2000 Intrepid won't start. have cleaned the battery (Less than 1 yr. old) posts and installed it back in the car and the horn honks all lights come on but as soon as i turn the key to start everything go dead again. can jump the battery and the car will start and can drive it, battery idiot light comes on. If i shut off the car it will not start again and there are no lights no radio no nothing.

change your battery

Sound like a wire loose. could be the earth cable to the engine, or the main power cable from the battery to the fuse box/ignition switch/starter.

First, Have your Battery tested. The Alarm systems in Ford made Products are very sensitive to Voltage. There are 3 systems in the car which interrupt power, the Alarm system (horn honking) and the Battery saver and finally the starter interlock system.

The Alarm system will do several things to disable the car from starting. It will reduce the voltage to the starter to prevent the engine from turning over. Some will even kill the ignition system so that if the starter is jumped, the car still won't start.

The Battery saver will disconnect any system to prevent discharge below a minimum threshold. Unfortunately, when the Alternator is working extra hard to charge a really bad battery: it will disconnect the charging circuit because it reads the Draw going to the Alternator to produce the power as a parasitic drain. Even at 70mph I have seen the charging disconnected and the vehicle coast to a stop when the electric runs out.

The last system worth mentioning is the Starter interlock. Under the dash and at the top of the Brake pedal lever is a switch. When you press the brake pedal, the switch allows the starter to crank provided the shifter is not in D or R. Drivers feet routinely hit this switch and either move it or break it. When it breaks it can short and drain the battery.

As you mentioned a Random problem, the Brake switch can shake to create a random problem if it is loose or broken. Your rear brake lights can be affected.

With the horn honking, at least part of your problem is the Alarm system. You can have a bad ignition switch too, which reads the keychip to disable the alarm. Your keychip may be bad and setting off the Alarm.

I had a new Lincoln myself which set off the Alarm randomly. I actually slept inside the car one night so I could turn off the alarm in the Apartment complex parking lot. Did'nt know if it would start again if the battery was disconnected and then reconnected. The Battery was shorted with less than 1000 miles on the car. It was a factory defective battery less than 3 months old.

But your car has many years and miles on it so it was worth mentioning the wear items. I hope my solution is helpful.

alarm its self goosed may have to take it to an auto electrition to disconect the old alarm

check fuel pump and timing belt

hook it up and wait a min or 2 for it to stop or disarm the alarm after but i think it will stop after 1 or 2 mins

This looks like you have a alarm problem,take the keys out and replace battery,if it starts honking press alarm off.If this don't work you have to find a Nissan workshop to calibrate the alarm and computer.It might be so bad that the car wont start at all after a battery change and that,s because the car was powerless for a short while and the computer thinks its been stolen and hotwired.God luck

sounds like the anti-theft is playing with you. call dealer and ask how to reset it

this car requires around 30 minutes on the battery disconnect, if you the horn honks on reconnection you have reach the default setting