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Caravan/Town & Country Electrical Problems

652 messages,  Last post on May 01, 2013 at 8:12 PM

You are in the Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Caravan, Electrical, Van


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Messages Page 13 of 66

#121 of 652 Re: 2005 Chrysler Town & Country Door Locks [romott] by debspalmtree

Nov 01, 2007 (5:08 pm)

Replying to: romott (Oct 05, 2007 3:20 pm)
Thank you so much for posting this. I have had problems with my locks not working for 3 months. My brother tried replacing some of the other fuses, as a matter of fact that 10d is probably the only one we didn't try. I thought I was going to have to take it to the dealer and pay thier big price to fix it. I decided to try one more time to see if i could find something on the net, and I found you post and it worked. thanks again.

#122 of 652 2001 Dodge Caravan Headlight Problems by julesb

Nov 12, 2007 (4:40 pm)

I have 2001 Dodge Caravan and for the past year I have been having headlight problems; when I turn the engine on, the daytime running lights; the left lights is on, when I turn the lights on the left on one goes out and the right one comes on, when I turn on the high beams...they both work. My local Dodge dealer said they will look at it but it sounds like an electrical problem and could cost $1000. I took out the headlights myself and cleaned them and put in new bulbs and I still have the problem...both turn signals work and so do both side reflector lights. Anyone have any ideas? Desperate Julesb

#123 of 652 98 T&C Security Lockout - FIXED!!! by 98tandc

Nov 15, 2007 (8:50 pm)

Several months ago, my 98 T&C began to start, run for about 5 seconds, then die. After about five attempts at this, it would no longer even turn over. At first, after about an hour, it would start and run. I thought it had something to do with the remote door opener, so I stopped using it. The problem happened more and more often, and the wait time before it would start became longer and longer. Recently, I took the van to the local dealer so they could figure out what was causing the problem. They did some "recall" repairs, but they could not figure out the problem with the security system. They told me they thought it was in a wiring harness, but they were not sure. They were willing to see if replacing the wiring harness would fix the problem, at a cost of at least $1,500. Needless to say, I was not willing to participate in a $1,500 experiment. I got the van back from the dealer, and it started for about a week. Then it did its old trick again. This time, after it sat behind my house for over three weeks, it still would not even turn over.
Last Saturday, I removed the instrument cluster. To remove the cluster, I had to remove a connector from a socket more or less in the middle of a printed circuit board (PCB) on the back of the instrument cluster. Inside this socket there were pins (at least nine). The solder joints that connect the pins to the PCB circuitry are on the "back" of the PCB. With the naked eye, I could not see any problems with the solder joints around the pins. However, using a strong magnifying glass, I could see small cracks in the solder around the pins. I re-soldered all the joints around the pins, and put the cluster back in the van. The van has been starting flawlessly ever since!!!
 
THANK YOU to the folks who posted the information about this fix. I have no idea how somebody found the problem with the solder joints on the PCB, but I am certainly glad they did.

#124 of 652 2001 Town And Country by electrcian

Nov 16, 2007 (5:33 pm)

I installed a used BCM (exact same P/N) in my T&C and the car would run for a few seconds and then stop. I tried is a few times and it kept doing the same thing. I finally decided to put the old BCM in and the car did the same thng. After 3 attempts at starting and having it die, the car finally would not even turn over. It currently is dead. I need help figureing out what to do.

#125 of 652 Re: 2001 Dodge Caravan Headlight Problems [julesb] by dlqchris

Nov 24, 2007 (9:32 am)

Replying to: julesb (Nov 12, 2007 4:40 pm)
Same here, 2001 GC with no intermittant headlights (low beam on one side, high beam on the other side). I drove from Utah to Washington state for Thanksgiving with a piece of cardboard propped in the signal lever to keep the high beams on so that it would appear as though I had two operational headlights and hopefully avoid a ticket. This morning the headlights are not operating at all, no low beam or high beam. And I am not encouraged at what I am reading.....$1000 or more to fix it enough to get back to Utah and trade it in? Dont think so...I will drive in the daytime.

#126 of 652 2006 T&C service NIGHTMARE by annarbor2

Dec 03, 2007 (7:55 pm)

#1 At 8K miles, took to dealer for a screech when turning on ignition and burning smell. No problem found. Dealer "looked under the hood."
#2-3 At 15K miles, took in on three consecutive days for great deal of trouble starting vehicle. After visit 3, they said there was a "bad cell" in the battery. Car failed to start when I picked it up.
#4 Left it there from visit #3. No problem found. Dealer told me that the problem was that I didn't know how to start my vehicle.
#5: Engine malfunction light comes on and starts flashing while on the highway. Car sputters and shakes. Towed to dealer who said "Cam and Crank sensor."
#5 A week later: same light comes on; car sputters. Drive to dealer. "Evap filter. Changed EGR valve."
#7 A week later, en route home from Thanksgiving, same light comes on on highway; car sputtering. Towed to dealer 5.5 hours from my home. Rent a car to get home. Call "Customer Service" who declines my request for a buyback, rental reimbursement or to get my vehicle back to me. I pay someone $1000 to drive the rental car back 5.5 hours and bring my car home. Dealer said "Crank and Cam shaft."
#8 The guy I hire gets 100 miles into the return trip and the same light comes on and car sputters. He drives it to a dealer, now 3.5 hours from home. The car has now been there 5 days and they have no clue what's wrong with it. At this point, Customer Service opens a file and refers me to a case manager.
 
Case manager does nothing. Get a different one who tells me she will then she won't give me an equivalent rental car and cover my expenses. The dealer has no idea what's wrong with it. He called Chrysler, who told him to check the transmission--which he had already done. No clue how long the dealer will keep looking before calling the "field advisor." After pressing the Case Manager, she decided to escalate the matter to the Regional Manager who has authorization for a buyback. But my state, Michigan, very unhelpfully gutted most of the lemon law, suggesting that the best I'd do on a buyback offer isn't very good. And mean while, my car remains 3.5 hours away and I have a tiny, inadequate Neon --a loaner from the dealer so my paid driver could get home. If anyone has any ideas, I'd really appreciate it.

#127 of 652 1998 dodge caravan by deppie78

Dec 04, 2007 (1:16 pm)

I have a 98 dodge caravan when i'm driving the battery light comes on and all my lights start flickering. just started doing this yesterday, today when i shut it off a buzzin sound came from underneath the dash. was wondering if anyone has any ideas as to what this could be?

#128 of 652 Re: 1998 dodge caravan [deppie78] by xwesx

Dec 04, 2007 (5:12 pm)

Replying to: deppie78 (Dec 04, 2007 1:16 pm)
have you tried to start it again? It sounds to me like your alternator is either under-charging or not charging. The battery light usually indicates low voltage, assuming it is working properly. If the flickering and battery light came on prior to you actually being able to restart the van, then there might be an electrical problem rather than a low battery. The "buzzing" to which you refer is often a relay trying to engage, but having insufficient power to do so.
 
Be careful with this one; if it is an alternator, the van could strand you alongside the road somewhere when the last of its juice is squeezed out.

#129 of 652 Re: 1998 dodge caravan [xwesx] by deppie78

Dec 05, 2007 (3:15 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Dec 04, 2007 5:12 pm)
thanks i think it is a relay my husband came home and heard the buzzing and wiggled something and it quit and started right up. go figure now he thinks i'm nuts cause it hasn't done it since

#130 of 652 Re: 2001 Dodge Caravan Headlight Problems [dlqchris] by alecavalier

Dec 07, 2007 (6:42 am)

Replying to: dlqchris (Nov 24, 2007 9:32 am)
I have the same problem. Did you find out what was the cause of this problem?
 
Al
ssatlvideotron.ca

Messages Page 13 of 66

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