My wife has a 2001 Town and Country minivan. She is now experiencing a problem with the dash lights. When she turnsthe turn signal on, the dash lighting goes out. No gauges, speedo, tach, fuel, everything goes black.The turn signals no longer workeither, but the headlights and so forth all work. This is an intermitant problem. It only happens on occasion, but is occuring more often. Sometimes it corrects itself shortly, sometimes she needs to start and restart the van, other times it doesn't go away for a day or two.

I called the dealer andhe said he had herd about static electricty possibly causing this problem. I guess the surge interferes with the computer and causes it to malfunction. He said that the battery needed to be disconnected so that it could be reset.I guessthis problem is listed on the chrysler tech site, but no tsb or anything has been set forth, justthe idea of spraying static guard on the front seatsas a possible remedy for the static build up. We have leather seats and I don't see how this could be a problem. I tried the battery reset, it worked briefly, but the problem has resurfaced. The delaership say's I need to bring itinwhen it's happen'd, but I am afraid fo the labor hours needed to track down a short or whatever..... and in our dealership's case, the whatever is scary.

Any help in diagnosing or tracking this thing down would be greatly appriciated.

 

yeah spray static guard all over the van even if it has leather I have had this issue from a cust of mine and only happens in the winter. He will get in and make the BCM reset and nothing will work untill he gets out of the van hehe. Ummm all of the inside lights are run by the BCM Body computer. Does the cluster work or just the light part does not work?? and what about the other inside lights dome door ect??

 

OK, I have driven the van for a day myself. It is indeed the turn signal that starts the problem. When it occurs it is just the dash lighting. All other lighting works. Also; the speedo doesn't operate, the RPM, fuel and all other gauges fail to operate also. One time I had the RPM gauge working but nothing else, no speed, temp, or fuel. The Rpm gauge soon failed also though. To reset it I have to pop the hood and wiggle the wiring harness that goes to the fuse box, there is a red wire attached to the positive post of the battery along with the positive leed cable, moving this might help also??

I know this sounds like a short, I am going to do further tear down of the battery tray and so forth to see if I can find a bad wire or something, but as it looks now, the wires and harness look good.

 

u will be wasting your time loking for a short under the hood. Why do i say this because all of the insterments in the cluster the info is BUSED over the PCI bus from the computers. That means all the cluster info that tells what speed the van is going or rpm or temp ect is over a 1 wire system.
here is the back of the cluster if u need proof of the lay out.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER - BLACK 13 WAY CAV CIRCUIT FUNCTION
1 E13 20OR/YL PANEL LAMPS DRIVER (INSTRUMENT CLUSTER)
2 L160 20WT/TN (LOWLINE) RIGHT TURN INDICATOR DRIVER
3 G7 20VT/GY (HIGHLINE - AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL) LOW OIL PRESSURE SWITCH SENSE
4 G3 20VT/LB (HIGHLINE - AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL) MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP DRIVER
5 L134 20WT/GY (HIGHLINE - AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL) HIGH BEAM INDICATOR DRIVER
6 A701 16BR/RD FUSED B(+) (HAZARD)
7 Z108 18BK/LG GROUND
8 L161 20WT/LG (LOWLINE) LEFT TURN INDICATOR DRIVER
9 D25 20WT/VT PCI BUS (CLUSTER)
10 B25 18DG/WT PARK BRAKE SWITCH SENSE
11 G26 20VT/OR CHIME DRIVER
12 G150 20VT/BR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAKE UP SENSE
13 Z18 18BK/LB GROUND
It sounds like to me a BCM, that is what runs the lights and the Bus is sent through the bcm to the cluster.
U did not tell me weather or not the other lights inside work when this is issue is going on. When it happens turn on the dome lights via the prindle switch on the headlight switch does it or not work?? and the other lights as well the one in the radio when u have the headlights on and the little green leds in the over head what about them?

 

12th December 2006 My Wife's '99 model Grand Voyager trouble starting. Engine would start but then all the instruments died followed by the engine a couple of seconds later. Had to be loaded on the back of a tow truck and taken to the local Chrysler dealer - EMG of King's Lynn, England. Diagnosed failed Body Control Module. Told 3-5 days for the USA as the module will have to be programmed at the factory to my particular car.

19th December - BCM not arrived as yet.

28th December - BCM fitted but light on dash needs software to turn off - on order expected the following day.

4th January - Light out but now being told the Heater Control Module is faulty. I couldn't understand why this was at fault as the heating worked fine previously, and how come this wasn't detected when diagnostic check carried out?

9th January - Finally picked up the car. The faulty parts are covered by my warranty company but not the labour. I also have to pay a deposit for the BCM and told to return it after the warranty company is finished with it by 31st January or I will lose my deposit of 293UKP. Chrysler USA want the BCM back because they think there might be a potential problem. I was told that the faulty Heater Control Module caused the BCM to fail.

Total cost? A staggering 1132UKP!!!! Thankfully, my warranty company will be paying most of it (apart from the labour which was nearly 200UKP).

The Voyager now has a screeching noise which speeds up when the gas peddle is pressed. I thought it could be moisture on a belt as it had stood idle for almost a month but, after 50 miles, the noise is still there, any ideas?

 

I am having the same problem....
I took the gauges off and re-soldered them but....
They work fine until I turn on any of the turn signals not to mention the turn signals do not work...Thanks

 

evo8rcr whats the prob whats the same prob whats your issue?

 

I just started experiencing these same "symptoms" 5 days ago. My 01 t&c (has 135k + mi) starts with no issue but has no dash instruments functioning, the speedo is rotated to the back side of the pin, and I have no turn signals or hazard lights. I experienced intermittant functioning of the fuel, tac, and temp but no speedo. During these times if I used a turn signal I would lose functionality again. All other inerior and exterior lights are functional, including the dash lights and LED. Please advise for a NON MECHANICAL driver. Thank you!!!

 

whats the same issue there are 2 different issues on this post make yours clear and what year and engine size u have

 

Thanks for your response. I have an '01 T&C with a 3.8L V6 and 135k + miles. I started my van about two weeks ago and had no dash instruments. I restarted and they were functional. During the course of my journey that afternoonI had intermittent functionality. The next day pretty much the same thing, intermittent functioning of the tac, fuel, and temp gauge but no speedo. In fact the speedo is pegged on the back side of the pin. During the times these instruments functioned (less the speedo) if I used a turn signal I lost all dash gauges. I currently have no dash gauges, no turn signals or hazards. All other internal and external lights are functioning including he LEDs.

I don't know if this has any bearing on the issue but I recently had the side cover on the transmission replaced due to rust. I believe it was the right side.