Question1998 Chrysler Town and Country LXI 3.8 automatic two wheel drive.
See below for more info.
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I saw from another post (4/6/10) copied below to check the #6 (violet/black) at the range sensor. The #1 pin (white) has 12v. I did and I have a short. Where does the wire go to?
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Answer
Hi John,
There could be a wiring difference between what is in your '00 and what is shown in my '98 and '02 manuals. One unknown, to me, is whether you have a 3-speed non-electronic automatic or a 4-speed electronic automatic. On the former, the only thing that the #12 fuse is used for with regard to the shift lever is to power the back-up lamps via the switch on the transmission. On the 4-speed it is only used for the solenoids associated with 4 wheel drive which you don't have so in theory there shouldn't be a white wire from the fuse that goes to pin 1 of the range sensor or it there was it would not be connected to an ouput wire on pin 6 that is violet black in color because that would be going to the solenoids that aren't installed. I would suggest that you go to the transmission and look at the vertical rod which rotates when a helper in the cabin moves the gear shift lever. If this is the electronic trans, which I would believe is used in the T&C, if you look at the base of that lever you should find an 8-pin plug. If there is a white wire on pin 1 then unplug the plug and measure for 12v on the pin when you turn the ignition 'on'. If there is, then the question is what is the wire color on pin 6 (violet/black) and if so what is the resistance to ground shown by that pin with the plug removed from the range sensor socket. If it is a dead short to ground then we have to figure out why and ideally figure out where that wire goes. The other test, if there is 12v on the pin 1 wire, is to measure and cofirm that pin 1 of the socket connects to pin 6 of the socked when you are in R or OD, but not in P or in N.
That is my best suggestion based on my limitations and your observation that in P or N the fuse doesn't blow, but if you shift to R from P it blows, or if you shift from N to OD it blows, correct?
Roland
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Thank you
Curt
ANSWER: Hi Curt,
That violet/black wire on pin 6 of the TRS (as best I can tell because the '98 manual doesn't show specifically for the electronic trans, but from what I infer for what is shown for the 3 speed non-electronic trans) is wired to the back-up lamps. It might be shorted or it might look like a short because the bulb filament resistance is only going to be about an ohm. You could remove the bulbs and then see if it still shows a short or not. If not, then everything is normal, if it shows a short then you have a short in that wire, or at the socket, or one of the bulbs may have an internal short.
Roland
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QUESTION: Hi roland,
Does the wiring for the #6 (violet/black) run inside the cab to the back? What side does it run to the back on? With the rear tail lights unplug there still is a short. Not a dead short. Just enough of one to blow the fuse. Thank you.
Curt
ANSWER: Hi Curt,
What fuse is blowing? The #12 fuse is what I have been focusing on because only it powers the b/u lights, not the tail lights, and also powers the anti-lock brake controller, front blower relay actuation coil, and the driver heated seat switch. It has nothing to do with tail lights. The wiring appears to run along the left side frame rail (outside) and then to a splice midbody near the fuel tank on the underside of the floor pan.
Roland
PS Thanks for the rating and nomination.
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QUESTION: Hi Roland,
Does the #6 wire (violet/black) on the TRS go to anythng else besides the b/u lights?
Thank you
Curt
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Answer Hi Curt,
As I said, the violet/black wire on pin 6 also is sent to the 'allwheel drive solenoid' which feature you don't have. The manual specifically only shows the back-up lamps supply wiring for the case of the 3-speed non-electronic automatic transaxle. They omitted how the lamps are wired from the etax unit! But they do show that from the range sensor switch the wire goes to a black 10-pin disconnect near the left headlamp housing (rear thereof, in the engine compartment) where you will find it on pin 10. From there I have to infer that it goes to the backup lamps and I suspect you will find that color on those sockets at the rear end. Along the way to the rear along the left side rail it appears to then enter the cabin about where the fuel tank is located, swing over to the midline, turn rearward and just to the rear of the hole in the floor that feeds a harness to the fuel tank there is a splice where the 2 braches of the wire go to each of the back up lamp housings. So in the absence of allwheel drive I would assume there is nothing else that is on that wire.
As I said, the manual actually only show the wiring from a similar purpose backup switch on the other possible tranmission, so I have to conclude because of the wire color shown on the range sensor that this is how it works for the etax. It could be that there is an unused violet/white wire for the 'solenoid' somewhere near that rear splice which has shorted to ground, so take a look under the carpeting for that possibility. Please let me know what you find.
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Hi Roland,
Followed the wires (violet/black) forward from the backup lights up the middle just as you said. The wiring runs up to the dash (under the carpet) just right of the center console and runs behind the pading to the left hand side. Can you please look again and see if it stops anywhere else? I have not found the short yet. Thank you. Curt
AnswerHi Curt,
I did find another possible 'draw' on the violet/black wire: the automatic day/night mirror which needs to sense when reverse has been selected. That wire appears to branch off the splice near the fuel tank take-off and then runs forward and then to the right side to a blue 20-pin plug at the base of the right side B-pillar (find it on pin 13) and then to the mirror. I still believe, based on past practice, that the wire from the range sensor going rearward from the plug at the left headlamp runs along the left side and then goes to the midline splice near the fuel tank take-off, but I have no info specifically showing that. So check that new branch out by removing the plug at the rear view mirror and disconnecting the 20-pin disconnect, assuming yours is the automatic day/night type of mirror where you will find the violet/black on pin 3. See if that solves the short. Are you measuring a short even when you have the back-up lamps removed?
Roland
