Security light on?

Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 2006 DODGE STRATUS
  • 4 CYL
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 170,000 MILES
Bought this car a couple of weeks ago from a used car lot. It ran just fine except for needing to get the struts or shocks looked at. Last Saturday night I went out. When I was leaving to go home I nicked a metal pole on the drivers side and it ripped the bumper cover off. Both headlights were loose as well. While getting them back on enough to get home I noticed that the bolts that are supposed to hold the lights in place were rusted or bent. There were no nuts on them or anywhere around. And only one pin still holding the cover on. There was one that was still in place but broken. There were no pins on the ground. So I don't think that the lights or cover were attached how they should be when I bought the car. I drove it to a 7-11, and then home. The next day when my fiance tried to go to work the car would either try to turn over but not, or turn over and then turn itself off. We saw that there was a blinking red light on the dash. I looked it up and found out it was a security light and it was probably Pickering the car from starting. So, I put the lights and bumper cover more securely on the car, how they were when I bought the car it would seem. Then the car wouldn't turn over at all. I have tried everything that I have found to try to reset the system/computer/codes and nothing has worked. I have unhooked the battery, taken out the right fuses, checked all of the fuses for blown fuses, unhooked the PCM, turned the key to the on position and left it for a bit, held the key in the unlock position in the door for a bit, turned the key back and forth in the door, and used a code reader to see whats wrong and erase the codes. The code reader said no codes found. The hood of the car does not stay latch down completely, but it's been like that since I bought it. And I have now found water on the passenger floor, front and back, more in the back. What could be wrong and how do I fix it?
Saturday, September 7th, 2019 AT 6:57 PM

15 Replies

Tiny
MASTERWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 258 POSTS
Hello,

You are absolutely correct about the blinking red light. This is the indicator for the vehicle theft system. The engine starting followed by an immediate stall is a normal condition when the driver attempts to start the engine with a key that's either not programmed to the vehicle or not recognized for some reason. First off, make sure you don't have anything electronic hanging on your key chain like a security pass or Mobile Speedpass. Many times these types of devices will affect the vehicles ability to read your ignition key. Also, if you have a second programmed key, try starting the vehicle with it and see if that makes any difference. If neither of these work, you most likely have an issue with your ignition key or the receiver in the steering column. Unfortunately, resolving either of these will require part replacement and programming with a specialized scan tool.

Let us know what you find!
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Sunday, September 8th, 2019 AT 9:44 PM
Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
The one key that I have for the car is a replacement key, not from a dealership. It doesn't have any chips or buttons.
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Sunday, September 8th, 2019 AT 9:49 PM
Tiny
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  • MECHANIC
  • 258 POSTS
Jason,

What color is the head of your key? If it's grey, there is a chip in it. If it's black, it's a regular old key with no chip.
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Sunday, September 8th, 2019 AT 10:44 PM
Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
It is black.
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Monday, September 9th, 2019 AT 7:20 AM
Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I got the hood to stay latched. It didn't change anything.
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Monday, September 9th, 2019 AT 7:23 AM
Tiny
MASTERWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 258 POSTS
Okay, I was just going back through your original post. Does the engine crank at all at this point? If not, do all the dash lamps/radio come on with the key in the on position? When you turn the key to the start position, do the dash lamps remain on?
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Monday, September 9th, 2019 AT 10:18 AM
Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Yes, all of the lights, radio, etc, come on and stay on. The headlights work.
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Monday, September 9th, 2019 AT 10:21 AM
Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
The engine does not crank at all.
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Monday, September 9th, 2019 AT 10:22 AM
Tiny
MASTERWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 258 POSTS
Okay, thanks for the update. Let's forget about the security light for the moment and focus on the no-crank condition. Security related issues on this particular vehicle typically don't cause the engine to not crank. That being said, we'll need to use a test light and go through the starting system circuits. The link below provides some details on how to test the starter fuse and relay(see Section 2). The two diagrams I've attached cover the complete starting system wiring diagram. The third attachment shows the location of the starter relay and Fuse 8 that supplies power to the relay. Read through the procedure to familiarize yourself with the testing process. What we'll need to start with is verifying you have battery power at Pin 10 of the starter relay while the key is held to the Start position.

Let me know what you find!
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Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 AT 4:18 AM
Tiny
MASTERWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
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I apologize. Here is the link for the testing procedures:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start
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Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 AT 4:19 AM
Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
At the end of section 1 it says, "If the security light light is not flashing, continue." The security light is flashing.
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Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 AT 5:26 AM
Tiny
MASTERWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 258 POSTS
You're right, it does say that. However, based on the style key you have, your vehicle is not equipped with the Sentry Key Immobilizer System. This means the vehicle is not built with the feature that allows it to disable the starting system. Based on that, it sounds like something else is causing the no-crank condition. Just in case however, we can check for diagnostic trouble codes and see if there is anything set relative to the issue you're having. Please review the article below on how to retrieve them.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing
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Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 AT 8:15 PM
Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Unless the key that I have is a replacement key, like I have already mentioned, that the previous owner got because maybe something happened to the original key. The car is 13 years old. And I guess you missed the part about me already checking the codes and the thing saying that there were no codes.
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Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 AT 9:51 PM
Tiny
JASON L LEE
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Also, explain how it was starting and then a few seconds later turning off, not stalling, on its own.
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Tuesday, September 10th, 2019 AT 9:53 PM
Tiny
MASTERWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 258 POSTS
I did see your comment regarding no codes, however it appears that was after you disconnected the battery. Have you checked for codes again since performing additional tests and/or attempting to start the engine again?

You originally said "my fiance tried to go to work the car would either try to turn over but not, or turn over and then turn itself off". When you say it turned over then turned itself off, do you mean the engine actually started then died shortly thereafter?

Regardless, I would proceed with the starter relay test procedure as indicated previously. That will tell us which direction to go. If we do see output from the starter relay, we know the issue is downstream somewhere with the starter itself or wiring. If no output, we need to move upstream to determine why.
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Wednesday, September 11th, 2019 AT 5:21 AM

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