No crank diagnosis needed. An electrical diagnosis puzzle. 2004 Sebring Convertible Touring, 2.7 engine. 110k odometer. I'm the fifth owner. I'm a private owner, not a dealer or mechanic. Ran perfectly until today. Problem appeared this morning, suddenly, no gradual malfunctions occurred. Won't start. Battery is good. The fuses I pulled out are good. Gas tank at 3/4.
Eight things don't work: No crank, no solenoid click, no radio, no wipers, no windshield washer, no turn signals, no operation of (and no sound from) convertible top motor, no dashboard warning lights when key switched to 'on' except for parking brake warning and oil pressure warning icon.
Everything else does work: Battery ok, fuses ok, no error codes, MIL off, interior lights, lights on rear-view mirror, visor vanity lights, blower motor, power windows, power door lock, headlights, hi-beams, parking lights, fog lights, backup lights, brake lights, self-installed wired backup camera, dashboard illumination backlights, radio and heater illumination lights, odometer and trip odometer display, parking brake warning light, trunk open warning display on odometer, trip meter all functions, center console 12v power socket, emergency flashers, remote electric trunk opener release, foot brake properly releases gearshift lock, key-inserted warning chime with door open, headlights-on warning chime with door open, key mechanically blocked from being removed with gearshift not in Park.Trunk light and cigarette lighter have been disconnected for years. Fiddling with gearshift position (to check whether neutral safety shift is misadjusted), and jiggling key in ignition switch has no effect. Nothing seems loose or noisy in the ignition switch. I inspected all fuses in place, but removed to inspect only the few fuses described as pertaining to ignition, dashboard, convertible top motor, radio, wipers, turn signals. I did not remove to inspect the remaining fuses. I did not put removed fuses on an ohmmeter.

Is ignition switch the only thing that seems questionable. Should I remove it and test its terminals with a ohmmeter and then with a voltmeter? Bad transponder chip in all three keys? Transponder chip receiver failure? Shorted wire? Loss of good contact in a wiring terminal plug at ignition switch? A bad relay in one of the two fuseboxes?

 

Your investigation seems intense. Three questions:
1. How did you test the battery?
2. Did you inspect ANY of the ground connections, battery to body, engine to body?
3. Did you look at or clean any of the battery connections/starter connections?

 

Good questions, Jake. Thanks!
Charged battery overnight; checked with voltmeter; found minimal voltage drop when I turn headlights on.
I did not yet inspect ground connections to engine and to battery. First I'll need to find out what an engine-to-ground connection looks like.
Though corroded battery connections are the simplest explanation, they are also the hardest to detect on this car: battery is located behind the LF wheel well liner.
I haven't looked at the starter connections yet, but I will. (Battery connections first.) Should I suspect a relay? I would need teach myself how to test a relay. Should I pull and inspect every fuse? Should I find and inspect the fusible links? Should I suspect the ECM?

I do appreciate your thinking about this, Jake, and your taking the time and trouble to post. It's very helpful.
-- Brett

 

Fuse 8 20 amp under the hood is for the starter and ign switch the starter is likely faulty blowing the fuse

 

I like Tech's ideas.
Also, I wouldn't rule out the battery until it has been properly load tested. I have bought bad batteries off the shelf, rare, but it has happened.

 

Kevin, thank you so much! Problem solved. Fuse 8, 20 amp, labeled START/FUEL in the diagram in the owner's manual. Come to think of it, the engine did crank for a half-second before going silent -- that might have been when the starter blew the fuse. Now my wife gets her car back, so she thanks you too. It's very kind of you to share the answer with me. Guys, just northwest of Atlanta, Kevin's Mobile Automotive Repair is the place to call. And check out his YouTube video shorts. They're great entertainment, and insight, for thousands of us techs at Shade Tree Motors. Jake, thanks for your help, and for the advice to load-test batteries.

 

Good deal!

 

Welcome that starter is the most common issue and popping that one fuse