Last Saturday, I woke up and thought to myself, today is a good day to tinker with the 6 because you don’t have anything else planned. So, I make my way to the garage and start her up with no problems, off to the car wash. Return home to shampoo the carpet, install my new Chrysler Logo mats, replace the rear hatch struts, drop the top center brake light (extract a dead bug), perform a coolant flush and replace my shocks with KYB's. Everything completed, I start her up again with no problems and I'm off on a test ride for the shocks and help purge air out of the coolant system. Back home, I'm feeling good about the work and the car is looking good, as the garage closes I stand there in admiration!

I turned on Netflix and started watching a movie, half way through the movie my phone rang, looks like I had a date! Thank goodness the car was done but so was I, I needed a power nap. After the nap I transformed from Mr. DIY Mechanic to Mr. Buy anything you want in the Dollar Tree Ball'er! Returning to the car, I opened the door…got in…closed the door…seatbelt on…inserted the key and turned.

During that brief moment of cranking I planned the entire night out in my mind and YEAH BUDDY, I’m ready to go and no start! Okay, don’t worry about it, this type of thing happens so attempt two followed. Same thing, brief moment of cranking, entire night planned out, even more ready to go and no start. Now, I’m praying to the Mechanic God, please ohhh please let my car start I beg of you. Third try ensued, car cranked a millisecond longer and I thought here we go and no start! Immediately gave it a fourth attempt and nothing, absolutely nothing but dash lights! I leaned on the steering wheel and said why are you doing this to me after all the love I gave you today! Date cancelled, transformed back into Mr. DIY Mechanic and diagnosis began.

 

First thought was CPS but I already had that failure and fixed it. Second thought RCM, so disconnected the battery and pulled the RCM. Solder looked full and shinny but that was a naked eye examination, RCM reinstalled and battery reconnected, tried to restart the car and same three tries to start and then nothing but dash lights. Wanted: Functioning RCM Loaner/Purchase thread created and received the assistance needed! At this point I found out about the SKREEM module and was hoping that was not the issue because it involved a dealer trip for programming.

Replacement RCM arrived and installed with no change in symptoms, crap it’s the SKREEM module, time to get the 6 over to the dealer. Dropped the car off Tuesday night and informed the Service Adviser of the SKREEM Module to save time and money. I call them Wednesday during lunch and the car had not been touched nor had the part been ordered, called back Wednesday evening and still no work done on the car! I call back Thursday during lunch and STILL NOTHING, I tell them what the issue is again and I’m ignored, so I ask to speak with the manager.

I finally get a call from them at 5pm PST, so they can tell me it is the SKREEM module and have to order the part located in Dallas, TX. He proceeds to tell me they will overnight the part to arrive on Friday, maybe he thought I didn’t know about time zones but there was no way he was getting anything over-nighted when its 7pm CST in TX but oaky! I call back on Friday during lunch to see if the part arrived and no one knows, I call back that evening and he says, no but we will have the part on Tuesday 07/30!

The End.

 

I sometimes think our cars have it out for us...