Chrysler Repair: intermittent bucking in gear, radio, wipers, windows at start, poar, forward gear

Question
QUESTION: Hi Kevin - thanks for your time..will try to keep it brief: 2002 T%26C w/ 3.3 L %26 85k miles. Radio would cut out without warning, come back on after shutting %26 restarting car. Suspected car was hesitating or bucking at times, but hard to detect initially. A few months later, 36 month Bosch battery died (it was 4 years old). Replaced with like battery, took 1100 mile trip with no issues. 2 days later, car bucked severely in reverse, radio, power windows, a/c and wipers all cut out but then recovered without restarting car. This also occurred intermittently in Forward gear. Removed battery, cleaned posts and connectors. Slightly better now, but after sitting for >10 minutes it will easily start but no radio/ac/wipers/power windows for approx 15 seconds (when in Park). Then they all recover and car drives pretty much normal with one or two 'bucks' after the brake is released. Researched on the web and I've heard it could be anything from battery acid leaked into wiring harness or a circuit board in the instrument cluster or a bad BCM. Any direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

ANSWER: Hi Joe,
All those systems are independent electrically except that the main + wire from the battery to the power box carries the current through a black plug with only one wire (but 4 pins) on the underside of the box, that is located in the lower right corner as viewed when tipped to expose the several plugs on the bottom of the box. You can check that wire connection back to the + poar of the battery. Then I would verify that you have good ground wire connections for the three wires on the - post clamp by following those wires to their ends where they attach (engine above the starter/body metal near the engine computer/pin 10 of the engine computer). A weak return path to the - post may be the cause. Other than that, I see no other explanation for your symptoms.
Roland
PS Sorry for the delay but I just found your question in the 'pool' to which Kevin had referred it. Please 'rate' my answer, and where you see the question about 'volunteer of the month' please consider a 'yes' answer if this response proves to be helpful.

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QUESTION: Thanks for the help Roland...took a quick look, and I'm assuming the power box is the PCD (where fuses are located)? Will dig further tomorrow. Also, I happened to notice that both + and - posts are 'warm' as is the battery itself (which is < 1 week old). This is despite the van being cooled off for approx 8 hours...nothing else is warm in the engine compartment. I think I also detect some moisture / condensation / battery acid near the vented battery caps. Wondering if a short may be impacting the battery too.

Answer
Yes, the underside of the PDC is where the plugs are located. The battery does absorb heat and create heat when the engine is running. The voltage gauge reading appears normal? The battery is not discharging overnight, or something like that?
If you have an ammeter, try inserting it between the - cable clamp and the - post of the battery to see what the ignition off draw cureent reads. It should be in the range of 50 mA or less within a half hour of starting the measurement.
Roland