Our 97 T&C has been having that intermittant starting problem. Wacking the dash has always worked, just hadnt gotten around to pulling the cluster to resolder.

Then yesterday, I'm driving home and as I near the house the wipers come on, all on their own. Then I notice that the needles on the guages are jumping around all over the place, and I can't turn the wipers off.

The engine is running fine, so I drive it into the driveway. I turn it off, thinking I'm gonna have to wack the dash again, but once I turned it off it was dead.

I mean, stone cold, no power no flicker, nothing. Of course I didn't put up both windows all the way before I shut it off. :crying:

Checked the battery, full charge. Checked the cables, clean and tight. Checked the fuses, seem to all be ok.

Had replaced the BCM about a year ago, recommended by my mechanic for the intermittant problem (before we learned about the circut board). Never really made a difference.

Anyway, its just sitting there. Any ideas at what the problem may be? Or at least a way to get it running so I can get it to the shop to pull the dash apart.

Thanks in advance, and feel free to shoot me an email from my profile.

CW

Yet another one. You are having an increasingly common problem. It's getting to the point I should consider saving a response then do a cut and paste for the post!

The most likely system effecting all of your problems is the Chrysler Collision Detection bus, better known as the CCD data bus. It consists of two wires forming a communications path connecting all the modules/computers. If this bus opens up or has high resistance, many ugly things can happen including erratic instruments and no start issues. How do you fix it?

A quick fix you can try is to pull the IOD fuse from the fuse box next to the battery. Leave it out 2-3 minutes then reinstall. This will reset the BCM and the bus. Disconnecting the battery will accomplish the same.

You've already brought up the primary culprit in the circuit. The solder joints on the instrument cluster circuit board are infamous for cracking. Especially those connecting the connector to the circuit board. Take some time and look them over. Even if they look good retouch them with a soldering iron. Another place to look is a connector behind the climate control panel. Beyond that, inspect all the connections at the PCM, BCM, and TCM.

You probably won't see any but, it wouldn't hurt to check for fault codes. Cycle the key from off to on (not start) 3 times leaving it on. Now count the flashes of the Service Engine Soon light. A code 21 would be flash flash, pause, flash. All codes have two digits. Multiple codes are seperated by a longer pause. Should finish with a code 55. If you can get it started Autozone will connect a scanner and read your more thorough "P" codes for free.

many caravans have this problem and if you let it go your guages and spedo etc wont work. take out the 4 screws that hold on the a/c stuff and unplug it and inspect for a burnt terminal I JUST did one 5 min ago. Clean it up and plug back in or get one from the junkyard