Help! The instruments on my Caravan have intermittently started jumping on and off as I drive along, tried to find a bad fuse without luck, the cover of the fuse box is very "general"?? So I tried unhooking the battery, to reset the computer??? Seemed ok for a few days, happened again and after I changed the IOD fuse and did the battery trick again the fuel guage did not work, finally two nights ago guages started their on/off gyrations again and then stopped completely, so now no guages! Any thoughts on where to start?

 

3rd gen vans (1996-2000) are afflicted with cracked solder joints on the instrument cluster circuit board causing erratic instruments among other things. It's a rare event when this cause for your problem pops up on a 4th generation van (2001-2007) but pop up it does. Specifically it's the solder connections securing the connector to the circuit board. They crack and intermittently open creating what you are seeing. One thing to try is to smack the dash above the intruments to see if you can induce the problem or bring the instruments back to life. It's not absolutely conclusive if nothing happens though. The fix is easy, retouch the joints with a soldering iron. I have a how to slideshow if you want to try it. If that's not the problem it could be a bad instrument cluster, body control module, bad connection or wiring.

Try an instrument cluster self test to see if the cluster wants to work at all. Scan through this https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-c...formation.htmland you'll find the procedure. If nothing happens you'll have to check for power and ground at the cluster. If that's good you'll need a new cluster. Another problem spot is the HVAC control panel connector. It can melt and damage the connections on the data bus that effects the instruments.

Don't recall if this pertains to 3rd or 4th gen vans or both but do your flashers work? They are on the same circuit as the instruments. If they are dead check the flasher fuse.

A weak battery will cause any number of electrical gremlins. Make sure it's up to speed. Best test is a load test done free at many parts stores.

FYI - If a fuse blows you won't have an intermittent problem. Whatever system it effects will be dead until you change the fuse.

 

Thanks Cougar41! Appreciate this, will try the suggested solutions, the slide show indicating where circut board and connectors is online? or how do I access it please?

 

Thanks Cougar41, will try all the suggestions! The slide show you mentioned indicating the location of the circut board and the connections mentioned? Is it online or how do I find it please?

 

As you can see this is for a 1998 T&C. Yours should be similar. Click slideshow at upper right.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/landar/...7617315319764/

 

Well, I tried the instrument cluster diagnostics, displayed Sof 4.0, then ran through the test of each component, did the speedo, tach and temp but not the fuel! Ran from 1 to 9 tests and then did not display an error code. It did say E Code and then E End. Prior to this there was no display at all, so I removed the battery, cleaned the terminals and the leads, tipped up the Fuse box and checked the bottom for loose or broken wires (don't know what else to do?) Plan to do a load test on the battery tomorrow, it is about 5 years old, and there is a slightly weak turn over on start, any other suggestion? Not sure about taking the board out to check the solder connections, I have a bad habit of not getting things back the way they were...

 

Oh, forgot, I smacked the bejazus out of the top of the dash above the instruments without success!

 

I found in my 2001 caravan that the fuse panel under the hood was the problem with mine when when the gauges acted up . Take the battery out then you will see a clip that you have to release next to the drivers fender flip up panel you should be able to see connectors you will find that one of wires has rotted turned green in color clean or replace the connector should fix problem.

 

I removed my circuit board and soldered the pins. still nothing. I can hear a little hum when the IOD fuse is in. And the door alarm is half buzzing when i open it. Cluster is still dead. Wondering which fuses i should direct myself to to check for other problems before heading off to the mechanic.

 

cllutes! was the wire under the fuse box, next to the battery or below all that?