Chrysler Repair: 98 van: instrument gauges intermittent, soldering pencil, dodge caravan

Question
QUESTION: I have a 98 dodge caravan v6 3.0,I bought a new battery and a alternator and my gauges still turn on and off when driving down the road

ANSWER: Hi Eliecer,
The most common reason for this sort of problem is a cold solder joint connection between the socket for the instrument cluster (on the back side of it) and the circuit board to which it is attached. Try rapping on the top of the dash, just above the cluster to see if that indeed causes it to come on or go off. If that were the case, then you need to remove the cluster and examine the connections between the plug socket and the circuit board and try to reheat each solder joint with a soldering pencil. Those are available at electronics stores for under $10. Let me know if that makes sense and you want to try it and I'll give you the instructions for how to get to the cluster for removal.
Roland


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

QUESTION: Please send me the soldering instructions just in case! Also, I can keep them on hand for any future problems.

Answer
Hi Eliecer,
It is really not soldering instructions but rather how to remove the instrument cluster board from the dash. Once you have done that and pulled the plug you simply examine the interconnection between the place where the plug attached to the circuit board and the board itself, observe the pins and the holes into which they fit, note the solder melted at the connection points, then reheat the solder with the tip of the heated soldering pencil to re-establish a good electrical bond between the pin and trace on the surface of the board which need to be bonded by the solder. You can also buy some fine diameter electronic solder and hold the tip of that at the same point where you place the tip of the soldering pencil to re-lubricate the bond. But just don't overdue the use of the solder and when the original solder has re-melted remove both the tip of the pencil and solder and let the joint cool down on its own accord to a shiny solid droplet.
I need to know a postal mailing address to send the removal instructions. So use the "thank and rate" tab where there is a place for comments where you could do that.
Roland