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I just did a little digging, and found that what Autozone reported as E110C is likely U110C “No Fuel Level Bus Message”. All but one instance I read about had other related codes along side that one for communication errors between the different control modules in the vehicle.
From the symptoms I’m guessing there was a glitch or momentary fault on the data bus, which caused the dashboard cluster to lose signal and freak out for a bit. It either happened so fast the only code recorded was for the missed update from the fuel level sensor, or there were more codes the guy at Autozone didn’t/couldn’t see.
Unfortunately it could be the kind of thing that only a dealer or certified Chrysler/Dodge technician with their test equipment would be able to track down. Somewhere on those data wires there’s a bad connection or a damaged wire, or there could be a failing component in one of the modules. Keep driving it, and if the problem happens again, take it in.
In that case, start with a visual inspection of the wires and connectors. Tape up damaged wire insulation, clean off corrosion from the contacts, and seal the connectors with dielectric grease. Careful you don’t get any grease on the brake rotors.
With just a multimeter, it will be tough to test the sensors. They are passive, in that they don’t rely on external power and instead generate all their signal output.
Each wheel hub has a tone ring, a wheel with a bunch of magnet “teeth” around the outside. As the wheel turns, the magnets pass by the sensor, where a coil generates pulses of electricity from the changing magnetic fields. The ABS controller counts the pulses from each wheel, and a sudden change in the speed of the pulses indicates a wheel that has locked up or started spinning. The sensors are simple, but the signals are quite weak, so any water getting in the connectors could short it out.
An oscilloscope would let you see the pulses as the wheel turns, and maybe point out which sensor(s) are being affected by the water. If you can find or borrow one, that would be a big help in tracking down the problem.
If you can’t get an oscilloscope, take the wheels off and find the sensors and their wires. Check the connectors for corrosion or dirt and check the wires for cracks or chafing. Cleaning the contacts, taping over any broken insulation, and putting dielectric grease in the connectors to seal out water might solve the problem.
The sensors may be good, but the connectors or wires to those sensors may be letting water in and shorting out. The weak signal can cause the ABS unit to raise a false alarm that the wheel(s) are locking up when you try to slow down.
On a dry day, spray a hose over and behind each wheel. Get the whole wheel and brake assembly really wet, then immediately go for a drive and test the brakes. If the problem shows up same as it does in the rain, there’s likely an electrical problem triggered by the water.
I’m likewise of the opinion that engine braking will not cause harm to the engine or transmission. The user manual for my car even explicitly recommends it, especially for going down steep slopes with a trailer or heavy load. Take a look in your user manual to see if there’s any mention of it.
As long as you don’t downshift too low while moving fast or overrev the engine, the drivetrain will handle it just fine.
Only other caution I can think of is understeer in a FWD vehicle or oversteer in a RWD vehicle under heavy engine braking and/or poor road conditions. Open differentials could make this worse because of potentially uneven distribution of braking force to the wheels. This would only happen in an extreme case, but it is something to be aware of.
Small diesel engines won’t have nearly as much engine braking effect because they don’t have a throttle to restrict intake air flow like a gasoline (petrol) engine. Large diesel vehicles use a special compression release engine brake (Jacobs Brake / Jake Brake) or an exhaust brake (controllable backpressure) to achieve the same effect.
Before you throw a starter at it, check the battery voltage, battery connections, power cable to the starter, and ground cable to the battery. Anything corroded, loose, or burnt looking could be a problem area. If the power meant for the starter is getting lost to a bad connection, the car could crank slowly like what you have, or even not crank at all.
Eric’s Diagnosing Starter Problems video goes over the main things to look at before replacing a starter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKjdnQ0sHQc
This No crank / No start video features a car with a weak start / intermittent no start due to bad connections:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ze7pzrhRIs
If the voltage drop test and all the wiring is good, then there could be a mechanical problem that is presenting an unusually heavy load to the starter. If the AC compressor clutch is sticking on, that will create a huge load for the starter but once the car starts, everything will seem fine. A seized or failing accessory could cause these startup symptoms, but would likely create a lot of noise and be pretty obvious once the engine is running.
Assuming the wiring is good, you could try removing the serpentine belt(s) and cranking the engine. If the engine cranks much faster (at or close to normal speed), then something on the belt is restricting the engine at startup. Don’t run the engine very long like this, as you won’t have any alternator or water pump, etc without the belt(s). If there is more than one belt, remove one belt at a time to try to isolate the problem accessory.
Report back what you find here, and good luck!
A brand new battery dropping from 13 (full charge plus surface charge) to 12 (quite low) overnight suggests parasitic loads or defective battery. At most it should go down to maybe 12.5 (good charge, no surface charge) by the next morning. Certainly do the parasitic draw test.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF1gijj03_0
I think those amp readings are expected at idle with everything on. Once the engine revs up a bit that negative amp reading should go up to zero or positive, assuming the alternator, wires, etc are in good shape. If the alternator can’t offset the loads on the car even with engine running at 1500- 2000 rpm, the battery will drain as the car is driven, even more so in slower traffic.
I’m interested in what voltages you see at the battery when everything is turned on and the amp gauge is reading -10, what it goes to when the car is revved to 1500 rpm or so. Voltage drop tests on both positive and negative cables wouldn’t hurt.
Both vids are “private” so none of us can watch them. Go to the videos’ pages in the video manager and set them to “unlisted” instead.
Then we can take a look and listen at what we are dealing with here 🙂
Have you tested the voltage with all the lights and accessories running as well?
A weak alternator can keep a battery at 14 volts with only the engine running, but once all the other loads are on, it can get dragged down. Driving at night with all the lights on could be having some effect.How old is the battery itself? What brand/group size? What voltage does it return to when the car is shut off after driving?
Check all wires you can see going to the alternator and battery to make sure nothing is loose/corroded/burned etc. Perform the parasitic draw test to make sure there isn’t something dragging down the battery when the vehicle is off. Do a voltage drop test on the alternator wires while it is running.Consider installing a temporary volt gauge so the driver can keep an eye on it as it goes down the road.
Sounds like a really nice car so I hope you can get this sorted.
The charging system is no longer regulating properly. At 17+ volts, it can boil and destroy your battery, and potentially damage other electronics in the car. Don’t drive it any more until this is fixed.
The SRS light worries me that damage may already be done to that system, though it might just be acting up because it sees weird voltages.Whether the alternator itself is bad depends on where the charge regulator is on your vehicle. On some vehicles it is part of the alternator, and others it is a separate device. If part of alternator, the whole thing may need to be replaced. Someone with better knowledge of the specifics of this model would have more information about that.
If you feel comfortable, trace the wires going to the alternator and make sure nothing is loose, corroded, burned, etc. Same thing with the cables at the battery itself. Report back what you find.
Also, what country are you in? There can be differences between cars sold in different parts of the world that could affect what we are dealing with and our answers.
Is the car draining the battery overnight? Or are you doing the parasitic draw test out of curiosity?
What reading does the meter show before it goes to zero?
Is the car draining the battery overnight? Or are you doing the parasitic draw test out of curiosity?
What reading does the meter show before it goes to zero?
Plastic in places where years of thermal cycles and physical stress will cause it to break down.
Headlight lenses that oxidize and yellow and cloud up from heat and UV after a few years, not to mention get chewed up by road debris. Glass lenses get worn down too but are far sturdier in such situations.
Systems engineered so that things that will need service or replacing are more difficult or complicated to access. Need to change a headlight bulb? Take off part of the air cleaner box first just to get to it!
Gear selectors and ignition switches that aren’t physical switches and levers. Off should be off, and park/neutral should be transmission disengaged, not “when the computer gets around to it after receiving signal from a button”.
Undersized weight saving batteries that don’t have the cranking power if things are a little old and cold and the engine doesn’t catch right away.
Plastic clips and other parts designed to go together exactly once at the factory and never come off again. Broke so many of those things that I’d gladly pay more if the manufacturer had used real bolts instead.
Wheel speed sensors and related wiring connectors that always seem to get fouled or corroded. Shouldn’t things be designed and sealed up accordingly when they are going to get blasted with mud and water and salty slush?! Its a coil of wire and a snap on connector, picking up signal pulses from passing magnets. There’s not a lot to go wrong but that doesn’t stop one from going bad every year or so.
Lack of temp gauge. Have to trust the computer to turn on the idiot light when things get too warm. What about coming close to overheating as a cooling system loses effectiveness? What about running too cool because the thermostat is sticking open? No idea unless I plug in a scanner and look at the numbers myself.
Lack of oil pressure gauge. Should be something that will give warning of oil problems BEFORE the engine blows up because its getting only 5 psi while running 2500+ rpm.
Generic check engine light even for things that the owner can correct themselves (Small Evap Leak because the fuel cap isn’t cranked on tightly, etc).
Electric power steering with so little feedback it feels like it isn’t connected to the wheels at all. I know its supposed to be “easy” for parking and slow speeds but I find it exhausting at highway speeds because the tiniest touch on the wheel makes the vehicle wander, and it doesn’t want to straighten itself out once turning.
Throttle by wire when it has a half second or more delay between pedal input and throttle response.
Plastic in places where years of thermal cycles and physical stress will cause it to break down.
Headlight lenses that oxidize and yellow and cloud up from heat and UV after a few years, not to mention get chewed up by road debris. Glass lenses get worn down too but are far sturdier in such situations.
Systems engineered so that things that will need service or replacing are more difficult or complicated to access. Need to change a headlight bulb? Take off part of the air cleaner box first just to get to it!
Gear selectors and ignition switches that aren’t physical switches and levers. Off should be off, and park/neutral should be transmission disengaged, not “when the computer gets around to it after receiving signal from a button”.
Undersized weight saving batteries that don’t have the cranking power if things are a little old and cold and the engine doesn’t catch right away.
Plastic clips and other parts designed to go together exactly once at the factory and never come off again. Broke so many of those things that I’d gladly pay more if the manufacturer had used real bolts instead.
Wheel speed sensors and related wiring connectors that always seem to get fouled or corroded. Shouldn’t things be designed and sealed up accordingly when they are going to get blasted with mud and water and salty slush?! Its a coil of wire and a snap on connector, picking up signal pulses from passing magnets. There’s not a lot to go wrong but that doesn’t stop one from going bad every year or so.
Lack of temp gauge. Have to trust the computer to turn on the idiot light when things get too warm. What about coming close to overheating as a cooling system loses effectiveness? What about running too cool because the thermostat is sticking open? No idea unless I plug in a scanner and look at the numbers myself.
Lack of oil pressure gauge. Should be something that will give warning of oil problems BEFORE the engine blows up because its getting only 5 psi while running 2500+ rpm.
Generic check engine light even for things that the owner can correct themselves (Small Evap Leak because the fuel cap isn’t cranked on tightly, etc).
Electric power steering with so little feedback it feels like it isn’t connected to the wheels at all. I know its supposed to be “easy” for parking and slow speeds but I find it exhausting at highway speeds because the tiniest touch on the wheel makes the vehicle wander, and it doesn’t want to straighten itself out once turning.
Throttle by wire when it has a half second or more delay between pedal input and throttle response.