery and lo and behold had the same problem again...seemed like when the car was warm (hot) she would intermittently not start...I was then told to replace the starter so I did...the problem didn't go away....winter came and I thought the problem was solved. Seems the cold weather solved the problem.

Long story short last week it happened again (the weather is hot again) got a pro rated battery yesterday seemed OK...today after the car had been driven a while she wouldn't start again... this time I got a jump and low and behold she wouldn't start...I waited a while with the hood up and she finally started.

Things that have happened recently...the interior light while driving often comes on the problem is solved by bringing the dimmer down and keeping it down ... I do not think this problem is related as it has been going on since I bought the car.

Possible symptoms ...when I got in the car this morning the idle seemed funny in park it would idle high and then go down finally with the car in drive the idle seemed steady...Also with a full tank of gas the needle goes from full to empty in a second. It will continue to do this till a get to about half a tank...

The main problem and my biggest concern is the not being able to start after the car is hot...I don't know if these things are related.

Any help would be greatly appreciated...I cant afford a new or used car I have a family and Im out of work. ANY help at all would be much appreciated. Thank You