Chrysler Repair: Multiple electric system failures after battery replaced/jump start, transient voltage spikes, jumper cables

Question
Hi,
I had a weak battery on my 2001 Town & country 3.3L, few times had rough starts, and I had the battery checked and replaced.  The car started with no problem, and drove it home.  After few minutes tried to restart the car it didn’t start, like no power at all.  Tried to jump start it didn’t work, and then I realized the positive cable was loose.  Tighten the cable the car stated just fine, but all the shift indicator lights on the dash are lit as all are engaged, the power windows won’t work, the head lights won’t com on even though the dash lights will lit, the radio, wiper and fan won’t work.  What could cause this problem?


Answer
Hi Syrous,
The variety of systems that are affected leads me to believe that either a number of different fuses were blown in the process of changing the battery/jump starting the vehicle OR the body computer module was damaged in the jumping OR a common ground path (common to all the devices that are not working) back to the battery is loose.
1.If you used the jumper cables in a clamp-to-clamp type of connection I am puzzled as to why it didn't jump start because afterall if the + cable at your van's was loose it would just have eliminated the new battery from the circuit but the power from the jumping battery should still have supplied power to your van? Is there a possibility that the polarity of the jump cables was reversed in the process of doing the jump at any one of the steps? The possibility of transient voltage spikes which can do damage to electroninc components in a jumping manoeuver is a concern too. I would take a look at fuses in the power distribution center and underdash junction box to see if any are blown, just to be certain that fuses are not the problem.
2.Interestingly all these seemingly unrelated systems are brought into proximity to oneanother in the body control  module where virtually all of those items in one way or another are manipulated. It is located under the dash, just behind the fuse box. It may be that a voltage spike damaged some of those electronic circuits in the module.
3.Finally, there is a possibility that there is a loose common ground connection under the dash which services all these components so as to not be completing the circuit back to the - post of the battery.
My suggestion would be to go to a Chrysler dealer that has a good service reputation and ask to speak with the electronics technician about the history of this problem. Such an individual will have knowledge and circuit diagrams and equipment to diagnose this multiple failure. I can't identify a single answer or solution that you might do yourself to correct it.
I would be very interested to learn what solves it.
Roland