Intermittent total loss of power - fixable by slamming hood

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

I have a '99 Sebring jxi convertible with about 150K miles on it. Starting about a year ago, every 6 to 8 weeks when I got into the car there was no power (as in no battery). I would fiddle randomly under the hood, close it, and the car would start.



In the last year this has started happening more and more often - now (if my wife is driving) up to twice a week and has happened a few times when at a Stop sign.



I can now reliable fix it by just opening and closing the hood but it IS rather annoying to have to do that in traffic.



Any clues?

2

You have a loose electrical connection. Start by removing, inspecting, and cleaning the battery cables.

3

Start by removing, inspecting, and cleaning the battery cables.

Do both ends of the cables.
4

Would you feel better if slamming the hood did not make the car driveable again? Do you feel that since the car works after a hood slam the problem should be easier to find or harder too find?

5

I guess the problem is in the intermittent nature - if it just died then at least I could trace the power to where it stopped. I can’t seem to reproduce the error when I can troubleshoot it (10 am on Saturday morning would be nice). I can’t force myself not to “fix it” since it usually happens sometime and somewhere where I can’t take the time to troubleshoot it.