Car tried to kill me yesterday. Electrical pattern.

[89ARIES]

My car was bucking violently yesterday. It attempted to cut out multiple times while
cruising at 55-75 mph on the freeway. These cutting out symptoms have been going on and off
since 2008, about the time the check engine light became a chronic problem. This bucking transmits
itself to an erratic swinging idle when car is not moving. Yet, if I slam the accelerator, lots of power
and up to 75 no problem. Since Dec 2010, the car has quit about 25 times. I always able to restart it
and did have it looked at for that problem, but to no avail. A $1000 tune-up and new ASD relay didn't
fix it. Now, the first time the car quit a year ago, I was unable to even start it for half an hour. The new ASD
supposedly took care of that as now I can always restart it if it quits. Since August, I have been lucky as it
hasn't completely left me unmoving. Yesterday, at 75, the engine completely shut off, and in a knee jerk reaction
I slammed the accelerator, and the engine miracously came to life again. Also, about three times when I have hit
the accelerator hard from a stop, the engine suddenly turned off and then "bucked" on again. Now, during all this drama,
there is a pattern:

When car get this bad, computer is storing multiple codes like 12,31,37,25. Sometimes when it quits, the computer
loses its codes, starts storing all over again, and car is now running better and not threatening to stall or kill me. It
barely did any bucking at all this morning, whew!

The battery connection was found to be finicky. We tried to clean it up and adjust it, but still may not
be making a good connection.

There is a partly severed ground strap wire belt between throttle body passenger side and firewall.

I am so sick of this problem that I am know on a whim going to order a new computer and hope that solves
most of the problem, as there is nothing else I can do short of junking the car.

I am also thinking of throwing a whole engine wiring harness at the problem.

I am becoming convinced that the best way to fix K-cars when they are finicky is to throw a ton of parts
at it as these cars seem undiagnosable to most mechanics.

[Butch]

Wiring problems that you refuse to address, a new comp won't fix your wiring problems that you refuse to address. Since you refuse to address your wiring problems, buy another car. Then find a horny girlfriend.

[Pete in NH]

I'm not sure just throwing in a new computer is going to help. Guessing and throwing money into a car is a poor substitute for troubleshooting the real problems. Your car sounds like it is getting dangerous to drive. I can understand your frustration with it but, I'm am puzzled by a seeming reluctance to take advantage of helpand advice that is being offered to you by other members of CKCC

[89ARIES]

Thats all great and stuff but what f"'cking wire is screwed. I just submitted a request
online for a wiring harness. I might have located one in Florida. Should cost me an arm and a leg. Of course I have procrastinated. No tengo dinero. No one I can trust.

[88 aries]

Just junk the thing....sorry to say that but...its the best..

[89ARIES]

K-Cars are electrical headaches. Its not just my car. A LOT of people have wiring issues. Almost as bad as Porsche or Mercedes. I am convinced of that. I am not giving up on this car. As soon as I get a wiring harness, I am going to rewire the whole damn car. And, I am going to do it with the help of a buddy.

[K-CAR_WAGON]

K-Cars are electrical headaches. Its not just my car. A LOT of people have wiring issues. Almost as bad as Porsche or Mercedes.

Porsche or Mercedes??? You have the wrong country and wrong manufacturers.

http://www.helium.com/items/1080218-car ... al-systems

[nszotovich]

There is nothing inordinately wrong with Chrysler's wiring, that isn't true of ANY car that gets old and has had a lot of use, i.e. your car. All parts of a car are finite. When you keep driving a car hard with lots of issues and don't repair them, they cause failure in other parts. The point is to try and catch-up. Find yourself another beater to drive while you pay some attention to your beloved K-car. Your car should not be a daily driver at this point. or buy another beat up K. At least you'll get a parts car out of it.

[88 aries]

nothing ever was wrong with the chrysler wiring, its just the fact that it is an old car, and old cars as they get older should be retired from the daily use.

[Pete in NH]

I drove an 18 year-old k car almost every day. It was as reliable as anything else on the road, maybe more relaible than some. If you let the problems get ahead of you, your done for. I have to agree with others who have said there is nothing wrong with Chrysler electrical systems. You mentioned your car was throwing some codes, that's a good starting point to look at those systems and their wiring. Why don't you pull there air cleaner off , get your camera out and take photos of all the wiring around the throttle body and all the other wiring in the engine compartment and post them so we can see what evrything looks like. Its almost impossible to have any ideas when we can't see what things look like under the hood.