Chrysler Repair: car wont start, chrysler sebring, volt ohmmeter

Question
i bought a 1999 chrysler sebring a week ago.  The day after i got it, it wouldn't start. Thedealer replaced a battery.  This worked for a couple days then it would not start again.  The dealer says starter and alternator check out fine.  They can't seem to find what is wrong. Any suggestions?

Answer
Hi c,
When you say it won't start, do you mean the battery will not give a good cranking speed to the engine for sufficient time to get it to start, or do you mean it cranks fine but won't ignite and run? If the former, then assuming that the dealer installed a new battery then there is probably something wrong in the electrcal system which is draining current from the battery when you aren't using the car. The dealer should be able to measure how much current is being drawn and determine whether the small amount is normal (to run the memory of clocks, computers, etc.) or is abnormal such that when considering the time involved would indeed discharge the battery in a few days. If the latter, then the dealer needs to measure the current draw as he removes one fuse at a time to see when the current reduces significantly, thus find the fuse(s) that are conducting away most of the excess current. Then remove from the circuit each of the components that the fuse serves to find the one(s) that are malfunctioning and determine why/how to deal with each.
If the battery is cranking fine, then it is not a problem with the electrical circuit, but rather what we call a "no start" problem which could involve the ignition, the fuel supply, or the mechanical functioning of the engine (e.g. compression). There is a standard way to go about finding which of these is the cause of a no start and how to correct that.
If the car was bought from a dealer and it is under warranty they should be responsible for correcting this problem. If not, and you want to try to solve this yourself and have a volt-ohmmeter then I should be able to help you. One limitation is that I don't have the circuit diagrams for the '96 and later Sebring model, but rather the '95 and ealier LeBaron Convert and Coupe models. But the principles are the same. So let me know what is really going on and whether you have any recourse with the seller, and whether you have the experience and instruments to get into a do-it-yourself repair. I would not despair, this is typical for any car and it is solvable.
Roland