Hi. I have a 1993 Dodge Intrepid.
HISTORY:
Needless to say, this car has been amazing to me. The only problems I've had are electrically based. I think I have had a few AC problems, but that's a luxury I'm not too worried about right now. My brother treated this car like garbage before I got it. He was almost
5000 miles past due for an oil change and went on a trip to southern Florida (from DC) and back within two days, just to give you an example. For the past year plus, I've been pretty good to it.PROBLEM RIGHT NOW:
The car has always cranked a few times before turning over and starting. At 10am I cranked, started, and drove the car. I turned it off and then on again three times between 10 and 11:30am. I had to return home to get something, and when I came back, the engine cranked once, nothing for a fraction of a second, cranked again, repeat. But then I noticed smoking coming from the hood. I lifted the hood, and the battery terminal connector for the negative cables (there's two in this car, I don't know if other Intrepids are like that.) was smoldering. Obviously, after it coooled down, the connector was completely destroyed and I went out and bought another one, replaced it.
Now the engine will crank once and very rarely will crank again, but I don't want to give it too much of a go, as it was hard for me to find a connector within walking distance.
Does anyone have any suggestions/comments/concerns/etc? It's very important that I get this car working and where I am, diagnostics is almost $100, which doesn't include the ridiculously overpriced towing services around here. I need somewhere by Friday (it's Tuesday now) or else I will be arrested and fined $1000 for not appearing in court in a trial that I have very little to do with! Please help.