QuestionWhen I start my 97 voyager, the instrument panel does not function at all. When I shift the transmission, the gauges start working but the electronic transmission range selector shows all of the gears selected for a split second (I know this is normal) then no gears are selected for 10 seconds then back to showing all the gears selected and stays that way. If I turn the ignition back to just the OFF position (not LOCK) and then back ON, the gauges work but all of the gears are still selected. If I turn the ignition all the way back to LOCK and then back ON, nothing works again.
I ran the diagnostic test of the instrument cluster and it checks out ok except for a 905 code - No CCD bus messages from TCM. My Actron OBDII scan tool reads P1698 - Manufacturer Control - Auxiliary inputs Auxiliary outputs. When I looked up P1698 for Chrysler on the internet, it gives a different message - No CCD bus messages from TCM. I switched out the TCM and the transmission control relay in the PDC from another voyager which made no difference. The transmission is in limp-in mode when I am driving.
I do 99% of my own car maintenance even though I have never had any training so I am not afraid to do the repairs if I can locate the source of the problem.
Can you help me?
AnswerThe CCD bus is a network that ties in most of the modules on the car. This includes the radio, trans controller, PCM, RKE, BCM and a few other modules. If any of these modules start acting up then there's a possibility that they could drag down the entire network causing a loss of communications.
At the MIC (mechanical instrument cluster) the BUS wires are Violet with brown (ccd bus +) and white with black (ccd bus -). They should be the only pair of wires that are twisted together (to reduce RFI) in this area. There should be about 1.5-2.5 volts on the two but I can't remember which. It's written on my box at work and I'm out sick today.
Frequently you can disconnect the MIC and plug it back in to get the Bus to start talking again. I've had a few people posting up already about MIC failures and this is the first thing I tell them to do. If you cannot get it to communicate then you should plug it back in and disconnect another component in the BUS network. You should continue to disconnect other bus items one at a time until you either find the one dragging down the bus or run out of items.
Because the PRNDL is tied in with the transmission controller you may have a true transmission failure which will require diagnosing with either a dealer scan tool or a high-dollar non-dealer scan tool that can both check out bus network status as well as go in to the trans, body and MIC modules.
Try those, let me know what you find and I'll see if I can help further.
Doug
