'91 Grand Caravan SE 3.3 Issues

[ljshein]

All,

I'm new to the world of caravans but not autos in general. I friend gave me this vehicle for my sister who is down on her luck and needs a bit of help. I'm going to try and make it safe and reliable but need a little help.

There are 3 issues that need to be addressed:

1. There is a bad relay or connector for the gauges on the dash. I'll hit a bump and the gauges will all flatline. Hit another and they all come on, the auto door lock engauges and the ABS sensor resets like when you first turn the key. Checked the fuses so I'm guessing a relay. I have a haynes book on order but any advice in advance will be appreciated.

2. Press on the brake pedal any more than a soft stop and the ABS and emergency brake light come on. The brake pedal is firm and the van stops well. Plenty of fluid in the tank. Seems like a sensor more than anything else. Any suggestisons are appreciated.

3. There is a bearing noise from the front of the motor, about the place the altenator sits but I haven't pulled the belt off to try and isolate it yet. Any common issues in that area?

Thaks in advance for the assistance!

Jeff

[Stevo2]

First, scan the computer for error codes.

1. There is a bad relay or connector for the gauges on the dash. I'll hit a bump and the gauges will all flatline. Hit another and they all come on, the auto door lock engauges and the ABS sensor resets like when you first turn the key. Checked the fuses so I'm guessing a relay. I have a haynes book on order but any advice in advance will be appreciated.
Loose connection or bad solder joint on the printed circuit board for the instrument cluster?

2. Press on the brake pedal any more than a soft stop and the ABS and emergency brake light come on. The brake pedal is firm and the van stops well. Plenty of fluid in the tank. Seems like a sensor more than anything else. Any suggestisons are appreciated.
You might want to start with a brake system flush and bleed. Could also be a bad ABS Sensor.

3. There is a bearing noise from the front of the motor, about the place the altenator sits but I haven't pulled the belt off to try and isolate it yet. Any common issues in that area?
Belt tensioner or idler pulley, bearing in alternator.