Hi, all. I have a 99 sebring JXI (I think it's a JXI). Anywho, I hit a curb and my car died a few minutes later. It will start and run if someone gives me a jump but otherwise cannot start. There is a cable hanging loose on the bottom (driverside) that looks like it connects somewhere but I couldn't find anywhere that it would fit.

PLEASE help me with this! This situation happened once before when I blew a tire on the highway (the same cable came undone, I think!).

 

Its the battery cable.. The batery is located behind the drivers wheel.

Remove tire / remove plastic wheel well / hook up battery if not damaged.

Drive away

 

Would the car start with a jump if it was the battery cable? Both terminal connections are solidly attached. Might the cable lead to the alternator?

 

It would be starting off the 'jump' battery. Chances are it would then run untill the car askes for more voltage than just idle... ie break light, horn, dome, radio, windows, the CPU reading engine, about anything really

Trust me here. Start by checking the battery, Im betting this is the cable you see hanging

unless you have a small head leak that oils your alternator. Mine does and I have swapped it 3 time. I rather eat glass.

 

To what? where? are we talkin; on top of the drivers side strut house.. (Red T shaped cap)

 

https://i.imgur.com/hf13e.jpg

Here's an image of the connections on top - they're all fine (this is not an actual image of my car). Is there a battery connection underneath the battery compartment? I swear I don't see anywhere to plug this thing into. I'm about to just pull out the entire battery and see if that won't shine some light on the situation. It's so compact in there it's hard to see anything.

 

The battery itself is HIDDEN. It is located under the picture location you gave.
You must jack the front / remove front drivers tire/ remove the splash guard.

I bet the battery hold-down didnt 'hold-down' the battery on impact.

 

This IS the only way to get to the batt.
If I were remotely wrong(or right but not in his words) BackyardTech would be 10 posts deep by now

 

Thanks for helping me out, Basic. I took off the wheel, the body kit, etc. and discovered the battery housing had been mangled and the + connection to the battery had been rubbing on the tire and almost completely ripped out.

I fixed the housing and replaced the battery.

NOW - the car will drive fine on the highway or around town but ONLY if I get someone to jump it. Without a jump, the car acts like the battery is dead for about two clicks and then stops providing any power at all.

I am baffled. Any ideas?

 

Autozone..
free test on the batt. it may have sat to long w/o a charge
test @ the upper location (your picture),, this will prove that the connecton is good
Sound loose between batt and "upper".? Starts but road movement kills it
If all of this is good, they offer a free test on your alternator. If the alternator is bad, start another thread and I will tell you how. Take a Valium first and formost!

The battery jumping around may have causes an arc (short) and blown a fuse, this one is odd if the car starts but could be

Let me know
Basic