Chrysler Repair: 99 TOWN & COUNTRY ELECTRICAL ISSUES, crackling sound, electrical issues

Question
Our 1999 T&C illuminated displays, the odometer, the Park, Drive, Reverse, and the DTE, Compass clusters blink on and off while driving. A "crackling" sound is also heard when the lights are blinking. Otherwise, the car is drivable. The dealer replaced the headlight switch but this did not help. Thanks in advance for your opinion. Carol Z

Answer
Hi Carol,
I have a theory as to what is wrong. An electrical illumination circuit involves the + voltage supply (battery), wires to switches/bulbs that carry the current from the battery to them, and wires that return the current to the battery via a Body Ground Attachment Point in the cabin and then the metal body itself conducts the current to a point in the engine compartment where a wire connects the body to the - post of the battery completing the circuit. I believe that the Body Ground Attachment Point is loose so the circuit is opening and closing because the body vibrates as it moves along the roadway. The return wires from all the devices that are acting up are gathered together at that one point and attached to the body by a grommet and screw. I believe, if Chrysler van's past practice applies to your '99 van, that you will find that point just to the left of the drivers left shin on the panel that lies between the front of the door opening and the curve of the wheel well, maybe about a foot above the floor. I am not sure if it is in the open or covered by a decorative trim panel but in any case I would look in that area, called the 'kick panel' for a wire(s) that are black with a light green stripe that are attached to that panel by a grommet into which the wires are squeezed and a screw or bolt that goes thru the grommet and is threaded into the body kick panel. I suspect the screw or bolt has loosened up and so you have an intermittant connection. If the sound of crackling seems to be coming from that area, use the sound as helper to locate the loose connection. You might be able to rap on the kick panel or other body panels nearby when you have the ignition 'on' and the lights turned 'on' and thus generate the intermittant without actually being in motion and as you do that listen again for the crackling sound. An additional help is that one of the black/light green wires comes from the ignition switch (and one also comes from the instrument panel) and goes to that ground point, so if you can find such a wire at the base of the steering column where all the wires that go up to the ignition switch and the multifunction switch on the steering column come out at the bottom of the column you can track that black/light green wire right to the attachment point that is loose.
The dealer mechanic was focussed on the wire that brings the current rather than the wire/attachment point that returns the current to the battery, according to this theory.
So give a try to finding the ground attachment point and then tightening the screw/bolt so as to get a good solid attachment allowing the current to flow without interruption.
Let me know if this works out, please.
Roland