Now I'm Worried!

[BB]

Background: '03 turbo...76,000 miles...very reliable to this point.

Drove PT to lunch yesterday. Drove back to work after lunch. 4:30pm I go out to drive home. Nothing happens when I turn the key. Dash lights come on. Radio works. Absolutely nothing as far as starter noise. No codes. A jump from a running car had the same result...no start. Not even the click you get when a battery is low. Soooo....I called for a tow and had the PT taken to the dealer. That was certainly fun during the 5pm rush hour!

Today the dealer had the car all day and it worked flawlessly all day. No codes. Nothing obviously wrong. They ran it through the diagnostics procedure 3 times and it never acted up.

The dealer and I suspect that it's a starter problem but since everything checked out, I picked it up tonight and I'll drive it this weekend and see if it acts up again.

Now I'm a little worried that it won't start some night when I'm working late or when I'm out in the boonies camping.

Anyone ever have anything like this happen?

I guess I could go ahead and replace the starter but what if it's something else? What else could it be?
Curious,
Bill

[SRG]

Yep, we sure did, dead as a doornail, battery live, just won't start.

It was my wife's 03, and it turned out to be the battery cables. If it happens again, (before you can change them out) try opening the hood, and gentley tug/pull on the cables, making sure the key isn't in the ignition at the time. Then try to start again. On the wife's car, the weak broken spot was on top of the starter, where the lug was pressed onto the cable.

Actually there are no cables, it is a cable assembly. Chrysler dealers sell it for about $70. and is all one part. Not a big deal to switch out, just put the new one in the way the old one was in.

Good luck, let us know;
srg

[BB]

Hi SRG!
I should have mentioned...I did loosen the cable clamps at the battery, moved them back and forth and retightened the clamps. Even though they showed very little corrosion I was thinking a build up inside the clamps.

I was wondering if a ground cable might be the problem somehwere down on the frame. Your experience might point the way to what's really going on. Maybe the tow and jostling moved the weak spot in a cable around to where it made better contact again.

I may just buy the assembly and change it out. Even if it turns out that it's something else, at least I'll know I've eliminated one source of trouble down the line.

Thanks for the info!!
Bill

[SRG]

We did the same thing! First cleaned off the battery posts and clamps, which were a bit dirty, the next time, I did the starter lug and ground lug.

This was one of those darned "intermittent" problems that would leave you stranded, and then all of a sudden the car ran fine.

I finally remembered a friend of mine complaining about having to pay to have the cable assembly replaced on his 02.

Take a good look at the cables if you do take them out, on ours, it was obvious when we saw the cables AFTER we pulled them out.

Let me know;
srg

[BB]

The more I think about this, the more it makes sense to go ahead and replace the harness.

How many end points are there?
How hard is it to get to the end points?
Do you have to remove other parts to get to the end points?

Just thought I'd ask before I get in over my head.
Thanks!
Bill

[quicksilverdon]

I've also had cars with "flat spots" in the starter - the coils start to go bad, and at certain positions of the rotor in the starter, it won't work. With car in drive, try shoving it to get starter to move to another position, then try again.
If that's it, it gets worse, so plan on a new starter.

[SRG]

QS Don might be right as well, it might be the starter.

If you have to change out the cable assembly, you'll see it looks like an octopus. Off the top of my head, I remember.....

One lead that connects to the lug on the starter.
One lead goes to the ground lug.
One lead goes to the fuse box behind the air box.
The 2 battery clamps. To put on last, of course.

You have to remove the 2 battery shelf bolts to take out the shelf, then it's just a matter of disconnceting old and replacing new. Put the battery shelf back in place, and then reinstall the battery.

srg

[BB]

Thanks SRG!
Doesn't sound too hard.

Yeah, like quicksilverdon mentioned (thanks qsd!), it still might be the starter. I'm still thinking it might be good to replace the harness anyway since it sounds like the original one may be a source of trouble eventually. If it acts up again after the new harness is in, it's probably gotta be the starter.
Thanks guys!
Bill

[BB]

Hmmmm...called the dealer today to check on the battery wiring harness. Turns out there was a change part way through the '03 model run so there are two harnesses. One harness is about $100.00. The other harness is about $300.00!! Not sure which one I need. They can tell me from the VIN number but I didn't have that number handy. Naturally my PT will probably need the $300.00 harness.
Bill

[SRG]

Originally Posted by BB

Hmmmm...called the dealer today to check on the battery wiring harness. Turns out there was a change part way through the '03 model run so there are two harnesses. One harness is about $100.00. The other harness is about $300.00!! Not sure which one I need. They can tell me from the VIN number but I didn't have that number handy. Naturally my PT will probably need the $300.00 harness.
Bill

I don't think so, both when my friend and I went to buy the harness, (2 separate occasions at 2 different dealers) both said the same thing, then investigated a little more and found the correct part for about $70. Take your business elsewhere if they can't find the correct part/price.

srg