1998 DC-all dash gauges &headlights don't work

I have a 1998 Dodge Caravan and no one seems to know how to fix this problem. All the dashboard gauges and the headlights won't work. It just happened one day. I've been told possibly the computer chip came loose and fell somewhere inside the engine but they don't know how to fix it.
Thanks!

I have the same year van and the same problem just occurred yesterday. But the night before that I was tooting the horn to get grocery carrying help and the horn froze in the on position. The fuse isn't blown. The fuses aren't blown for the lights either. Help!

bcm maybey?

Our 1997 Dodge Caravan started doing this. Once about 3 weeks ago and once this week. My wife said that the gauges go to zero and the speed goes to 120. She also said that it lunges and feels funny. I suspect that it is stuck in 2nd gear during this time. This has happened during the day, so we don't know if the headlights don't come on or not. We will check next time. I wonder if these are the same problems you have had. I read this post:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=439144

I have read other posts similar to this. I ran the van for about a minute tonight and felt of the battery. It did feel quite hot which is odd I think. I feel that the battery may have a corosion and from that resistance is causing the heat and possibly related to power problems between the BCM and TCM. I don't really know much about working on cars or mechanic work. I was going to clean the battery posts and terminals, but I can't get a socket on them well enough to get them off. I am just going to pay for a new battery and have it changed and the terminal connectors cleaned. This may not sound like a correct first step, but some of this along with what I have read makes sense.

I'd start with a good removal and cleaning of the battery posts and connectors. If that doesn't resolve the problem I'd split the 2 problems in half and troubleshoot the headlights first. I have a diagram of headlights for a 2001 if that will help you.
Do you have any front lights working such as high beam, low beam, turn signals, 4 ways, fog lights????

I would look into replacing the clock spring which is what fixed mine on a 96 T&C

I have a 1998 Dodge Caravan and no one seems to know how to fix this problem. All the dashboard gauges and the headlights won't work. It just happened one day. I've been told possibly the computer chip came loose and fell somewhere inside the engine but they don't know how to fix it.
Thanks!
Go under the hood in the power dist. center just above battery and locate the IOD fuse and pull for 20 seconds and reinsert and see if the guages work . As far as the headlights could be a bad headlight switch or a blown fuse.