The Chrysler Minivan Fan Club Forums banner

1996 Grand Caravan, Instrument panel non-functional

13K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  rknapp 
#1 ·
One of my roomates has a 1996 Grand Caravan 3.3L that he got for free from his girlfriend's parents (now ex, hah) after his 1995 Cirrus bit the dust. The other day, his instrument panel stopped working completely. Gauges all at zero, no PRND3L, no odometer, and I'm assuming the backlights are off as well. Interior lights are fine, exterior lights are fine, and he didn't mention whether or not the warning lights are functioning. I didn't see any when I was fiddling with it today, not even diagnostic test lights.

Today, he cleaned the battery contacts, checked the underhood fuses, and reset the van. I checked the fuses under the dash, and checked the connector on the instrument panel itself. I also pulled the panel out and visually inspected it for any crispy components. All looks well.

The van has had other problems in the past. Sometimes the lights wouldn't work. Sometimes it wouldn't start. Sometimes it went crazy. Two different mechanics believe the BCM is the culprit. One of them reset the van somehow and it has since then been working fine. For the last month, he's had no issues other than a flat tire.

Because of those previous issues, we're thinking the BCM might have something to do with this. If the BCM or IP itself are to blame, it's not an issue. There's a yard nearby with several vans of this vintage in stock.

So I ask the minivan experts, any thoughts? I'm well-versed in 2nd Generation LH car (Intrepid, Concorde, LHS, 300M) anatomy from my two Intrepids and 300M Special, but I'm unfamiliar with the minivans. I found link here from a van thread on LHForums.net. Thanks!
 
See less See more
#2 · (Edited)
There are two common probabilities. Cracked solder joints on the instrument cluster circuit board, specifically where the connector is soldered to the circuit board. Just need to retouch the joints with a soldering iron. The other, though less common, is a melted connector on the climate control panel wire harness otherwise known as the HVAC control head. If it's melted bad enough you'll have to replace the connector. Though you've already done the hard part here's a slideshow showing how to get at the cluster connector and make the repair: http://www.flickr.com/photos/landar/
Open "98T&C dash removal" in right column then click slideshow at upper right.

Not an absolutely conclusive test but if you smack the dash above the cluster and it comes alive, it is an indication of the cracked solder joints. The BCM is a pricey first pick but still a possibility. A soldering iron is cheaper.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply. I'm always up for the cheap fixes first, and I've done re-soldering before (LH ATC head display, common for three main resistors to get cracked joints invisible to the naked eye) so I'll give that a try the next time we're home at the same time, after inspecting the MTC head.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top