Hello, this is my first post on the forum, and I apologize if I've accidentally posted in the wrong section.

TLDR: Crossfire dies a few seconds after being cranked, and the one time it didn't die, the check engine light was on and it was running very roughly. The car was completely fine just five minutes before this. Any ideas on what could be wrong?

Yesterday afternoon, my '06 Crossfire was running perfectly fine. There were no warning lights on the dash, other than the one telling me my taillight was out. At about 6pm I came home from shopping, went inside my house, and was immediately asked by my mother (I am seventeen, still living with my parents) to run to the store to buy dinner. I walked outside, got in my car, tried to leave, but it died about two seconds after I cranked it. I waited a few seconds before trying to start it again, but the same thing happened. At this point, I was panicking, so I ran to my father and asked him to look at it. The first time he tried to crank it, it immediately died, and the second time, while it did not immediately die, it was very rough. It sounded like the engine was almost dying, before starting back up again. While the lights in my car were growing brighter and dimmer in time with this, all of the other electrical stuff in my car, like my radio, was working fine. This is when the check engine light suddenly appeared on my dash. My dad turned the car off and checked my oil--which he said was a bit low. He checked a few other things under the hood, but he didn't comment on them, so I assume that they were fine. I asked my dad if we should put oil in it, but he said it was too late in the day, and he was too tired after work to do it. I then asked if we should scan my car, but he gave me the same answer as before. I would scan it myself, but I have no idea where my dad keeps it or how I would even use it. We have scanned it two previous times before--once before we bought it in November, and once just last month. Neither scan showed any problems. The car had 120k miles when we bought it, and I have only put ~900 miles on it since.

If anyone could please give me an idea on what to do, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm only seventeen and know nothing about cars. I make about ~$100 a week so I really hope whatever the problem is has a cheap fix. If it's relevant, I changed my battery last month, and my car has a few electrical issues, such as my seats only moving half the time, and my convertible top not working, which I only suspect is electrical-related--I have no actual evidence to back that guess up. Also, the buttons on my key fob don't work, but I've been driving it around like that for about two months, and haven't ran into any problems. Other than those issues, my car was fine before this. I don't think my problem is due to the SKREEM module, because I read that it only gives you three tries to start it before it "shuts the car down", but between my dad and I, we cranked it four times. I am too afraid of causing damage to go outside and try cranking it again. If anyone knows what to do, please let me know!

Edit: Sorry for abandoning this post, everyone. The issue ended up being my MAF sensor. The wire to it was damaged. My father repaired it and all went back to normal. Thank you to everyone who commented trying to help!

 

Just based on what you posted, it's very hard to say. My first guess would be low fuel pressure caused by, with most likely cause listed first:
A bad fuel pump
A bad filter / regulator
A clogged fuel pickup in the gas tank

A simple fuel pressure test will confirm fuel pressure, it should be 58psi +/- 3 psi with engine running and for many seconds after the engine dies (it will slowly bleed down after that). If fuel pressure is OK, we must look at throttle body and perhaps ignition issues like a bad cam position sensor or crank position sensor.

But when mine did this, I looked at fuel pressure FIRST.
This kit was $35 five years ago, inflation is killing us:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c...fa9a6257140594

 

Welcome aboard. Learning to fix your car will pay big dividends in the future, and save you money in the long run. Try to scan the car first before randomly trying things. BTW, with the key in the ON position, the fuel pump should be on, and you can measure the pressure in the fuel rail - the fuel pump is electrical and pressurizes the system when the key is in the ON position. Is the car cranking like usual (but not starting) - the flickering lights might be pointing to a grounding issue, but I agree with Mark that the fuel system is probably the first place to check.
-Jerry

 

It would sure help if people would at least name the state they live in so you know if it is wet, dry. cold, hot etc. Climate can make a difference, not to mention fellow owners that live nearby that may be able to help.

 

Don't forget the fuel pump relay is on the RCM, something to consider if it is a fuel supply issue.

 

You mentioned that your father has a scanner.
If you scan the car, and it doesn't recognize the Crossfire, scan it as a 2003 Mercedes-Benz SLK 320. Many scanners don't recognize Crossfires.
Like ZERACER said, if we knew what state you were in, there might be someone local that could help.