Last summer, a warm day in N. Carolina, temps in the 70's, I started my 2008 T & C and headed down the road. When it started to rain I discovered that my windshield wipers didn't work. Also absent were my directionals, radio, heater and blower. Car was running fine and main guages all worked.
I pulled over, turned off the engine, and when I started up again all was fine.
No repeat performance for about 6 months. This morning, with temps in low teens, it did the same thing again; i.e. started and ran fine, headlights were on, but again no turn signals, heater, or radio. They all came back after about a 10 minute drive, just before I stopped at the post office. 2 minutes later, same problem, and again all returned after about 10 minutes.
Is this symptomatic of any one particular thing? Or is one just one of those maddening drivability issues that's guarenteed to never repeat when I want it to for a mechanic? Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

what are the codes in the computer?

 

Worst case? The TIPM. It's your fuse box on steroids. Unfortunately, it is much more than a fuse box that controls most of the accessories and lighting in the van. It's stacked with circuit boards just waiting to fail. Could be a poor connection inside or on the external connections. I've seen some pay $250 and a few upwards of $500 and more.

With the old typical ignition switches a common fault was it sometimes wouldn't return all the way to the "on/run" position from the start position. That would cut power to some of the circuits. I believe you have the new FOBIC ignition system. Not sure if this scenario would apply.

 

Forgot about the codes. Might be sometime tomorrow but I'll check them and post. Thanks.

 

So much for my promise to return with codes. Have been through the manual and got no further than the OBD II Code reference, which is what I think I want, but can't recall how to access. Have tried in vain searches on this forum as well as open Google search. Thought I remembered doing it once with a specific set of ignition key manipulations but it was so long ago that I'm not even sure if I did that for my T & C or a GM sedan. Are these codes ones I can pull myself? How? Thanks again! Rob

 

Still no codes, but problem does seem to center on the ignition switch.
Wondered about shooting a blast of WD-40 into the slot but decided that might create problems.
Maybe spray some oil on the key itself than put the key in the switch, back and forth, in and out, etc?
Vehicle will be off the road for the next few months so I'm not really pressed, but appreciate past suggestions and any new comments folks might offer.
Rob

 

.. .. Try the key dance for codes, they might give clues to your other problem : -

Do the 'key dance' like this !

Put your hand on the key / on and then off a and then on and then off and then leave it on

- so, [5 clicks] on-off-on-off-on
- then wait .. .. you should see the mileometer change to dash [s] like this - - - -
- then a sequence of ODB2 codes, in sequence but repeated per code incident will display

NOTE : There's a bit of a knack to getting the timing of the clicks correct - persevere.

 

QinteQ,
Ah, the "key dance"! That's what I remembered, but not in enough detail to do any good. Will try it tomorrow morning. Thanks!
Rob

 

Did the key dance this morning.
Got the line of dashes, then "done" , followed by "change oil" and then back to the odometer reading.
That said, everything was working when I turned the car on; blowers, radio, wipers, etc.
Seems like the logical thing to do is to try the "dance" the next time the malfunction occurs.
Thanks, all!
Rob

 

Doubt you're going to see any codes anyway. The key dance just gives you powertrain codes otherwise known as "P" codes. These codes effect emissions in some way or another. If you get any codes they'll be either chassey codes otherwise known as "C" codes or body codes - you guest it - "B" codes. C and B codes have to be read with a scanner capable of reading them.