I have a 2002 Stratus and love it. I just replaced the water outlet and was bleeding the cooling system. Not the problem just what I was doing when the instrument cluster and the interior lights became intermittent. I let it sit for and hour and the problem went away. Then I went out to the car about two hours later and when I try to use the keyless entry it didn't work. I used the key got in, went to start and the instrument cluster did not light up. It started like a champ and drove with no problem. I shut it down and the problem went away again. Now it is back hardcore. As I rooted around with the key just in the ignition and the door open it will flicker briefly and then nothing. Briefly meaning less than a second. I am at a loss. I did the instrument cluster check using the key and pushing the trip/odometer button and got:

pcmdtc
bcmdtc
nbsdtc

I am not sure what this all means, please help! I love this car and need it for a trip in October

 

Ok here is an update. I unplugged the battery overnight and looked at it this morning. The car acted like there was no problem. One would think that is great but I am an oldschool maintainer. Now I need to figure out what could have caused it and fix that. My wife said that this is not the first time. While I was gone on a trip it did the same thing to her. She saind that she let it sit and problem went away. I am thinking something is getting hot and shutting down. What could that be?

 

Here is a TSB that may help.
SUBJECT:
Trip Computer And/Or Radio Display And/Or Instrument Panel And/Or
Overhead/Dome Lights Flicker
OVERVIEW:
This bulletin involves diagnosing the root cause of the flickering trip computer
or radio display and/or instrument panel illumination and/or overhead/dome
lights and replacing the multifunction switch.
MODELS:
2001 - 2002 (JR) Sebring/Sebring Convertible/Stratus
2002 (KJ) Liberty
SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
Some subject vehicles may exhibit a flickering trip computer and/or radio display, instrument
panel illumination, and/or overhead/dome lights. This condition occurs intermittently but is
usually noticed while the driver operates the turn signals or beam change on the left stalk
switch. This condition will not adversely affect vehicle operation and can be temporarily
corrected by adjusting the instrument panel illumination dimmer setting. DO NOT change
the position of the dimmer switch on the multifunction switch prior to Diagnosis.
DIAGNOSIS:
1. Physically check to ensure the instrument panel cross car beam ground is good.
The left kick panel must be removed to see if the ground is loose.
2. Next check the dimmer switch output voltage with a DRBIII®. This function is located in:
Body, Body Computer, Sensor Display, Dimming Level. DO NOT change the position
of the dimmer switch before monitoring the voltage across the switch.
3. While monitoring the voltage, activate the turn signal and beam change and look for
output voltage fluctuations on the DRBIII® and instrument panel lamps or trip computer
display flicker. If the voltage varies more than 0.2 volts perform the Repair Procedure.
PARTS REQUIRED:
Qty. Part No. Description
AR (1) 04608601AI Switch, JR Multifunction w/o Fog Lamps
AR (1) 04608602AJ Switch, JR Multifunction w/ Front & Rear Fog
Lamps, International Markets
AR (1) 04608603AI Switch, JR Multifunction w/ Fog Lamps
08-026-01 -2-
Qty. Part No. Description
AR (1) 04608604AI Switch, JR Multifunction w/ Rear Fog Lamps,
International Markets
AR (1) 56010125AD Switch, KJ Multifunction w/o Fog Lamps
AR (1) 56010133AD Switch, KJ Multifunction w/ Front & Rear Fog
Lamps, International Markets
AR (1) 56010126AD Switch, KJ Multifunction w/ Fog Lamps
AR (1) 56010132AD Switch, KJ Multifunction w/ Rear Fog Lamps,
International Markets
NOTE: KJ SWITCHES MUST HAVE A BUILD DATE CODE OF 2781 OR
HIGHER. THE BUILD DATE CODE IS FOUND ON THE THIRD LINE OF THE
MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH BAR CODE LABEL.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:
DRBIII® Scan Tool
REPAIR PROCEDURE:
NOTE: DO NOT REPLACE THE TRIP COMPUTER, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER,
RADIO, OR BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) FOR A TRIP COMPUTER
AND/OR RADIO DISPLAY, INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION OR
OVERHEAD/DOME LIGHT FLICKER CONDITION UNLESS PROPERLY DIAGNOSED
AS BEING THE CAUSE OF THE CONDITION.

 

that is similar to my problem

 

Would this cause the speed, tach, fuel, and temp guages to not work? Now everytime I turn my key on none of the instrument cluster works except for the parking brake light. The power locks and trip computer dont work as well. It was intermittent now it has become costant. Everynow and then I will manually turn the radio off and then back on and the display is blank but it works and tunes fine either way. Fortunately, the car starts and drives with no problems other than the above. I am still going to look for the ground you pointed out above. Is there any other possible ground or wire harness that I might need to look at? I am trying to avoid the dealership because they are not so great here; and as my credit card co. tells me when I ask for lower interest the economy is not so great.

 

Ok, to recap and clairify the laundry list of issues I had: No speedo, tach, fuel, temp guages as well as no air con control, horn, power locks, remote trunk open, keyless anything or interior lights at all. The radiator fan did not come on when the engine went to temp causing an overtemp condition. I did what was recommended above and was not successful. What fixed the issues you are asking? Well I took it to the dealer and they hooked up the DRBIII and found the Body Control Module was bad. It took two more days of enduring the issues and all is fixed. Now if you are having these symptoms, before you drive the car and overheat it you can simply unplug the temp sensor that is on the water outlet and that will cause the fan to come on constantly. After that you should be able to drive it to the dealer or mechanic to get the issues looked at/repaired. The downfall to all of this is that I am out $850 in parts and labor but I am happy with the outcome: The right part was replaced. The BCM new costs about $450 and the labor for troubleshooting and replacement took the rest. Hope this will help someone save some money if they are having the same/similar issues. Thanks for the help Master Tech.