Chrysler Repair: Dash/center console instrument lights:02 mini-van, e mail address, fibre optic cables

Question
QUESTION: Hi Roland
I read your reply to the ignition switch question and it worked perfectly so I am hoping you can help me with my dash light problem.

I have a 2002 Town and Country mini van.  The lights on the centre console as well as the lights for the instrument needles on the dash have quit.  I believe they are illuminated by fibre optic cables and a single light source.  Where is the light source and if I have to remove the centre console how do I get it apart.  The dash lights controlled by the dimmer switch are still working.

Any help would be appreciated.  Will you be replying to my e-mail address or do I have to check back here for the answer.

Thanks Roland

Doug Hinde

ANSWER: Hi Doug,
I believe that there are no fibre optic cables involved in these lights. The panel lamps for the cluster and the center console are powered out of the body control module which is under the dash on the left side mounted on the firewall (bulkhead). It has several different wires that power the parts of the dash illumination so my thought is that one of the fuses that provides current to power the lamps to the bcm may have blown. Those fuses are #14,19,20,24 located in the power module under the hood on the driverside inner fender area. Check those fuses out to begin. If they are all good, then we have to either consider the illumination dimmer control or individual circuits as the cause.
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Roland

Although the fuses in my 2002 T&C were not numbered, I removed all of them and tested them with a ohm meter and all were good.

I understand that the body control module resides under this fuse box and this is where the power comes from for the affected lights (is this correct).  I am wondering if this is the problem or maybe the affected lights are simply burned out.

Rather than start replacing probably very expensive body control module parts, is it possible to simply connect 12 volts to the appropriate wire and power the lights.  I could possibly splice into the dimmer switch and also have them dim.

Also how do I get the center console apart to check to see if the bulbs are burned out.

Thanks in advance Roland

I always find that the hardest part of any repair is getting the interior trim pieces removed without breaking anything.

Doug

Answer
Hi Doug,
There appears to be about 7 different panel lamp 'driver' wires (wires carrying current to power the dimable lights that are 'out') coming out of the body computer and as well there are different ground leads for many of these panels. So I see no 'common mode' failure to explain their loss. Let me list those and if you find they have all shut down, and the fuses to the body control module are all good, then I would conclude that the dimmer "signal" from the headlamp switch is the problem.
There are 5 plugs, 4 multi-pin/one small plug. The bcm is not under the fuse box but rather is under the dash, as I mentionned, mounted on the bulkhead. In earlier model years it was behind the fuse box that was under the dash, but that design ended with the single 'integrated power module' in the engine compartment. Here are the wires from those plugs that are supposed to provide the current for the lights: (plug description are at the end)
instrument cluster  plug C4   pin 12 orange/yellow
radio/cigar lighter/instrument panel switch back  plug C4  pin 11  orange/tan
temp control panel  plug C4  pin 2 orange/gray
power mirror switch  plug C4  pin 1   orange/light blue
front fog lamp indicator (on the headlamp switch)  plug C5  pin 34 white/orange
rear blower control  plug C3  pin 9   orange/dark green
headlamp switch lamps  plug C4 pin 3 orange/brown
The dimmer 'signal' from the headlamp switch to the body control is at plug C5 pin 30 orange/brown. That comes from pin 12 of the headlamp switch. The circuit loops from that pin and through several modules in the switch and comes back out of the switch on pin 6 which has a white/yellow wire to the bcm plug C5 at pin 17.
My suggestion would be to unplug the headlamp switch, then measure what resistance you read between pins 6 and 12 as you try the various courtesy/dimmer controls. If that all seems to work then I would verify the 2 wires from the switch to plug C5 pins 17 and 30.
The 34-pin plugs at the bcm are black, but when removed have an internal coloring as follows:
C2 green; C3 white; C4 gray; C5 black
The fused power supply to the BCM is via the one small 6-pin plug and it comes on pins 1,2, and 5 of that plug; pin 3 is a ground wire.
I see no point in taking apart the center console first.
To get to the bcm you have to remove the under dash knee blocker and lower instrument panel silencer. There are 9 pages in the manual that show all about disassembling the instrument panel which I can copy and postal mail to you for a 'charge' of three 42-stamps. If you want let me know a postal mailing address.
Roland