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dacecil · #1 01-27-2008, 11:40 PM

I have a 2000 Grand Caravan SE with 94k miles. Recently it started an intermittent problem with the dash. You get in, start it up, and nothing on the cluster. No tach, no speedo, no odo, no PRNDL. The dash is just blank. All needles down. Also, the buttons on the climate control system do not work. A/C, recirc, rear defrost also don't work. The mechanical climate controls work fine. Blower, temp controls.

Next time you get in the car and start it up, everything is back and working fine.

I'm pretty sure it's not a fuse since it's intermittent.

Has anyone else experienced this problem and do you know what the fix is?

Thanks,
Dale

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holtzer1 · #2 01-28-2008, 01:09 AM

your losing communication off the bus line. the bus is a 2 wire communication system that transfers information/power from one computer to the other. they all must work or youll lose communication at the last good controller connection. the bus feeds the pcm, tcm, bcm, overhead module (if equipped), cluster, and everything those modules control.
My personal GUESS (because you need a scanner to diagnose the problem correctly) is you have a cluster that is going out intermittantly OR a possible ignition switch problem. takeit to a shop and have them scan for codes. sometimes a loss of bus code will not trigger a MIL. (check engine/malfunction indicator light)

Jjimenez · #3 02-27-2008, 07:36 PM

Before you go and spend all that money...go to your vanand place the key in the ignition and turn to ACC (do not start engine yet). Push and hold the black mileage reset button on your dashboard for about 20 seconds and your computer should reset.

orange1954 · #4 06-05-2011, 07:12 PM

I have the same problem. What was the cause of this? I've ran a new ground cable, pulled the IOD fuse, pushed and held the trip reset for countless times, and replaced the ignition.

aspiedude · #5 06-15-2011, 12:31 AM

The problem is a bad solder where the wiring harness plugs into the instrument cluster. It is very easy to fix. I just did this to my 2000 Caravan this past weekend. All you do is remove the instument cluster (which takes about 5 minutes) take the cluster apart and resolder the pin. It took me 30 minutes to fix total. Mine started doing this about a year ago, and I noticed one day, out of sheer frustration, if I hit the dash just above the pannel it would start working again. I researched the problem and found this page on another fourum. Near the bottom it describes what I wrote above. I just left mine alone, hitting the dash whenever it would go out. Well last Friday a litte tap to the dash made my gas hand fall off the gauge. So I figured it was time to fix it. I have only soldered once before in my life, and so I was worried about that part, but it was a piece of cake and everything is working fine now. Good luck.