Unfortunately, the saga of my SKREEM-related issues persists, and after many bouts of troubleshooting, I'm out of ideas. This feels like it may a niche corner case, so I figured I'll share my experience so far (hopefully formatted in a useful fashion), in case it's of benefit to someone else in diagnosing their car, as well as in the hopes that someone might point out another possibility or something that was missed:
:::Summary experience and troubleshooting progression:::
-I leave the lights on overnight and the car battery dies. I determine that I am an idiot.
-Battery pack is used to jump the car. Cranks, engages, then dies.
-Installed new car battery. Issue persists; now clearly a SKREEM issue (engine starts and is promptly killed. This can be done twice before battery needs to be disconnected). At this point I figure the low voltage from the battery being drained may have damaged something sensitive in the SKREEM module. However, remote lock/unlock function still works, so the module is still functioning to some degree.
-Decided to rule out other possible issues before forking out for a new SKREEM module.
-
Replaced batteries on keys (shouldn't matter) and tried each of three keys.
-Used
to determine that the sentry ring is at least attempting to interface with the chip when key is inserted.
-
Pulled fuse #9 to rule out issue being caused by auxilary system on that circuit (even though it should not matter).
-Checked fuses (each and every one of them) with a multimeter and
applied
to clean up any oxidation.
-Checked connections of RCM/PCM/ECM. Visually checked for damage and reconnected securely.
-Pulled apart the trunk and
checked for moisture. Tiny amount was found in lowest part of the trunk, under the Central Locking Pump.
Checked the Central Locking Pump; visually checking connections with a loupe, and then deoxidized. No moisture present and all connections look good.
-
Checked Security System Module (Siemens module next to Central Locking Pump) in same fashion, and deoxidized connections. No moisture present, no visual damage on plug, and all internals look good as well.
-
Ordered new SKREEM unit from
NeedsWings. Waitlisted indeterminately by Fiat-Chrysler (queue frustration). Rob from NeedsWings is extremely responsive in addressing my questions and keeping me updated on order status. Finally received, installed (but did not swap out old sentry ring), and
everything fires up. Am happy to have the problem resolved and the car running again.
-Car works fine for 3 days, but then will not start again. I opened up the dash and
replaced the sentry ring for the new one that came with the SKREEM module from NeedsWings.
Car fires right up. I put the interior back together and call it a day.
Car fails again the very next day.
-I assume at this point that some cable/connection is being moved in some fashion when the dash is opened up and then closed, or from driving the car for a few days. I open up the dash again,
ensure all connections are secure (3 to the SKREEM module, 1 on back of lock cylinder, and 1 on front of lock cyclinder to the left of ignition). I also
snug up the ignition cylinder to the steering column and tighten it down. I
remove some of the foam padding from behind the instrument cluster in case that's causing some kind of issue when everything is closed up. No luck;
the issue still persists with or without the dash opened up.
Brothers and sisters of the Crossfire community, I'm now without any clue in how to proceed. What might I be missing, and what might explain the car working again for a few days, failing, then working, and now failing again?