Flashing HVAC lights after new battery

[CJB]

Just changed the battery on a '98 Grand Caravan 3.3. In the process of tightening the positive terminal I accidently touched the wrench to the negative. There was a spark, of course, but otherwise no biggie. However, now the HVAC indicator lights, including the rear wiper, defroster, etc. indicator lights, all blink continuously until about 15 minutes of driving, then they return to normal. I disconnected the battery thinking that I needed to clear the PCM but the blinking always returns. Is this some sort of manual code reading deal? If so there's no mention of it in the Haynes manual.
Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

[olds88]

i know it is due to the hvac being out of calabration but i froget how to re calibrate. it go to a dealer they will probably take care of it for free or some what cheep

[jeremy m.]

On the left side of the A\C control panel hold down the top and bottoms buttons with the engine running, high blower, panel, full cold (both levers if so equipped). When the lights on the panel come on solid and then start flashing release buttons. It will take about 2 mins or less for it to calibrate. If only the top left button is flashing you are done. Press that button once or restart van all function should be normal.

[js8248]

Hi Jeremy or CJB,

Last night I changed a battery on my 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan and 4 LEDs (AC, circulation, rear window wiper, & timing wiper) started to flash, and after about 15 min. they stop flashing. I read your posts, but it is not clear
how to recalibrate the a/c system.

You mentioned holding down top and bottom bottons on the A/C control panel. Can you explain which buttons are those?

[1wingman]

Originally Posted by js8248

Hi Jeremy or CJB,

Last night I changed a battery on my 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan and 4 LEDs (AC, circulation, rear window wiper, & timing wiper) started to flash, and after about 15 min. they stop flashing. I read your posts, but it is not clear
how to recalibrate the a/c system.

You mentioned holding down top and bottom bottons on the A/C control panel. Can you explain which buttons are those?

Press the A/C and rear washer button at the same time.

[camachoaj]

Ok. I have been wondering how to get the same lights to stop flashing for over a year now. I seen this post and read the answer. I immediatly went out and tried it and it re-calibrated the AC so quick I was shocked.
All you need to do is start your van. (if you are unsure what knob or lever is which I am looking in the manual for proper terms) Then slide your temp lever all the way to the right (full cold). Then turn the Mode Control to 'panel' (the one that sends air to your face only). Then turn the 'blower switch' to all the way to full. Now go to the leftmost three buttons. Press the top one (rear wiper on constant) and the bottom one (rear wiper washer fluid). Hold these two for a few seconds. Once the lights come on solid then begin to flash you can let go. The AC will now calibrate. You will feel the air blow out of all the different zones at different intervals and see lights come on and go off. Then after a minute or two the top bottn you pressed will be slowly flashing. This means it has been completed (I actually let it run for 5 more minutes just in case something else started blinking). Press the last flashing button and you are done. I then turned off the van and started it back up and now I don't have those infernal blinking lights for the first fifteen minutes of my drives. Thank you to whoever it was who posted the initial answer to this problem.

[LoriG]

We've got the same problem with our van, (98 Voyager) only it's just the A/C button and the recirc button beside it that are flashing. I have followed the steps above, it's gone through it's recalibration procedure, but these two lights continue to flash once it's done, which leads me to believe there's more to this problem.
Neither those buttons or the rear defroster work while they're blinking, but after the van's been running 15 minutes or so, they stop blinking and operate normally. Does anyone have any clue what this problem may be?

[boogerd]

That procedure worked fine, but now I have 2 lights left blinking. The AC on/off light and the 'Circulation button'...

Any Suggestions?

-- Martin

Originally Posted by camachoaj

Ok. I have been wondering how to get the same lights to stop flashing for over a year now. I seen this post and read the answer. I immediatly went out and tried it and it re-calibrated the AC so quick I was shocked.
All you need to do is start your van. (if you are unsure what knob or lever is which I am looking in the manual for proper terms) Then slide your temp lever all the way to the right (full cold). Then turn the Mode Control to 'panel' (the one that sends air to your face only). Then turn the 'blower switch' to all the way to full. Now go to the leftmost three buttons. Press the top one (rear wiper on constant) and the bottom one (rear wiper washer fluid). Hold these two for a few seconds. Once the lights come on solid then begin to flash you can let go. The AC will now calibrate. You will feel the air blow out of all the different zones at different intervals and see lights come on and go off. Then after a minute or two the top bottn you pressed will be slowly flashing. This means it has been completed (I actually let it run for 5 more minutes just in case something else started blinking). Press the last flashing button and you are done. I then turned off the van and started it back up and now I don't have those infernal blinking lights for the first fifteen minutes of my drives. Thank you to whoever it was who posted the initial answer to this problem.

[LoriG]

Well, after I posted this, I was under the hood to change the battery and noticed there is no air conditioner belt on ours (we just bought it before I posted) so I guess that's what's causing our lights to flash. Maybe yours could be gone too? The lady who sold it to us didn't know it was missing, so it must have slipped off somewhere unnoticed.

[sasmj]

Hi,I'm from the UK and have a 98 Voyager. I also got the flashing lights on the AC control panel. I've run the test, but I still end up with the two rear wiper buttons slowly flashing one after the other (not together). I've also tried the AC and rear wash buttons test, but that still leaves me with the AC and recircualtion buttons flashing together and the two wiper button flashing, again one after the other. I've read the rest of the threads but it still doesn't make much sense as to what I should do next. Can anyone help? Otherwise this is going to cost me a whole heap of money. Thanks to all in advance.

[navymike2005]

Originally Posted by 1wingman

Press the A/C and rear washer button at the same time.

thanks for this info love this site mike

[Kchem]

Thanks for the detailed information. I have to try this when I get home, but I expect it will work great.

Thanks again,

Kchem

[Kchem]

Like others who have replied to this forum, my initial attempts did not completely recalibrate the AC and left two lights flashing. After re-reading the post quoted below, I figured out the problem. Apparently in some models, the temp. control is at full hot when the temp lever is all the way to the right. I attempted to calibrate by setting the temp control all the way to the left which is full cold in my van. I also have a rear blower and dual zone temp control. To get my system to recalibrate, I did as noted below, with the exception that I put all the blowers on high and slid the temp control levers all the way to the right (which was full hot in my van). The system went through the normal adjustments and after pressing the final button was completely reset. My advice to anyone is to follow the procedure below to the letter, ignoring whether or not your temp control is set for hot or cold- just have it all the way to the right.

Originally Posted by camachoaj

Ok. I have been wondering how to get the same lights to stop flashing for over a year now. I seen this post and read the answer. I immediatly went out and tried it and it re-calibrated the AC so quick I was shocked.
All you need to do is start your van. (if you are unsure what knob or lever is which I am looking in the manual for proper terms) Then slide your temp lever all the way to the right (full cold). Then turn the Mode Control to 'panel' (the one that sends air to your face only). Then turn the 'blower switch' to all the way to full. Now go to the leftmost three buttons. Press the top one (rear wiper on constant) and the bottom one (rear wiper washer fluid). Hold these two for a few seconds. Once the lights come on solid then begin to flash you can let go. The AC will now calibrate. You will feel the air blow out of all the different zones at different intervals and see lights come on and go off. Then after a minute or two the top bottn you pressed will be slowly flashing. This means it has been completed (I actually let it run for 5 more minutes just in case something else started blinking). Press the last flashing button and you are done. I then turned off the van and started it back up and now I don't have those infernal blinking lights for the first fifteen minutes of my drives. Thank you to whoever it was who posted the initial answer to this problem.

[jborris]

Here is my experience. I have a 1998 Grand Voyager. Like "Kchem", if you turn the temp slider to the right in my vehicle the temperature is set to HOT!. I tried the temp control to the right. The Recirc and the Compressor lights continued to flash after the test. I tried with the Temp set to the left "Cold". Same result. I read in another post that if the recalibrate test leaves lights still flashing to try the "Cool Down" Test. Execute the cool down test by holding the bottom left-most button and the Bottom Right-most button (A/C). After executing the Cool down test, all light turned of and then to their normal expected modes. Recirc and A/C on only..... No Flashing..... WooHooo!

Notes:
1. A/C and Recirc Buttons should be on for both tests.
2. Even when I turned the Temp to HOT (Right) the air blew cold during the test, hence I think turn to cold for the test is the correct statement.
3. The Cool down test, The name simply suggests setting temp to cold.
4. I believe I ran the cool down test twice.

Good Luck, and thanks everyone for their great posts!

Originally Posted by Kchem

Like others who have replied to this forum, my initial attempts did not completely recalibrate the AC and left two lights flashing. After re-reading the post quoted below, I figured out the problem. Apparently in some models, the temp. control is at full hot when the temp lever is all the way to the right. I attempted to calibrate by setting the temp control all the way to the left which is full cold in my van. I also have a rear blower and dual zone temp control. To get my system to recalibrate, I did as noted below, with the exception that I put all the blowers on high and slid the temp control levers all the way to the right (which was full hot in my van). The system went through the normal adjustments and after pressing the final button was completely reset. My advice to anyone is to follow the procedure below to the letter, ignoring whether or not your temp control is set for hot or cold- just have it all the way to the right.

[oohbie]

I had the same problem we had put a new motor in our van and the lights kept flashing. I ran the test with the rear wiper buttons but the ac light kept on flashing. After we fixed the ac I ran the test again no success. I ran the cool down test with slides to the right, they were still flashing ( it actually wouldn't even run the test). I ran the test with the slides to the left and SUCCESS. Finally after months of those annoying lights my van is one step closer to being back to normal. Thanks for all your different ideas. Tom