There is a thread on Micropod II which is your cheapest bet for Crossfire and other Chryslers. I have one, works fine. I also can recommend Star Diagnostic System (SDS), which is the Mercedes tool. I prefer it to Micropod, but all up to you, your needs and budget.

 

I read all your posts here and am wondering if your car is standard shift or automatic? Not that I have a clue to your problem but I gotta ask your symptoms. Does it do anything at all when you try starting? Does it try and crank at all and then dies? Never heard of a gear indicator in the dash before. My two cars are automatics.

 

Crossfires with automatics have a gear indicator in the bottom of the tach, next to the clock display.` The display is driven by information from the TCU, if his TCU is not powered up, he will have a dark square instead of a valid indication.

 

I disagree on using a DRBIII when the starter won't engage. if the starter won't engage AND you have those kinds of transmission/SLA error codes, I get the idea you have a 12 volt power problem. That is, you DON"T have 12 volts in one or more places you SHOULD have 12 volts. Now, if you can talk to the ECU, that tells me the ECU is powered up at least partially. But look at the diagrams in the service manual, many modules have multiple power feeds, each feed powers one or more areas of the module, but not always ALL areas in the module

It is hard to say what the next step is, as its becoming hard to follow what the exact symptoms are. Above, you describe a simple "no start, no crank" so lets forget this TCU crap and get the engine to start.
Basic test, when the car seems alive but it will NOT engage the starter:
Turn key to START, if starter wo'nt engage, relax key to ON.
Wait 30 seconds, do you hear the engine fan running fast, real fast?

If so, the engine control relay output from the RCM has failed, so your Fan module is alive, but your ECU is not alive. If the RCM is new, it's either the wrong one , bad, or a fuse on the RCM is blown.
If the engine fan is not running fast after 30 seconds, we have a "no crank" and that, in an automatic can have a lot of causes. But adding those SLA and transmission codes and symptoms, along with the issues driving it the last time, I insist this is a basic power problem.

As to the blank gear display, if the TCU is not powered up, you won't have a display. Now, they key is MECHANICALLY connected to the SLA, the key is not allowed to go be removed if the SLA is not in park. This is a simple cable connecction from the SLA to the ignition switch. There is a physical cable from the shift lever to the switch for this.

You cannot shift OUT of park unless your foot is on the brake pedal and the key is on, as the swtich on the brake pedal is there to prevent you from shifting from Park without the brakes applied, cuase to do so is stupid. This connection is a simple "power from key switch goes to brake switch, then to solenoid in the SLA" No computer is involved.

 

Just went out to the car and took a look. Wow! Never really paid any attention to the gear indicator. Dang if I didn't learn something new "again" about the Xfire. "No one said I had to be smart, just had to be willing!" LoL

 

Okay. Fuses have continuity and triple checked part number on new RCM.

Key goes to ON and I hear the beeps along with the pump by the tank.
Turn to START and get no engagement.
Relaxed key to ON and the fan under the RCM stayed on until the keys were out.
I noticed no other sounds or fans.

 

Then you have power to the ECU. Now we move on to the (sorry to say) harder stuff. The procedure and system the car uses to activate the starter is complex, if the ECU is missing something it expects or knows of an issue it often wont engage the starter.

Turn on parking lights
Disconnect battery, wait 15 seconds
reconnect battery (going to be a spark, dont let that bother you)
Try it, if yoiu get starter engagement but no start, keep trying. If, after three tries, you get nothing again, we can work on a SKREEM issue. If you get nothing at all, we've got to reallly get into this

 

I hate to argue. However, on these cars, the starter will NOT engage without Drive Authorization. That comes from the ECU accepting the key from SKREEM and the CAN message from TCU (which is derived from a message from SLA to TCU) that the car is in P/N. You need both of those to authorize the starter. Now, it is possible to jump the starter and get the engine to run. The engine WILL run without the TCU portion, but it will not authorize the starter without it. The solid block in the instrument cluster can indicate either a SLA or TCU issue. This is why you really need the codes to understand the root of the problem, and not just throw parts at it until something works.

FWIW, if the car was a manual, it would be SCN coded as such in the ECU, which would pass on to the instrument cluster that there is no gear indication. That block would then be blank. Since it is black, the ECU *is* coded to be an automatic. The ECU is not receiving a gear position status, so it reports as blank. Most typically, this is a manifestation of a failed RCM, which does not power up the TCU. In your case, it could be no power/ground to the TCU and/or SLA, no comms to the TCU and/or the SLA, or a failed SLA or TCU.

At this point, you have only a few options, without proper diagnostic tools. First, I would dive into the wiring diagrams, and verify that I have power AND ground at the appropriate pins for the TCU and the SLA. After that, I would ring out the CAN bus wiring from SLA to TCU and to the ECU (it will all be on the same pair of wires). Be sure that if you do have continuity that none of the wires are shorted together or to ground. If you verify all of those things, then I would suspect a failed TCU and/or SLA. Knowing which one before buying parts would require the Micropod or SDS.

 

Being a six speed guy, I had disregarded the SLA/TCU's part in "start authorization". At least, I sure did not mention it.
Yea, the black square in the display IS part of this, I had not really thought that thru.

 

What is the TCU and is it something I should add to my Acronyms list? Does it mean Trans Control Unit? Is it same as the TCM?

 

jokersxf, Seeing as you do not know history of your car I suggest you remove the plastic cowl that sits below your windshield. You need to take both windshield wipers off and there are screws inside the engine bay at the base of the cowl you remove to get the cowl off. Careful as there are the water hoses for the windshield cleaning and some wires in there that are connected to the cowl, but they can be disconnected and the cowl lifted up out of the way. Once you have access to the area under the cowl you will find drain hoses which are suppose to discharge water down out of that area to the bottom of the car. Those hoses often get plugged with trash. When they do not drain properly water flows into the car on the passenger side through the large air inlet for the A/C and causes a number of problems. Under the carpet on the passenger foot well is the amplifier for the radio ( you mentioned problems with your radio) and also a air bag controller and the Transmission Control Module (TCM). It is possible that that the TCM has been compromised from water getting in there caused by the plugged drain hoses. There are four drain hoses. One on each side of the car and two in the center.

Easy to lift the carpet and inspect that area; disconnect the TCM electric contact connectors and inspect for corrosion.

If you do remove the cowl and clean out those drain hoses I recommend you disconnect the wiring from the siren ( it is located in the center of the car also under that cowl) as the internal batteries leak and can cause a number of problems. NOT saying that siren is related to your non start situation, but it has no purpose if it doesn't sound when you push the panic button on your FOB and does not effect the car in any way when disconnected. Once your current problem is corrected you can replace the siren with new or continue to drive with it disconnected as I have done for years.
GOOD LUCK

 

.
Lots of great info and discussion. Trying to keep the shot group tight.

1. Try PizzaGuy's parking light thing.
2. Pull cowl and windshield wiper blades to check drainage and clean up like zip says.

​​​​​​Should I go ahead and pull that passenger carpet to see if there is damage around the TCM area?

Manual says to check and reset communication with drbIII if there is a CAN communication failure or no responses. 8E - 34..... Seems to be similar TS steps for most of the sensors and CAN system that call for drbIII.
​​

Codes present with obdII (P2300)(P2313)(P240c)

Thanks again for all of the help and support. So awesome.

​

 

Yes lift the carpet in the passenger side foot well. If you find water intrusion it is likely the cause of your CAN BUS problems. pull the electrical connectors and inspect for corrosion. It is an easy job and you will learn a lot about the layout of your car.

 

Canned air helps blow out and dry electrical connectors.

 

We should be more careful with our abbreviations. It's really the TCM- Transmission control Module. And the ECU (engine control module, industry term) is called the PCM (Powertrain control module Chrysler term).

 

It does, but it does not clean off the corrosion associated with water. The only way to remedy a wet CLP/SSM or any other module is a new (used, really) module and you also must (MUST) get the last 3-4 feet of wiring harness as well, and change the wiring before you try to use the 'new' module

I've been thru this with three convertible tops (as well as 30 years to experience at work) that would not work due to a wet CLP/SSM and it's the only way. Not only do you get corrosion on the boards IN the CLP/SSM, as well as on the pins of the connectors, you also get horrible corrosion between the crimped pin and the wire it is crimped to.

There is simply no other way.

 

I got to the amp and tcu board. Noticed no corrosion. Noticed no water in the area during a rainy day while it was peeled back.

The new battery already drained. would this indicate a ground issue? Perhaps I should take all of the aftermarket wires out? They spliced into a wire coming from the amp and it's obviously not a great connection.

 

Bad grounds do not cause batteries to go dead - too much current causes them to go dead. The ONLY way to diagnose a battery drain is to MEASURE the drain and know what you are chasing. In doing so, you often find other issues because defective modules or improperly installed aftermarket crap will often cause excessive battery drain. So, chasing a battery that is going dead can pay dividends with a car that you don't know the history of.

We are pretty good at helping people with their Crossfire when they have had the car some time and something comes up. But with a "problem child", that is, a car just bought with an unknown history and verified problems, you better be willing to WORK and LEARN. And keep in mind, YOU will be working harder at this than we do because we are not there - who the hell knows WHAT was done to that car? You cannot even assume its' all factory or stock. And we sure has hell have no way of knowing.

First thing I'd do, is chase what is drainging the battery - and KEEP IN MIND, you may find more than one item doing so.

I went to great trouble to provide us all with a Crossfire-specific procedure that addresses everything I could think of. THere are two versions, one for those experienced in this work(V1), and one for everyone else(V3).
If you take your time, you can get thru this. If you are going to try to cut corners, dont even bother, push the car off a cliff, life will be easier.

Go here, links to downloads are in Post #1:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...lp-papers.html

 

You seem incredibly knowledgeable and super up there on your crossfire pedestal Pizza guy. You cost me $200+ telling me it was the RCM and are throwing in the towel super early cause the issue doesn't fit your mold. You are by no means an expert (even if you have three roadsters you beat off in.) You need a complete vehicle history in order to help? What a joke bro. You should open up a shop with my neighbor "mechanic" 😂

Next step is to yank all aftermarket and follow with a drb III tool like the manual says. Reading through schematics it looks like a bad ground or faulty instrument panel is the most likely issue. the CAN system could need the reboot like so many other computer systems. At least that's what the manual says. I plan on looking through slk forums and manuals to see if anything turns up.

Drb 3 alternatives would be great if anybody knows any software.

There are tons of other groups on Facebook I can take the issue to as well.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and followed. (Unless you hump pepperoni's. Then go get a complete history.)

 

OK, I get being frustrated, but wow! No one cost you $200. If you didn't need an RCM now, you will soon, as they are the #1 electrical failure item in these cars. Second, it is exceedingly difficult to diagnose electrical problems over the internet. Third, battery drain in these cars comes from a few common places, all of which are discussed ad nauseum on this very forum. Fourth, the manual and a DRBIII will do you no good in chasing this problem. Fifth, DRBIII alternatives have been discussed in this forum.