Originally Posted by GC_Sport
[I]No, no, no! Don't replace the cluster or drill holes or pull apart the dash! it's much simpler than that! I just had that same problem start on Sunday for me. The speedometer wasn't working on the way to church and now my wife just reminded me about it again tonight. So I checked out some other sites and noticed people were having problems with the spedo due to the battery and battery acid leaking. So I checked mine right away. I replaced the battery and then checked the spedo, still same problem. The needle was below the little pin and would not go.... so I started looking at the dash and how to take it apart. Well, fortunatley, not that hard! I pushed the trip button and held it for about 10 seconds, don't know whyI did it, but I did. So after holding the trip button for awhile, I saw an error code come up and read error code check, it went through a slew of numbers... (i.e., 6666666666, 777777777, 11111111, EEEEEEEEEE, and 0000000000 to end it off I believe). After all the numbers displayed then the lights lit up and went through a little sequence and then all the sqares lit up around each gear on the shift part of the dash and then all the lights went off. I then turned the ignition on and the spedo needle reset. It bounced back around where it was supposed to shot straight up and then laid back where it supposed to be and is fine. I drove around for awhile to make sure it's working and everything is great!
Soooo, don't tear your dash apart or drill holes! Just replace the battery, make sure to clean the connectors really well as it sounds like these Caravans have an issue with a lot of corrosion on the connectors. That was definitely the case with mine. Cleaned them well, put in WalMart's top of the line battery and then did the reset as explained above. All is well.
Thank you

 

I had the computer (ECM) the alternator and the battery go out at the same time. While replacing all of them and in between starting and checking everything the Tach 1st and then the speedometer stopped working with the pointers on the wrong side of the pin. When I read all the drill the dash or remove the cluster I was getting pretty down on finding out what was wrong with them. Then I saw the 1st post about stumbling on the resetting procedure of holding in the trip button. And the numbers flash and the lights come on and off and the gear shift squares light up and might I add the speedo and tach pointers move around and stop in different spots and when the light show is done everything is good. All I can say is you guys must be crazy to post that story on here. Except for that crazy story fixed my tach and speedo too. How the heck did that crazy story work???? Who cares and thanks to those of you who posted this info. Saved my butt again too.

 

Solution that worked for my 2001 TC after battery failure. This solution may not be correct for everyone. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Took all of 1 minute to fix the problem.
Tried many other recomendations, but this one worked immediately.

When you replace the battery or it is very low on voltage , sometimes the speedometer stops working and it's necessary to have it recalibrated. You can go to a dealer to have this done. They will charge about $20 to $30 for the task.

I have a '01 Town and Country. My battery voltage got low and made my speedometer wrap around and peg out under the 0 MPH peg. Hold the trip odometer reset button in on the dash, with ignition OFF, for about 10 seconds and instrument cluster go into "reset mode". The tripometer will display SOFT and then the whole dash will come to life. The dash instrument lights did and the tach and odemeter began to move areound into different positions and some other diagnostics occured and then the dash cluster was setback to normal. As easy as that! Took about 1 minute. When I replace the battery I will likely have to do this again. I am going to take a video of the process and make it available to those who want to see.

Good luck.

 

Just had the same thing happen on my 2002 Caravan after a jump start and battery replacement. PLEASE follow GC Sport's advice. With ignition turned off and door closed, I pressed and held the trip reset button until "Sof" appeared and then released. A couple of seconds later, the dashboard started doing all kinds of resets and then everything went back to normal. Nothing taken apart, no new parts, drilling holes or playing around with the battery cables. Magic! Thanks GC Sport for taking the time to post.

 

Looks like I'm one more person with this speedometer needle problem. Battery ran down and I had to recharge the battery this morning. Little bit later my wife said the needle was below the zero peg & the light on the dash for the temp needle is not lit.

2001 Dodge Caravan, automatic, 102,xxx miles.

I tried the reset idea, but I'm getting no flashing numbers, like GC Sport indicated. I am getting the little flashing engine symbol but that is it. I assume the numbers that flash show up in the odometer mileage area.

Do you think replacing the battery help?

Where exactly is the cluster plug that was mentioned.

 

There is a stop below the 0 MPH to keep the needle from falling too far. When batteries go dead, the clusters sometimes go a little crazy and start to do a needle sweep. If they get past half way and the voltage goes too low, they don't come back and when power is supplied, it makes the needle go all the way around to the wrong side of the stop. When the cluster self test is done, it runs the needles to present calibration points and when the speedo gets to 75 or 100 mph the needle comes up and then will work fine and go back down where it is supposed to. I have also seen the tach do the same thing but then all you have to do is rev it up. Here is the self test.
To activate the Self-Diagnostic program:

1. With the ignition switch in the OFF position, depress the TRIP ODOMETER RESET button.
2. Continue to hold the TRIP ODOMETER RESET button until Sof </B>and a number (software version number (i.e. Sof 3.2</B>) appears in the odometer window then release the button. If a fault code is present, the cluster will display it in the odometer display. When all fault codes have been displayed, the cluster will display “end” </B>in the odometer display. Refer to the INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DTC'S table to determine what each trouble code means.

 

Tizzy, thanks for quick reply.

The battery is about 5 years old. Think I'll replace it then go through the procedures again.

 

GREAT INFO!!! My alternator (original) went out and killed the battery. I barely got it to a place I could work on it. My RPM gauge went wacky and stuck under the pin. Didn't have to replace the battery (New - only 5 months old) but just closed the door, kept the key out of the ignition and pressed the trip reset button for 10 seconds. The SoF 3.3 (for me) came up and I released... watched the pretty lights and the gauges do their dance and voila, all fixed. 3.3L engine, just turned over 203K miles.