I'm constantly hearing my mother complain about this 2004 cra- crossfire.

I'm no mechanic but I'd like to help her, I've changed spark plugs, wires, fuel filters, done oil changes, replaced staters, all of this stuff on other more simple vehicles, but all basic stuff so I don't know what to do here.

Let me start off by listing everything that's wrong with this car.

Ceiling lining losing adhesion, interior roll cage panels falling off, cigarette lighter stopped working, rear wing stopped functioning(randomly stays up, goes down), cup holder broke(no tension), right window button fell through console now sitting in the hole 3 inches deep. Key doesn't turn in ignition unless played with. (Saw that as being common on here a while ago)

It's like this car was made by Fisher Price. (I probably shouldn't be bashing it on a crossfire forum, but can you blame me? All this stuffs breaking with regular use, the car's not even being treated bad.(Besides mechanical maintenance but that's not my fault. The only thing that's maintained is brake/oil/maybe trans)

Now onto more serious stuff.

The air conditioning blower/fan comes on "literally" randomly with no pattern of behavior whatsoever. It can stay on for 30 minutes or 5 seconds. It can not come on for days, and work for two. But I'd say 85% of the time it's not working.
*Compressor engages fine and the air is cold.

A few weeks ago we went to go some where and when the car was fired up it felt like 2 pistons where firing. The whole car was shaking violently and sounded like hell. Next day? Normal.

Earlier this week, car would turn over but not fire up. Few hours later? Normal.

I'm about done with this toy.

*All stuff in bold is what I think might be related.

 

Ceiling lining losing adhesion : common issue, not enough material wrapped around the back side. Best option is to get it redone or find another one, won't be able to find the material if you get it redone.

interior roll cage panels falling off: have not seen this one, assume it's the pillars, should just snap onto place.

cigarette lighter stopped working: check glove box light if it's dead as well then fuse under hood.

rear wing stopped functioning (randomly stays up, goes down): usually related to battery issues, test that.

cup holder broke(no tension): cup holder is the worst ever invented, replace with storage bin or find one that has been removed and replace.

right window button fell through console now sitting in the hole 3 inches deep : shift surround lifts right up, pull up snap bitton back into place

Key doesn't turn in ignition unless played with. (Saw that as being common on here a while ago) : sticky ignition key fix thread, fix now while it still turns or get stranded when it locks completely

The air conditioning blower/fan comes on "literally" randomly : mine does this but I have a Black MB controller that is not the right model. Pull radio out, couple screws and check connection in back (wires and plastic arms) when it turns on randomly turn the AC off switch fan dial all the way max then off again. Usually fixes it for a bit and if not wont turn AC on randomly just the fan. Turn AC on when needed.

A few weeks ago we went to go some where and when the car was fired up it felt like 2 pistons where firing. The whole car was shaking violently and sounded like hell. Next day? Normal : no clue

Earlier this week, car would turn over but not fire up. Few hours later? Normal: did it actually try to crank or just "click" could be crank position sensor.

 

Airscape - what a great, helpful reply. And smoore - you are a terrific son to trouble shoot all the problems. And I am bettin' you that your mother looks really cool in her Crossfire, and that alll her friends are envious of the car and also of your help! Just think of all the points you gain with her and her friends - cool car, cool son - in spite of the problems!
Alicia (don't have a son but know about envious female friends....)

 

Airscape that was one of the best "helps" I've seen on our forum in a while. Concise and not critical.

 

PS - I have a very talented- but too young to be cool - grandson, who is very into car + anything repairs. A daughter married a great guy who is teaching his sons.... My Dad was terrific at this stuff, but only taught one of my brothers - ok - the one who was interested. Now this brother repairs body parts (as in an ortho type doc). Is there a lesson here?
I like to read about car repairs - at least then I am somewhat fluent in a conversation with the repair person. Alicia

 

Thanks for the replies.

Got some mis information regarding the latest cranking issue. Apparently it didn't crank it just made a hum. Sort of like an electrical motor or pump. (Going by mouth noises )

Edit: *Sigh* Mis information again, lol. I had to get a man in my family to tell me it did crank just didn't fire as if getting no fuel.

Edit2: Apparently noone knows what they're talking about! Haha, so all I have for you is sometimes it doesn't start and makes a noise when you try.

*Reminder that it works fine now after sitting

 

Have you pulled the Mystery no start thread up? You didn't mention if it was a "hot-had been run" and then wouldn't start or stone cold and wouldn't start..

 

I asked my mother if this has happened before and she said 5 days ago so I had a feeling it's getting worse so I went ahead and pulled the RCM out to have a look.

QuT6gh.jpg
dwn3gh.jpg
8otINh.jpg

The center connection does appear to have more separation between the points and the solder around it... to an untrained eye anyways.

Ps; I also found some "solder dust?" in the cover below where this point is.

 

Fer sure - the middle picture is clearly a cold solder joint.
Remove all the old solder with a sucker or wick, and apply new electronics grade ROSIN core solder.
Do all 3 connections.

 

Bingo! Do the solder repair and the starting issue should be MOOT!

 

Beat you to it, George !!!

Score now :

George : 11
George : 9

 

I claim the upper George! LOL

 

Um.. Mrmiata +1 .. please reduce yours accordingly..

 

Duly noted.
Just can't decide which one to reduce ......
but I have now officially awarded you one gold star.

 

This gives me such a warm "The new phone books are here" fuzzy feeling.. Just glad it looks like we've at least eliminated one problem for him.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...banp9Dd2QU-CdA

 

Only 9 more to go, heh.

 

SMOORE: You are getting good advice here. My two cents:

1) Resolder all the connections on the RCM
2) Consider changing the Crankshaft Position Sensor
3) Consider getting a new battery


IT is obvious that 1) is needed NOW. But the CPS and Battery are both COMMON failure items. And the thing is, they fail in such a way that the car will start and/or run at times, then not at other times. Enough to make you pull your hair out!!!

There are a lot of threads on the CPS, great one here: https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...on-sensor.html Less than $60 shipped from AutoHaus in Arizona - make SURE you get a BOSCH part!

The specs on the battery are in the manual - just get one that fits physically and meets the CCA and reserve capacity requirements. Mine I got at O'Reilly's for under $95 (I have bought two, one for both of my Roadsters and they have held up well.) I can PM you the Model number when I get home next week.

A flaky battery can cause WEIRD stuff to occur that you CANNOT figure out - I'd change the battery and clean, clean and clean those battery terminals. Also, check for corrosion INCLUDING THE GROUND BOLT AND TERMINAL of the ground cable AT THE CHASSIS END!!! I actually ended up replacing my ground cable 'cause the far end was so awful. It cost something like $9 at O'Reilly's.

This won't fix all the problems, of course, a bad switch is a bad switch - but it really IS an easy way to make life ---- easy.

These are wonderful cars, but they can drive you NUTS at times. Mine has not done so, because of this forum. One more thing: FIX THE IGNITION SWITCH NOW, TODAY. Don't do like I did and let it go. Cost me $90 for a tow home! (Fixed it myself - not too hard and I'm not really mechanically competent).