It's a Chrysler grand caravan, 3.3, 75,000 miles. Runs like a swiss watch until lately [wet weather] the cruise control went out. Then I noticed the headlights going dim for a nano second - now I knew I had a computer issue. Finally, went to start it and the gauges all went crazy, all the warning lights flashing. OK... pulled the negative, then back to normal. Only lasted a few days. While driving, started to do the crazy gauge trick. Parked it and it went dead, just clicking under the dash. Pulled the neg. again, waited 5 minutes, back in service. And again the next day. Now I have the neg. terminal "loose" so I can pull it easy. This is a dangerous condition as well as a PITA.

I see your ideas about cleaning the terminals.... I dont see any obvious connectors on the fuse box next to the battery or the "silver" box. Can you guys give some ideas about whats going on and how to dig into those connectors? Thanks much!

 

You have to separate the front control module from the fuse box. It's held on by 4 screws. Inside there is the faulty point of contact usually. Sometimes the connectors on the bottom of the fuse box (IPM) are corroded depending on the environment you live in.


Your problem sounds like a dirty body ground point IMO.

 

This is a central california car - the engine compartment looks like it just came off the line. New battery terminals and the cables are bright and shiny. I will pull the body ground and clean it and add some no-alox, and do the terminal check on the brain box and report back.

What do you think of other posts that say the system is liable to problems if you have a weak battery? I bought this used, and the battery seems new. Will test or swap out with my 2000 caravan battery if any merit to that idea. If that is true, I cannnot imagine why I would get these faults when the vehicle is being driven and the battery being charged.

 

Removed the PCM on the fuse box. Put NO-ALOX [anti corrosion -aluminum to copper/steel/zinc paste, used by good electricians on all outdoor electric work]
on the numerous connectors and all battery connections. Didn't deal with the engine ground - tight spot and very clean. Tilted the fuse box to 90' and pulled a few wobbly connectors and greased them too. So far, no blackouts on the electrical. Battery voltage 12.9 volts stopped, 14.5 idle. Same on my operable 2000 caravan, so I don't think there is any voltage issues.

Will update if it takes a dive. Great forum that has likely saved people millions in time and frustration and dollars.

 

The ground problems I usually run into on those is specifically the one under the battery tray on the body rail. There is another one that works sort of loose by the B pillar on the drivers side on the floor.


Yes, I've had that flicker problem from bad Battery too. I've had a couple so bad that the ground cable at the NEG terminal was too hot to touch (electrons piling up lol)