Hi, I have a 2009 Chrysler Town & Country. This morning while driving to work the entire dash board lit up, the wipers came on, and all gauges dropped to 0, and blinkers did not looked to be working. It also started dinging like I get when I get a system alert. It kept doing this off and on, but the engine never cut off. I think it did this to my husband very briefly once several months ago and he mentioned that the engine cut off. We have had trouble getting power to the VES system during the summer months (it started working again in the winter, but has now shut down again), but today is the first time something like this has happened to me. I have read a couple threads that have been close and maybe it is the TIPM, but no threads seem to exactly match what happened to me this morning. Also, I cut the van off when I got to my destination, but it happened again when I turned my van back on to head to my office. Once everything started going haywire this morning, it continued. Has anyone come across this before? Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

 

You have a problem with the interior BUS network. Probably a wire rubbing somewhere. There's no way you're going to be able to diagnose or fix it yourself. They're just too complicated now.

 

You'll be hard pressed to find an exact match. There are just too many variables. As you mentioned, the TIPM would be high on the list. Try tapping on it to try to induce the problem. Give the connected wire harness a wiggle.

This look familiar: 2010 Town & Country problems,dash shutting down,wiper turns on, video 1 - YouTube

 

I bought a used 2009 Chrysler town and country. The first time this happened I was told to just hit the lock and unlock on the remote. That worked and fixed the problem for a little while. Then this morning I went out to warm it up and before I could even get out of the van to go back inside all the dash lights came on and the wipers came on and the red security light in the center of the dash stayed on when the van died. So I hit the lock and unlock buttons on the remote and restarted the van to warm it up again and again it did the disco with the lights and now it isn't even responding to the remote. The battery in the remote is less than two weeks old so I know it isn't that. I want to get this taken care of because I got this van less than two months ago. If this keeps up with no solution I will have to trade it in for something else I need a vehicle I can rely on.

 

Besides the TIPM one possibility is the wire harness for the power sliding doors. I hear you saying "oh come on, how can a door effect the instruments!" Sad fact is it can happen. Your van's electronic monitors/computers talk to each other over what's called the CAN multiplex data bus. It consists of circuits in the monitors and a single wire that connects them all. This wire runs all over the van. Each sliding door has a monitor bolted to it and it is connected to the data bus by this wire. That wire harness is infamous for grounding to the chassis creating all sorts of electrical issues. What to do? Operate your power doors several times to try to duplicate your problems. Inspect the door wire harness for any signs of damage.

Wipers, alarm systems, instrument display, door locks, RKE, ignition and just about every electrical sub system is controlled by the data bus. Earlier model vans had a ground stud either not tightened or badly corroded in the driver's B pillar causing similar problems.

 

i have a 2001 that does the same thing minus the windshield wipers

 

I'm wondering why there are so many electrical-type issues with GVs on here just lately?

Leedsman.

 

I had an 04 that did the same as you describe, it did it till the alternator failed, once that was replaced it never did it again, the alt. tested fine but I know in hind site it was intermittently failing or the regulator was.

 

minus the wipers too. maybe you bumped those? I sure did the first time the car freaked out like that. it did it twice during a 6 mo period and then it started about once per week for a month then it started doing it hourly then nada the battery was toast. and the alternator was identified as the culprit.