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Vans & Minivans Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan Caravan/Town & Country Electrical Problems
384 messages, Last post on Dec 07, 2009 at 11:36 PM
You are in the Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan Forum. Your Host is Karens
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Replying to: minvanman (Aug 02, 2008 1:41 pm) Anyway, the first thing I would check - and this is easier than it sounds, though a little tougher than changing a fuse - is the circuit board that is housed behind your dashboard. It drives all of your instrument gauges. Good thing you have not gone to a dealer - I hope you haven't yet, because I haven't found one single one that actually knows what to do in this case. Anyway, there are some solder points on the circuit board that when they were created were soldered too cold, and over time have cracked, causing a communication breakdown. Find the spots that look like they have a crack or a crack-ring in them and re-solder the spots. It that is indeed what it is, that will fix the problem. Or, if you are not comfortable with a soldering iron, you ould buy a new circuit board and install it - but the soldering iron is much cheaper, trust me - I think I paid $5.00 for mine at the local tool store - Harbor Freight - an el-cheapo one will do the job. Or pay a friend who is handy with one to do the job. I had this very same challenge for two years and tried so many different things - except spend money - until I finally figured ou what it was by pure perseverance. I did the complete job -removing the board, soldering, re-installing, and putting all the dash panels back in about 15 to 20 minutes. I have also heard others who were told by a dealer or a mechanic to change this or that - from Body Control Module (computer) to relay switches, to other expensive things - some up to $3,000 later and still the problem was not resolved. I was not willing to spend that kind of money of people who were just guessing and making a mint in the process. So I was patient and ended up spending only $5.00 to resolve the challenge. Good luck, and hope it helps.
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Replying to: alttab (Jun 02, 2008 8:05 am) You will need to remove the front panel housing around the instrument panel to get at it isn't a difficult task - check on-line for some visual instructions if you need help. Once you have the circuit board removed check for solder cracks - a magnifying glass helps but usually you can see them with the naked eye, depending on your eye-sight. Sometimes the cracks look like a little black ring around the point - especially check the points where the main power source connects to the instrument panel (the one you can detach and re-attach (sorry can't think of what to call that at the moment) where the main wires plug into the board. Re-solder all the points, re-install and see how it goes. I had the exact same problem you describe for two years and found the solution through pure perseverance and some inspiration. Once I decided to check the instrument circuit board, I had it out and in and fixed within 15 to 20 minutes and NEVER have had a problem since. The job is easy enough to do on your own 9or ask a D-I-Y-minded friend) with an el-cheapo soldering iron from Harbor Freight or somewhere - I paid $5 for mine - that is all I ever spent on the problem - never replaced any modules, though many suggested I should, or any other parts anywhere. I did suffer plenty of frustration and exercised lots and lots of patience - 2 years worth, so I know what you are going through, and as a one-vehicle guy/family myself shared your anxiety. After I did the soldering thing, never had the trouble again. So good luck, and I hope many others get to read this post. Apparently it all is caused by some faulty manufacturing - the points are soldered too cold and that causes them to crack over time. Temperature changes can also wreak havoc once the spots start to go. And the ignition thing is caused by your computer sensing that there is a communication breakdown and shutting down the fuel relay - that's why you can start and then it dies straight away. The complete NO RESPONSE after X number of tries/attempts to start is your SECURITY SYSTEM kicking in to prevent theft -it senses too many attempts under faulty conditions (out-of-the-ordinary or usual) and shuts the whole system down by disabling the feul relay to function all together and also shutting down the Starter relay. - there is a way to jump the relays - good for "stranded" situation, but that is another post - and a little more tricky. However, if you fix the solder points, you won't need the relay-jump method, anyway . . . The waiting (sometimes for a few or many hours) is the time it takes for the system to clear the error from it's memory/reset itself. Sometimes that only takes a short while, and other times it can take hours. Not sure exactly what causes this, but have a very strong suspicion that it has to do with the cracked spots re-aligning themselves to create at least some contact as the ambient temperature changes - day to evening - allowing contact to happen again. When the instrument cluster goes out while you are driving, the security system is not effected - your car does not die - because you are not trying to start. The dying only happens when in the starting phase because that is what the security system is built to protect - unauthorized use of your vehicle . . . Anyway, hope it helps and resolves your problem. If it does, please post and let us know (and send me a note at igor_speak  hotmail.com) and spread the word to others that are suffering the same problem - there seem to be lots. Good luck
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Replying to: 4bzzy (Jun 22, 2008 2:11 pm) As to it not starting when instrument gauges don't register at start-up, or instruments dying while driving, check the instrument/gauge cluster circuit board located directly behind the instrument panel. You will need to remove the front panel housing around the instrument panel to get at it isn't a difficult task - check on-line for some visual instructions if you need help. Once you have the circuit board removed check for solder cracks - a magnifying glass helps but usually you can see them with the naked eye, depending on your eye-sight. Sometimes the cracks look like a little black ring around the point - especially check the points where the main power source connects to the instrument panel (the one you can detach and re-attach (sorry can't think of what to call that at the moment) where the main wires plug into the board. Re-solder all the points, re-install and see how it goes. I had the exact same problem you describe for two years and found the solution through pure perseverance and some inspiration. Once I decided to check the instrument circuit board, I had it out and in and fixed within 15 to 20 minutes and NEVER have had a problem since. The job is easy enough to do on your own 9or ask a D-I-Y-minded friend) with an el-cheapo soldering iron from Harbor Freight or somewhere - I paid $5 for mine - that is all I ever spent on the problem - never replaced any modules, though many suggested I should, or any other parts anywhere. I did suffer plenty of frustration and exercised lots and lots of patience - 2 years worth, so I know what you are going through, and as a one-vehicle guy/family myself shared your anxiety. After I did the soldering thing, never had the trouble again. So good luck, and I hope many others get to read this post. Apparently it all is caused by some faulty manufacturing - the points are soldered too cold and that causes them to crack over time. Temperature changes can also wreak havoc once the spots start to go. And the ignition thing is caused by your computer sensing that there is a communication breakdown and shutting down the fuel relay - that's why you can start and then it dies straight away. The complete NO RESPONSE after X number of tries/attempts to start is your SECURITY SYSTEM kicking in to prevent theft -it senses too many attempts under faulty conditions (out-of-the-ordinary or usual) and shuts the whole system down by disabling the feul relay to function all together and also shutting down the Starter relay. - there is a way to jump the relays - good for "stranded" situation, but that is another post - and a little more tricky. However, if you fix the solder points, you won't need the relay-jump method, anyway . . . The waiting (sometimes for a few or many hours) is the time it takes for the system to clear the error from it's memory/reset itself. Sometimes that only takes a short while, and other times it can take hours. Not sure exactly what causes this, but have a very strong suspicion that it has to do with the cracked spots re-aligning themselves to create at least some contact as the ambient temperature changes - day to evening - allowing contact to happen again. When the instrument cluster goes out while you are driving, the security system is not effected - your car does not die - because you are not trying to start. The dying only happens when in the starting phase because that is what the security system is built to protect - unauthorized use of your vehicle . . . Anyway, hope it helps and resolves your problem. If it does, please post and let us know (and send me a note at igor_speakhotmail.com) and spread the word to others that are suffering the same problem - there seem to be lots. Good luck |
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Replying to: eriefishing (Apr 07, 2008 6:32 am) Thanks, Ken |
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Replying to: dodgenightmare (Aug 21, 2008 5:19 pm)
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just this morning, after a return drive to the house I turned off the ignition but could still hear the radiator fans still on. I then went to the fuse box and removed the 40a fuse to the dual fans. the fans stopped. i reinstalled the fuse but don't think the fans are working (suppose to come on and off, right?...) actually, the van drives okay, but if the fans are inop wouldn't the engine overheat eventually?
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Replying to: glenntuia (Aug 26, 2008 8:27 am) If you reinstalled the fuse when the engine was still hot and the fans were trying to run there might have been a current surge which blew the fuse. Check that first. |
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ok sorry like i said this is a new thing for me .. but im trying to look for answers. i own a 2005 dodge caravan its got about 96,000 miles on it. and ive had nothing but problems with it.. and it only seems to happen when its raining. but the out come stays. my locks went out on me. my driver side window dont work. i think there electrical problems. my radio goes out. my ac / heater went out just this weekend with all the rain. ive had problems with my head lights. i buy a new one and it goes out in a week. all my dash lights keep going out on me. does anyone one have a clue to why all this is happening and how i can fix the problems. with out having to trade it in or sell it.
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Replying to: forbiddencreat (Aug 26, 2008 11:56 pm)
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Replying to: basline11 (Aug 27, 2008 3:12 am) |
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