QuestionQUESTION: I have a 2005 Town and Country and when I start it after it has sat for a while 2 or more hours and I start it the power windows, radio, a/c- heat, wipers will not function. If I shut the van off and restart it usually everything will work, sometimes I have to repeat it a few times. If I just drive it everything will come on at the same time within 5-10 min. Any advice would be appreciated. It has a 3.3 litre engine.
ANSWER: Hi Rob,
That is perplexing! I have checked the 4 different functions and don't see a common fault basis that would shut them all down. I am unclear about the a/c-heat non-function. How is that manifested? What does the control panel do/not do? I see some common issues with the radio and the power windows in that the accessory relay powers both those, but not the wipers. The a/c heat is complex so tell me more about it.
The 'front control module' which is a logic/switching box in the front area of the integrated power module box under the hood appears to be involved with all of these, but that is not specific enough for me to conclude it is the problem because there are lots of other things it does that apparently aren't affected. So please tell me more as requested and anything else that you might find non-functional in this brief manner that you describe. I thought it might be something simple like a section of the ignition switch but that aspect of wiring has been shifted to the fcm. I am also looking for a loose ground connection that link all those functions, but so far I don't fine one. Is there any history to this that might be relevant?
I await your follow-up.
Roland
PS Thanks for the quick and very positive rating!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Roland, Thanks for the quick response, the best I can tell you is that the fan for the ac- heater will not blow when this happens. I have had a couple rare instances where it will not stay running when you first start it but that has come up after this issue started, sputters and dies. Engine light has come on because of this and dropped a p0508 code. When you drive the van and have started it a couple of times without it dying the light goes out. I am not aware of any other items that are affected by it but their could be and I'm just not seeing it. Again, thanks for your help and fast response.
AnswerThe 0508 is about the idle air control valve 'sense' and that would be involved with sputter/die, not these other problems. Now I will reconsider the issue knowing that the ac/heater issue is with the blower motor only, evidentally.
PS: Checking the diagrams I still don't find a 'common mode' failure cause. The power windows and radio are powered by the accessory relay (but separate fuses) and the heater blower and the wipers have separate relays, each. All the relays get their power directly from the battery, but so do a great many other devices/devices, e.g. from the main wire to the integrated power module that runs the whole box. The grounds are not the same for all either. The only common factor as I mentioned earlier is the front control module which is not restricted to controlling just these relays. So I haven't identified any specific cause to suggest that you look into. If you get any other insights please let me know.
