Chrysler Repair: 02 GRAND VOYAGER minivan: Cluster flaky, chrysler grand voyager, diesel engine vehicle

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I have a 2002 Chrysler Grand Voyager

The dashboard lights and dials intermittently do not function. They either all work or they all dont - recently they have been more not working than working.

If I do the reset BCM thing with the trip meter button, it cycles through all the lights and dials fine but when it has finished the dials and lights return to their non functioning state. I have checked the fuse box under the bonnet and swopped the fuses around with known good ones in case that is the fault, but no luck. It sounds like a short somewhere, but the BCM working confuses me - unless this comes from a different circuit.

Any pointers on where to start would be appreciated.

Thanks

Julian

ANSWER: Hi Julian,
Is this a gasoline or a diesel engine vehicle? When you say the 'lights', do you mean the warning lights/turn signals or do you meand the illumination lights? This info is needed for me to figure this out.
Roland
PS Sorry for the delay but I just found your question in the 'pool' to which it had been referred by Kevin.

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Pinouts   QUESTION: Hi Ronald - many thanks for helping.

Its a Gasoline engine 3.3 LX. The entire instrument cluster is out. Speedo,tachometer, fuel guage, temp guage, auto shift gear indicator, all the warning lights and backlights on the instrument cluster. They either all work or the all dont. Lately, the have tended to not work more times than they work so the problem is getting worse. Currently using the sat nav on my iphone to figure out the speed i am going.

What is irritating is when you do the BCM reset thing it all displays great duirng the reset process, but goes back to dead afterwards.

I have stripped the dash back and removed the cluster and tested continuity from the black 13 pin socket to the circuit board solder pins as thought it might e the solder points cracked. I was going to resolder these, but as continuity ok cant see that this will change anything.

I have also checked the 13 pin plug that goes into the back of the socket and got the following results. No reading on 4 and 11.? Think these are malfunciton indicator lamp and the chime driver.

Numbering is right to left across the plug as you look at it the front of it.
1 Orange/yellow - negative
2 empty
3 purple/grey - postive
4 purple/blue - no reading
5 white/grey - positive
6 brown/red - postive
7 green/black - negative
8 empty
9 purple/white - negative
10 green/white - negative
11 orange/purple - no reading
12 purple/brown - negative
13 black/blue - negative

I suppose what I am trying to do is rule out that it is a fault before it gets to the speedo. I am really hoping that you can point me in the direction of a fuse i dont know about and it fixes this.

I have attached what i am told are the pinouts.

Thanks in advance

Julian

ANSWER: Hi Julian,
I am not sure how the self-test can operate while the cluster is totally dark. However, one possibility that another owner brought to my attention is that at the + post clamp of the battery there is one narrow gauge orange fusible link which powers fuse 24 and which in turn powers the hazard lights, one circuit of the body control module, and the instrument cluster (at pin 6). That wire tends to be easily corroded and may be a flaky connection to the clamp, or the fusible link function itself may be flaky. So check that connection at the clamp and pull gently on the wire which should not separate easily (blow) if it is in good shape. Also check that fuse 24 shows power on both sides, at all times (specifically when the cluster is dark). That fuse is the smaller one between the 'accessory' relay and the 'starter motor' relay.  Let me know what you find.
Roland
PS Please 'rate' my answer. Thanks
Out of curiosity, is the 'Grand Voyager' a label on the Export model?

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QUESTION: Hi Roland.

The Grand Voyager is the European name for the Grand Caravan.

Thanks for a reeally comprehensive and clear answer. Unfortunately, the points you mention all check out ok, but at least gives me more confidence that it is actually the instrument cluster card that is at fault before I send it off for repair.

When I think about it. The fact that power is getting to the cluster at all times to activate the selft test when I hold down the trip meter button. The plug into the back of the cluster gives consistent readings in terms of voltage even when the cluster is dead. This leads me to think that it must be a circiuit board problem.


Thanks for all your help - have nominated you for expert of the month as the knowledge you delivered was excellent.

Julian

Answer
Hi Julian,
The only thing you might check as far as wiring goes:
pin 9 at the cluster goes to pin 5 at the diagnostic port under the dash (white/violet) and that is the digital input for the cluster. Also there is a cluster wake up sense wire that might be involved on pin 12 violet/brown that goes to pin 5 of the 4th plug at the body contruller (black outside/gray interior). So check the patency of those.
Maybe the wakeup sense is the issue. And you might try heating the joints of those pins on the circuit board.
Roland
PS Thanks for the nomination.