Yah, we know, but PSD seems to be pretty good with electronics and if he said the RCM is good I think we should believe him. Having said that I wish he could switch it out with another known good one to be absolutely certain and to load test his battery at 300 amps and be certain it has 85~90% capacity After he has removed the battery for a load test ( that should reset the SKREEM, if you get two quick turns of the start and almost starts but dies right away then nothing it is a bad SKREEM) but still remains in the no start with the blank Gear "P" indicator on the dash and the incomplete info from the data port, OBD II connector, I'm leaning toward a bad PCM. He may need to contact SOS or MDH (?) for a solution. I wonder if the FOB will lock/unlock the doors? If he holds the panic button on the FOB will the lights blink?

PS Didn't I read somewhere on the forum of black square where the P should be and it turned out bad connections on the PCM. By wiggling the connectors on top the PCM the car could be made to start?? Anybody remember that?

 

Key Largo Bob says it is limp mode on the tranny ( conductor plate ) :
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...limp-mode.html

 

Thanks George; I did suggest in post 19 to disconnect the TCM and then try to start car. What you think?
Time will tell. I sure hope PSD gets back with us with a solution!

 

gentleman, thanks for all the help and advice. i will certainly follow up, just busy. and frankly, today was so nice and sunny i couldn't work on the car
the key fob does not actuate the door locks. but it did work before this issue, BTW i recently replaced the button battery the fob.
also something else I didn't mention(again, sorry)- right before the car went no-crank, it would start, but was stuck in park. used the skeleton key to shift into gear but tranny was in failsafe so it hung up in a single gear.
i will get back on this and hopefully get it going with all the good help I've got so far. I'm not the type to get info from a forum, fix my problem and never report back or offer thanks. i really despise that.

 

Traction control relay in the RCM.
Email me for refurbishment details. :-)
tighed1@hotmail.com

 

hello everyone, let me say thanks so much for all the help so far.
I pulled the RCM and did a visual inspection, i can't see anything wrong.
the board has 5 relays on it, just curious, what do these do? which one is the traction control relay? is there a diagram somewhere?

I don't understand why the car won't even crank. Is there a starter relay on the RCM? according to info in the service manual it doesn't look like it.

 

There is no starter relay, if you turn on the ignition and all the dash indicators light up, then after 30 seconds the cooling fan spools up like a 747, then you do have a RCM problem.
email tighed1@hotmail.com for instructions on how to get it repaired.

 

 

the fan does not spool up.
still an RCM problem?
why would the car not crank? does the traction control or PCM control that function?

 

Tighe1: Nice little video demonstrating the ramp-up of the fan speed when the RCM is bad.

I also like your gauges on the A-pillar, Very cool!
Thanks again for rehab-ing my RCM....

 

Good questions. But if the relays on the RCM have dirty or pitted contacts, then I believe it can affect the voltage going through...to the ECM, TCM, fuel pump, and the air pump. As everyone says, the Crossfire's electronics are very sensitive about voltage.
I hate throwing parts at a problem....but tighed1 can repair the RCM and replace relays...or you could buy a spare on amazon. This is the one I bought for my 2005 Crossfire roadster.
I wasn't having the no-start issue, but I bought a new RCM, plugged it in, and I swear, the car ran better. I then, sent off my old RCM to tighed1 for his magic work. I've got a spare RCM, now.

 

.


Surprises me how many ppl (members) tout their opinion that contributes (NOT), to the issue(s) at hand. IF the reply contributes NOTHING to a SOLUTION, just OPINION or questions 'if/why/and', then it is best nothing is said. Opinions contribute NOTHING but thoughts/reasoning that confuse the issue, and final solutions. Troubleshooting isn't an opinion, just a logical step in solving a problem after concrete analysis of given FACTS. This isn't particular to any response so far (nor evident to only this OP), just to those replies that either doesn't CLARIFY a particular symptom/concern by the OP, or offers a specific solution to a given fact after a proven point. I suggest ppl stop 'guessing', and ask for clarification! Only then solutions can/may be applied. Agreed? So, facts matter, questions about factual interpretation matters, only then can communication evolve to a step by step procedure that solves problems presented.


.

 

Damn George, wish I had said that !
I give you a 9 out of 10 on it.

 

Thanks George, ALWAYS striving for the remaining 10%...! It was about time I said that, been holding it in for quite a while...


.

 

regarding test don't guess- the way to verify relay function on the RCM is through loaded circuit voltage drop testing. I've already checked all the relay coils and they are good. they also physically latch. like some have said pitted contacts can cause problems, and I will verify that with a 5amp load(headlight bulb) across the high current path of each relay.
all I have to do now is figure out the traces on the RCM to get to that high current path. for some reason it's eluding me.

 

You'll get it figured out.
With regards to the SKREEM, I'm still not clear on all of the failure pathways. The transponder chip could fail due to dropping fob or whatever, the SKREEM antenna around the key switch could somehow fail or break, the SKREEM transmitter could fail, or the programming that passes codes to the ECU could fail. I'm glad a few folks here have figured it out and are offering their services.
I ordered one of these little rings that detects the RF pulse from the SKREEM antenna to the transponder chip. One of the reviewers says it worked on his Mercedes and Crossfire SKREEMs. It just gives an LED blink, but at least it's a diagnostic for one part of the system and it only costs 6 bucks. I'll let you know in a few days if it works on my Crossfire. SKREEM test coil

 

I’m with GG, the OP says the car won’t crank, so it never reaches the point that the SKREEM could be a problem.

 

PSD, How did the RCM contacts, especially the traction control relay check out? Kinda hoping you find the problem there because it is relatively easy to fix. If you are convinced the RCM and battery are good then try these:
1) you have said your door locks do not work with the FOB. Can you lock/unlock with the button on the console? If yes replace the batteries in the FOB and move on to #2, if no then check for water in the lower truck well under the styrofoam. Located in that area is the air pump/vacuum that locks the doors and the anti-theft towing module. Either can get corrupted and cause the anti-theft system to activate.
2) You have said you had comms with the SRS and the ECM, and in another post you had no comms through the Data port with all modules; Which is it? If no comms with any module then I suspect the PCM is bad because you have stated that you have power and good grounds at the data port. Thus the PCM is not communicating with anything. If it were good I believe you could test the other modules like the transmission and the Shift Lever Assembly SLA.
3) The SLA could be bad. Have you gotten it wet with a heavy Florida rain or spilled a drink on it? Either will damage the SLA which will prevent the car from starting. It is replaced as a unit. Under $100 on ebay.
4) If it was the park/neutral switch in the transmission giving you trouble you should be able to determine that through the scan tool. That is why I do not think the transmission itself is a problem, because you have no power to even scan the transmission. One other thing sorta rattles my brain and that is the stop light switch under the dash above the peddle. It connects to all sorts of things and particularly the transmission. It also prevents you from moving shift lever out of park, but I haven't heard of it causing all the multiply problems your car displays. I think it is logical to proceed with 1, 2, 3 before trying some other rabbit hole if the RCM indeed checks out okay.
You have the service manual. Troubleshoot procedures are available there.

 

Sorry for the long delay, was busy doing other things, and frankly, dreading the project. But the car can't sit forever so I got back on it.
much thanks to everyone for the help and advice, be it right or wrong
I found a way to test the battery and starter even though I was pretty sure they are good- unplugged the pulse relay and put 12V to the output wire- engine cranked over at a good pace, but would not start.
going back to the fact the shifter is locked out, and having the factory wiring diagrams, I realized the traction system relay feeds 12V to the shifter assembly. no power here would explain why the shifter was stuck and why the car won't crank(doesn't know it's in park).
But I checked the RCM and relays are good, right?
the traction relay gets and sends power(contacts are good), the coil gets power, and the coil is grounded when the key is in the run position.
but even though the coil gets power and ground, it doesn't physically latch. I was able to push the contacts closed manually and the car starts.
Also, a jumper wire from battery positive to the traction relay output(pin 5C on the RCM) will allow the car to start, since that sends power to the shifter.

what is strange is when I bench tested the coils they all did latch, with my supplied ground and 12V.
so maybe the TC relay coil is going bad and needs more current than the car is supplying? not sure on that one.

in summary I need to repair the TC relay or just send it to Tighed1 for repair.

thanks again to everyone who offered help, I doubt I could have fixed this on my own.
and who knows, this may even help someone stuck on the road some day.


jumper from battery positive to traction relay output, not recommended for extended use

 

Many of us carry a spare RCM and Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS) with us in the glove box or trunk. These are common failures and easy to repair on the road if necessary.