1997 Dodge Stratus Won't Start After a Changed Battery

[liberal]

Here's hoping that someone here is a bit of a mechanic...

Two or three weeks ago, the trunk to my 1997 Dodge Stratus would not stay down. Foolishly listening to a friend, I glued the trunk down.

Not shockingly, the battery was drained as a result. It was dead.

Eventually, I was able to slam shut the trunk, and it was suddenly fixed. However, I still had to change the drained battery.

After it was changed, I noticed that for the first time (it is a used car) the red IED alarm/antitheft light was blinking. Whenever I attempted to start the car, the interior gauge/radio lights as well as the blinkers and taillights would flash. The radio even comes on, but the engine will not turn over.

It was suggested that I remove the negative battery cable while leaving the positive one on for a while, then reconnect them. The car then started. However, the exterior lights kept blinking.

Today, I tried to repeat the steps, but the engine did not turn over. I have no idea why it started once, but did not today.

Please help me. I'm going to need this car for college and need some help soon. Thanks.

 

[Desdinova]

Simple answer: It's a Dodge.

More complicated answer:

Whenever I attempted to start the car, the interior gauge/radio lights as well as the blinkers and taillights would flash. The radio even comes on, but the engine will not turn over.

If your battery is mostly dead, all the lights and the radio will run because they use much less current than your starter. You may need to recharge your battery, or get a boost from someone. Try that and see if it works. You may also want to find out what is sucking the battery dry (maybe the cooling fan isn't shutting off?)

Now, if you find it's not your battery: Do you hear a clicking noise when you turn the ignition to "start"? If so, your starter is probably fvcked.

 

[svarog]

I am no expert but I had kind of same thing.

Sounds like when you removed negative cable the electronic system got reset so you were able to start. Then the battery got drained again :|

Recharge the batery and try pulling out the EFI fuse for a few minutes if you have one which resets everything, check engine lights, security system etc.

Look under hood for box that says "FUSES" on it, open it and look for fuse that says EFI on it, or look in manual for which one the efi is, then put it back in and try starting.

It worked for me, good luck.