Electrical issue 2000 Chrysler Sebring LXI Coupe

[jayno20]

For some reason the shop i went to said the battery touched the hood and sent sparks all over the place... everything seems fine now except for my headlights, interior lights, radio, cigarette lighter, and power seat wont work... everything but the headlights work sporadically. the parking lights work fine, and so does everything else.. its just those things... and the shop is being royal ____holes about it so im on my own on this one (please no advise against how to get back at the shop, just please tell me what i can check and do to fix this issue)


I checked in the fuse box and theres no power going to the fuse for the headlights, but there is power going to the relay... i grounded one of the pins in the relay for the headlights and they turned on, don't know if that helps anyone diagnose the problem or not...

also i dont know if this means anything, but my fuse for my amp was blown too, i guess when the battery touched the hood it popped a few fuses so anyone know where i should start for these things?

I am really trying to avoid taking it to a shop, electrical work can get pricey VERY quick so im really hoping to solve this myself... thanks for any help any of you can give.

 

[Master ACiD]

battery cant physically touch the hood sence the battery is located UNDER the headlight in the wheel well.
look for another shop that doesnt lie.
maybe they meant the positive umpstart terminal in the engine bay, but this is covered by a protective cap and even if the cap were missing its bolted down to the frame, no way for it to move up and touch the hood.

sence you want to fix it youreself take a look at the wire comming off the battery that bolts to the fuse box under the engine bay. its a direct connection between the battery and the fuse box where you could jump start the car. its connected to a terminal which has yet more wires. one of them goes to the fuse box under the dash. check this wire amd make sure it isnt melted.

actually trace ALL the wires comming off the positive terminal in the engine bay amd make sure none of them are melted or disconnected. i think there are atleast 1 fisable link in that area too.

 

[jayno20]

Well on my car the battery IS in fact right under the hood, and i saw the burn mark from where it touched (i think you are thinking of the sedan where the battery is around the wheel well area) but anyway there are 2 thick white wires that both lead to the fuse box, one goes for the alternator choke and the other one goes to fusible B+. Both wires are not melted, i even tried running new wires for those 2 just to be sure. I am fairly convinced that the problem lies in the wire on the OTHER side of the fuse from the white wire off the battery terminal. But i just dont know where it goes and even if i trace it i'll loose it once it goes into the car under the dash. I went out today and the battery is completely dead (has only been sitting for about a week) so what ever the problem is must be draining the battery somehow. As i said earlier the car would start and run fine so whatever this issue is it has nothing to do with the car running. Also the thing that touched the hood was one of the thick white wires that runs straight to the fusebox, and if i disconnect the one that touched, NOTHING changes... which means the problem is definitely in that area somewhere cause whether that wire is connected and giving juice to the battery or not the things stated above still do not work.


if anyone can offer ANY help on this i would appreciate it SO much.

 

[jayno20]

Here is a picture of my car with the hood open to show location of battery... you can also see the "thick white wires" i am talking about coming off the positive terminal


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/JAYNO20/Picture006.jpg

 

[Master ACiD]

sorry yeah i must have been thinking of the sedan. i have a stratus which is the same platform, same engine. same trans. my battery is under the headlight inside the wheel well.

good luck.

 

[jayno20]

anyone have any ideas on how to fix this issue?