Hello everyone, I have a problem with a 2003 Dodge Neon SXT and hopefully someone can help. My mom was driving it yesterday when it suddenly shut off. Luckily she was able to pull off to the side of the road, but it refused to start back up. No sounds at all when the key is turned. She called me from a pay phone and I rushed over there with my friend. I noticed that the red theft light on the cluster would stay lit when the key was turned. I tried disconnecting and reconnecting the negative battery cable, but it made no difference. The factory alarm seems to lock and unlock the car doors just fine, but it seems like it's preventing the car from starting.
Has anyone else experienced this problem? And if so, what did you do to fix it? I don't want my mom to drive a car that could shut off again without warning! Thanks in advance!
dodgeneonACR98
06-09-2008, 10:12 PM
Im not exactly sure but maybe the chip inside the ket suddenly went bad and caused the security system to engage. In other words the cars computer is thinking that you are stealing the car. Atleast that seems to me!
Is there any chance that the key she used was for the trunk or doors? I seen that happen b4. GL with it!
rice_eater
06-09-2008, 11:24 PM
Try the other key. (you should have two, otherwise you're SOL because you can't make copies without both originals)
Then check all the fuses, swap a few of the relays around (specifically the ASD relay, fuel pump relay, and ignition relay).
Good Luck.
sohc98
06-10-2008, 12:24 AM
Iv read befor that if you try to start a ngc car with the wrong key 5 times or so it wiould lock up the computer and ignition.
Jooleeus
06-11-2008, 02:13 AM
She's been using the key that she normally uses. I'll ask her for the other key and test it. I checked out some of the fuses, but nothing seems broken there. Haven't tested the relays, but I'll check those out tomorrow.
The part that worries me the most is that the car shut off while she was driving down the road. Would a key suddenly going bad be able to cause that?
