QuestionQUESTION: Hi Roland, I had to start a new thread because of too many follow up questions concerning my problem. I have not had a chance to really look at the vehicle today but I did drive it. You will not believe this but now, to add to the flickering headlights and instrument panel digital display lights, the needles on all four of my instrument cluster guages "jump" when the flickering occurs. Also, some of my warning lights in the cluster will come on and ding at the same time. As I stated before, ALL of this happens at the same time. Any new ideas now? I am sorry to take up so much of your time on this. I am completely frustrated. Thanks again.
ANSWER: Hi Rennie,
That sounds to me like an overall problem with electical supply circuit in general: the battery + and - clamps at the battery, the ground -wires on the - clamp, or maybe a fuse for the body controller. Begine by check fuses 14, 19 and 24 that supply power to the body control module. Look for whether the internal wire inside the fuse might be cracked, which can cause intermittency in the couduction of electic currents. The check the battery post clamps to be sure that they a clean on both surfaces. Remove the -post clamp first, then the +, and put them back on in the reverse order, + first, then -. While you have the clamps off check the condition of the wires connected to the clamps, and also take each of the wires on the - clamp and trace the wire to where it is grounded to the body or the engine and verify that those connections are shiny and tight.
Whenever you get several different electrical malfunctions simultaneously it suggests a very basic or 'common' cause such as I have described. If the engine also falters, then I would suspect a flaky ignition switch, so feel for that symptom.
Roland
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QUESTION: Hi Roland, just curious, could the body control module itself be causing these problems? Does another BCM have to be programmed by a dealer or is it "plug and play"? My LED lights inside the vehicle for my backup sensors now come on and go off when the flickering occurs. It seems that this problem is rapidly spreading throughout the whole electrical system and I am really afraid a crash is coming. I noticed when I disconnected the - battery terminal a couple of days ago the problem stopped until today when it started all over again. It seemed like something reset itself and worked for a couple of days. That is why I asked about the body control module itself.
AnswerHi Rennie,
I took a quick look at the Body Manual for '06 and the only specific programming need would be for the vehicle theft security system function to be enabled, which is done with the Chrysler DRB III shop-level readout box. So that would be a charge of some sort. if you go that route I can copy the page from the '06 manual and email that to you.
I would suspect that you may have a flaky/corroded connection at one of the battery cable/clamp interfaces. I just had a feedback from another questioner about a similar flickering situation which on close inspection revealed corrosion at the clamp/wire interface at the - post. Battery acid often does damage things mounted at the post. So do check those out and the other places that I listed earlier. It has the earmarks of some sort of a return path intermittency rather than an electronic module failure.
Roland
