Gauge cluster problems..

[Buddabelly]

Things are looking better. Found an Engine Control Module Thursday, and it will be here Tuesday. We should know by Tuesday evening if this is the fix for this problem. After much discussion on the subject, the mechanic and I have pretty well come to the same conclusion. The dash gauges are more than likely fed info from the ECM, while the BCM controls other aspects of the vehicle, i.e. door locks, power windows, and other such controls. The no start problem was definitly the ECM and self diagnostics confirmed this. Will know more Tuesday evening and pass along news then

[asotovx]

Originally Posted by asotovx

My 2000 grand caravan SE with 34k miles do the same thing, please keep posting I haVe tried all the previous tips with no help .

Here is what I been doing in order to get rid of this problem , replaced the BCM module, replaced the gauge cluster, and at this time it seems to be less frecuently or at les it recovers faster when the gauges goes out, by the way When i put it in reverse it does not change gear indication all other shifts displayed ok, Oh I forget also take it to a alarm shop to remove the custom alarm, If some body have info about the Gauges cluster PCB electronic print board conections who seem desoldered I seen cuople of them and for me it seems that where they make it they leave it desoldered on pourpose or for some reason. Would like some dodge engineer and or designer give us a clue on this, I mean it seems that dealers can not "deal" With this kind of problems, Or at least in a proper way $$ & time. One thing for sure my next car will not be a dodge vehicle.........

[Buddabelly]

We have replaced the ECM and we still have no gauges. We are in the process of trying to check the BCM but can not get any voltage readings from the comm connection of the BCM. Next step is trying to read the resistance on all of the wires coming and going from it. This could take quite a while but will try to keep everyone up to date. We are determined to find this problem and fix it or I am going to roast that goat on the hood!!!

[gustiepeg]

Another tidbit of information relating to this thread which may be helpful......

I will rehash the symptoms I have been experiencing first.

1) Instrument cluster gauges drop out occasionally but van was running fine when this happened. Not all of the gauges at the same time would go out but they each would drop out from time to time.

2) Van broke down on my wife about 3 weeks after Cluster symptoms. I was able to get it to the mechanic with it limping (and bucking) the entire way. Had codes 43 and 66.

3) Crank sensor replacement and van ran fine. Still had Cluster problems though.

4) A week later the van stalled on the highway and would not start. Car started 15 minutes later and ran fine. Again - codes 43 and 66.

5) Mechanic - to his credit - tried a CAM sensor, PCM and ECM. He drove it for the next two weeks and problems continued.

6) Mechanic decided to get a genuine Chrysler/Dodge Crank sensor and try that. He evidently used an aftermarket crank sensor in his original repair that he has used many times in other vehicles with success. Since then I have not seen the cluster go down or the codes return (crossing my fingers...). I have had the van now for two weeks. It does not seem like a crank sensor could cause a speedometer/tachometer to drop out but this has been such a bitch I am willing to believe anything at this point as long as it is working.

I hope this post is helpful to someone. It is interesting that so many people have had so much frustration over similar issues. Good luck.

[gustiepeg]

An amendment to my last post....

We were seeing code 11 in addition to 43 and 66 when the van would break down.

Good Luck

[k342]

I have a 93 honda civic with the same problem, the lights work and then they dont, if you bang on the dash for a while it will work, im wondering if its in the switch or in the dash? any one know?

[MoMom]

Buddabell, any new developments? This is the same thing that is happening with my '98. Hard to gauge how fast, fuel left, etc. It is happening more frequently and for longer periods now.

[Maddog32]

Hello-

Intermittently, the gauges will die or it will only start momentarily and then die. Sometimes, it seemed to fix itself after a tow job. After several tow jobs, my wife refused to drive it. Spent a fortune on this with the dealer. Nothing showed up on the computer, they checked this and that, replaced the BCM, replaced the fuses and the relays, unhooked the battery, etc, etc and the problem kept coming back. It even acted up at the dealership and they could not figure it out. Basically, they said they would just keep replacing parts until the problem went away. I probably spent a couple of thousand with no success before I gave up. At this point, I am convinced the no start and the dead gauges are related and probably has to do with a loose connection or a bad instrument cluster.

I saw this in another post and it has worked for me repeatedly. I usually laeve the ignition turned on so I can see when the gauges come back and whack the top of the dashboard with the palm of my hands on both sides of the steering wheel. Usually, it only takes one whack before the gauges come to life and the thing starts. Clearly, this does not fix the problem, but it kind of narrows it down a bit. I really don't need to whack it that hard.

" have had this same problem for the past year. We have tried everything you could think of without much success. My problem is number two and don't have your other problems. When this happened one time, out of frustration I slammed my fist on top of the dashboard and all the gages came back up, you nshould try this with the key on. You have to do this on both sides of the steering wheel at the same time. Do this as soon as the car doesn,t start the first time not after the car goes dead. If the gauges come up the car will start. I can hit hard enough that it works, my wife can't. If this works your printed circuit board of you instument cluster has a short. The car will run without the cluster, but if you have a factory alarm the starter cut off goes into effect or the car computer thinks that the car is in gear. You can purchase a new on from the dealer for about 400.00. I took mine out and had it repair. I don't know if this is the cure as I only did it about a week ago, I saw your post thought this might help.

Good luck and let us know how you make out, remember hit it hard.
Paul"

[polasauris]

Same problem here. New ECM made no difference. I replaced the cluster. The van now starts (and stays running) and all gauges work except the speedo and the gear indicator does not show what gear its in. It is now running in safe mode (2nd gear only). A dealer now has it and they say none of the computers are talking to each other.

They dont seem to think the starting and stalling, then not starting at all thing, has anything to do with the cluster. They seem to think its a security alarm thing. All I know is that when the cluster was not working and the van would not start I pounded the dash, the cluster started working and the van started and ran great. Thats why I replaced the cluster.

This is getting very frustrating and costly.

[JJFURAY]

Originally Posted by scottw

My 99 does this.
I have found out that I can get mine going again by pulling the 10AMP IOD fuse (from the fuse box under the hood) and putting it back in.
I have no idea what it does, or why it works, but it does with mine.
Scott

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I.O.D. STANDS FOR? I HAVE A CIRCUIT SHORT WITH THAT FUSE AND NEED HELP ON IT.
JJFURAY-USERNAME

[ziklag]

Hello,

I have had many problems on my Dodge Caravan (1996). Wipers coming on (staying on), air conditioner/heater motor not working, engine light coming on and not going off, blown engine at 88k miles, and on and on!!!!!

I found that there are a few ways that the computer gets reset in this vehicle.

I started the car, and disconnected the positive side of the battery(while it was running) for 1 minute. Then I hooked it back up. This reset the computer much like a reboot on a PC. Check Engine light went away.
I later figured out that my battery was disconnected when the engine was replaced, it caused the check engine light to come on. Mechanics were baffeled, and gave up on getting this light to turn off, so they said it was something else. As you may be aware, a car will not smog unless this light goes away, so I could not just give up. The reset (battery disconnect) works.
This may help on the the gauge problem. I do not know, but it is worth a try.

My Air blower for heater and air conditioner was reset by doing the following:
Find the 4 row of bottons that control the rear wipers (lower 4 each).
The botton on the right of the 4 bottons is for turning the air conditioner pump on, the one on the far left is for the rear wiper.
Turn the engine off, but before you do this, put the air temp slider to the far right side (coldesst), and the fan motor on high. Make sure that the air conditioner pump is off, and then turn the car off, and then start the car up again.
Hold the 2 bottons down (far left, and far right). In other words, do not touch the 2 in the middle. After you hold these 2 outside bottons down for about 5 seconds, you will see that all the lights on the bottons will come on. Once this starts happening, you can let off, and you will see that the lights will go around and around, then the two bottons on the right side will start switching back and forth. Once this happens, it has been reset, and the blower fan will come on.

Every once in a while (progressivly getting worse) my blower fan will not work, and I repeat this process and it starts working again. I am sure it is related to the Body Control Module (BCM), but I don't want to spend another $300 or $400 dollars on this vehicle.

What I really want to do, is go far out into the Nevada Dessert and set up a tent with just me and my wife, under the Beautiful moonlight, and then start the car on file while we roast marshmellows on the burning fire of this vehicle!!!!!
(while the wipers are on!!!!!!)

Originally Posted by privatepilot03

1997 GC 3.3L 110K miles. The gauge cluster goes dead from time to time. I've taken the dash board apart and made sure the connection on the back of the cluster is secure. Where is the body control module on this van, and what tests can I run to ensure that everything is correct? Has anyone has sucess fixing this intermittent problem? When it works, it works great. When it doesn't work, it's an hour of putzing around and finally pounding on the dash to get it all to work again. Seems like a bad connection to me, but don't know where to start looking.

[Dennis1962]

I am having the same problem also, have taken it in to be fixed and they don't know what is wrong. I have a 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager and it has been doing this for about a year. Sometimes it starts and sometimes it doesn't. I can't afford another vehicle at this time and need something reliable. I am going to try some of the cheap fixes I have seen on here and keep my eye on this site.

[mamotor]

Have a 98 Grand Caravan with digital Odometer and "PRND3L". The digital display to those go blank and the van will not start. A quick whack to the top of the dash will relight them. After that the van will start. My thinking it that the reason it won't start is because the computer can't tell if the van is in Park or Nuetral when the dash lights go out. Therefore the nuetral-safety switch wont allow it to start. I'm not sure why the dash lights or the "PRND3L" goes out but should be a loose wire or bad cluster. Hope this helps.

[Dennis1962]

I tried hitting the dash also and it really works. Thanks for the tip. There should be a recall for this problem with as many people that are having it.

[nipsirc]

Read this......

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=166660