Chrysler Repair: What is a BCM?, plymouth grand voyager, fuse panel

Question
I was told the BCM on my 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager may be faulty.  What does BCM stand for and what does it do?

Answer
Hi Douglas,
All the electical system of the vehicle, except for the engine and transmission, are mediated by the body computer module. This means that instead of hard wiring many components together that sense and respond to one another, they send and receive instructions through that computer. This allows for more complex behavior and reduced wiring. Before accepting a recommendation for replacement, there should be proof that it is faulty. With a proper test tool the computer will issue a fault code that says it is faulty, you shouldn't have to guess about it. There is a manual that covers the body computer and which gives procedures for problem-solving short of replacing the computer. Until those procedures are followed and unsuccessful it may be fruitless to replace it. It is located in the cabin, under the dash, on the backside of the fuse panel and is electrically connected to it by sliding them together so that terminals mesh together.
Roland