Dead dash again yesterday - no rain so that isn't the cause, so I pulled the instrument cluster again and cleaned the pins added more dielectric grease and turned the key on. Still no guages except this time I didn't screw the cluster back in immediately so I was able to reach the connector and wiggle it - bingo all is well. So my problem seems to be contact with the pins in the cluster and the connector. Not sure where the intermittent pin is and I don't want to solder the connector to the pins. I inserted a smallscrewdriver in the connector to try to collapse the fitting to make better contact with the pins and since all is working again I hope that solves my problem.
One thing for sure - i cand remove the cluster in about 10 min now that I know the procedure.

Thanks OLN

 

[quote=Enigma;1757702]I had the same problem except when my guages went dead my ABS lite came on too. So I took the above advice and tore the IP apart. Couldn't find any obvious problem- broken pins, loose solder joints etc so I cleaned all the contacts, applied silicon dielectric grease and reinstalled. Worked fine for about a week and then the guages went dead again. ABS lite back on too.

It occurred to me that when this happened previously and this week too after the van was left outside and a rainstorm occurred. After it sat in the garage for a day the guages came back on and they were fine today.

Is there an electrical block somewhere that might be getting doused with water and causing a malfunction? Perhaps an ABS sensor? Is there a chance that a drainage tube for the windshield is blocked and this water is overflowing into a connector.
If so where is this drain tube on the firewall. I couldn't see one.

Thanks for any advice


I have the same EXACT symptoms including the ABS light on my 1999 Caravan. This happened once in the winter and just happened again last week. I'll probably wait until it gets worse before taking anything apart.

Scott

 

I have the same problem, only the parking lights go out at the same time. dash lights and parking lights.

 

This is a "Famous" issue for the Caravan - It is caused by a loose power wire at the center rear of the instrument cluster.

You can take the dash apart and re-solder the wire bracket - (what the power wire plugs into)

or.....

You can just "smack" the top of your dashboard. Whack it good! It should come back to life... I did this once a week in a 1998 for the 2 years that I owned it and never cracked the dashboard.

Try it - You'll see it work and say something like "who woulda thunk such an stupid fix?" Well... I cannot take credit for it, I read it somewhere on another forum when trying to figure the problem out and when I tried it, that's "sorta" what I said

 

I'll give it a try.But I'm also looking for permanent fix

 

Also, an ocassional bump in the road can fix it. or kill it if it's already fixed.

 

Replaced the Body Control Module (BCM), with one I picked up at the junk yard for $53.00, and the dashboard gauges are working for the first time in years.

By the way, the BCM is located under the dash, between the brake and the parking brake, and back behind the fusebox. Apparently, the BCM's are a real problem child with these vans, and is a good place to start if you are troubleshooting intermittent or inoperable dashboard gauges (i.e., speedometer, fuel, temp, etc.)

 

I've already got a thread started on my issue, but I'll add it here anyway. My gas gauge will sometimes drop while driving, which I understand there is a TSB on it. My speedometer needle goes haywire, flipping back and forth while the engine is running, but stopped and a light or stop sign. Doesn't really do it while driving. Although, if I step on the gas while the needle is going wacky, the van lunges and then smooths out. Can't seem to figure this one out and its ticking me off!!! Replaced the cluster and to no avail.

 

That's because the other issues have nothing to do with the intermittently dead IP (the subject of this thread).

The van lunges when you step on the gas? I would think that's good, no?

 

Yes, while it does not have to do directly with the intermittently dead IP, it is still an issue at least manifesting itself in the IP which could very well be related. Next thing you know, my dash my die like everyone is talking about. And with regards to the lunging, it lunges, or bounces as the needle bounces, not running smooth accelerations. Certainly wouldn't be a good thing to happen for those who drink coffee on their way to work!!