Chrysler Repair: 1998 cirrus dash, digital odometer, soldering pencil

Question
There is an electrical problem that shows itself in the odometer/ dash display.  The display does not go dead when the car is running, or with changes in temperature.  The car seems to run correctly, except when damp out, but only on occasion.  In the last week the car has shown "no bus" in digital odometer, the digital odometer has been just a dark red in color. or random numbers will be blinking on it when I turn the car off.  When the car is restarted the dash is completely dead, all gauges and warning lamps, until I disconnect & reconnect the battery.  If I do not reset the battery within 6 to 8 hours the battery in the car goes dead and needs to be jumped.  I read the codes and had Autozone read them as well with no result.  Once car is reset the dash will work correctly for anywhere from a few hours to a couple weeks.  Dealer can find nothing wrong, but suggests the key ring was too heavy and may have damages the ign switch in the column.

Answer
Happy New Year, Chris!
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Hi Chris,
I suggest a couple of approaches:
First check the connections between the socket pins of the cluster and the circuit board for the possibility of intermittent open or shorted solder joints. When you have 'no bus' it probably is a 'cold' solder joint at pin 7 or 8 of the blue socket and the circuit board. Re-heat the joint with a soldering pencil. Also look at pin 2 of the red plug which is supplied with current even when the ignition swtich is off.
If you find that after you have shut it off that is appears to be in the shut down situation (that would require battery disconnect) then see what the resistance is between the + battery clamp and ground (after removing the clamp from the battery). If it is close to a short to ground then there is either a short in the cluster, the body computer, or the transmission computer, all of which are programmed to receive a small amount of current even when the ignition switch is in the off position. The other possibility is to check to be sure that fuses 14,16,17 in the junction block behind the dash are 'cold' when the ignition is in the off position. That would reveal if there is something wrong with the switch as well.
Roland