Okay here is the story. The battery is dead so we jump start the van. Notice that the check gauges light is on(not check engine light) the fuel,temp gauge are not working and the speedo also. Try and shut the van off and it wont shut off. I disconnect the power from the igniton pack to get the engine to shut off. Now I notice that the check gauges light is onasistheoil pressure light and fuel gauge is not work nor is the temp gauge, key is in the off position. If I turn the key from off to on nothing changes other than the radio turns on and off. I disconnect the battery and reconnect it, I hear the fuel pump turn on and off , and a few other relays click on and off (igntion key is still off though). If I turn the key to start it will start, but when I turn it off the only thing that shuts off is the radio. I disconnected the ignition switch and still have the lights mentioned above and the fuel pump and relays clicking on and off when the battery is connected and disconnected. Please help!! Thanks

 

saw this once on a late 80's caravan. battery acid had dripped down on to the main harness. shorted many wires together bt eating away wire insulation.

 

I checked the harness again. here is the story more complete. IFound the battery dead for no apparent reason twice now. once a couple weeks ago. jumped it and everything was okay. The second time was on monday. My son jumped it and tried to start. just clicked and harldly turned over . he waited a bit more and tried again same thing but this time he noticed a puff of smoke from the left wheel well.
Tried again then it started. Wife got in and started driving and noticed the check gauges light on and that the speedo and fuel gauge were not working. didnt think to much about it and drove it 50 miles round trip. when she got home and turned the ignition off it wouldn't shut off. at this time I was notified of the delema. I told my son to pull the power wire from the ignition module on the distibutor block and disconnect the bat till I got home. Now when the battey is connected I hear thefuel pumpturn on and a few relays clicking on. I go look in the van and the key is in the off position. The check gauge light is on with the oil light and the airbag light. If I turn the key to run the airbag light goes out but nothing else works other than the radio. I turn it to start and the van starts oil light goes out turn the key off and the radio goes off, the engine keeps running. I have a spare body computer, engine controller that I tried and nothing changed. I have disconnected the ignition switch also and the problem is still there. I have inspected all the harnesses under the hood for damage and found nothing. I dont have access to a real service manual for another week and I dont know if i got that long till the wife tells me to buy her a new van. Please help

 

well I don't have a serice manual for a 93 either so not much help from that point. Try looking to see if there is a relay marked ASD (Automotic Shut Down) maybe that might have something to do with it. with out shematics I can only guess but I would think the ignition and fuel systems get powered up through a relay some where and either a relay is stuck or the PCM is not sending a shut down signal. Not up to it at the moment but I can look at mine later to see how that is usually done. Might be the same setup. Was that the PCM in the engine compartment you replaced?

At the moment my van is in a parking lot down the street with a bad MAP sensor. Waiting for some $$ so I can go get a new one.
Hope the $$ comes today! I hate leaving it out in a public space overnight.