Chrysler Repair: 2001 Chrysler Sebring LXI - instrument lights go on and off, chrysler sebring lxi, 2001 chrysler sebring lxi

Question
My instrument cluster will be lit when I start my car and then after a short while the light will go out.  The remaining dash lights stay illuminated.  Sometimes, the light on the instrument cluster will come back on only to go off again. I have not been able to pinpoint when or why.  I does not happen when I go over a bump, or when I use the selector.  There seems to be no pattern.  I have replaced the fuses just in case, the problem is still there.

Answer
Hi Trudy,
I just received a Sebring shop manual for '88 which probably reflects the wiring of your '01 vehicle as far as the dash lights go. Indeed there is a separate circuit for the insturment cluster lights. The power for the lights comes from one plug on the body control module (white plug, pin 3, orange/yellow wire) to the cluster(blue plug, pin 10,orange/yellow), to the lights, and from cluster(red plug, pin 4, black/light green) to the body control module (white plug, pin 14).
The body control module is mounted on the very far left end of the underdash, adjacent to the fuse panel.
I don't know if you intend to troubleshoot this yourself by measuring voltage/resistance of this set of plugs and wires. But at least this is the basic pathway that illuminates the instrument cluster lights. There could be a problem anywhere along the path, or even a problem internal to the body control module, but that would be revealed by doing measurements when the lamps weren't working, or perhaps by shaking the wires at their plug ends to find a loose connection.
Let me know if you have questions via the "rate the expert" option.
Roland





Hi Trudy,
Unfortunately I have yet to acquire a wiring diagram volume for the Sebring series post 2000 so it would not be prudent to suggest what might be wrong. I am hoping to acquire the diagrams soon and will get back to you with some ideas when I can review the specifics.
You might want to notice in the meantime whether all the other lights on the dash also go out (such as those for the heater/ac control panel). If they are not affected then the issue is probably located in the cluster itself or the lamppower wire connected to it, rather than to the control supply for the variable voltage that allows dimming or to the body computer which actually provides the power to the dimmable dash lights. If the other lights also go out, then the variable voltage rheostat that you use to change the brightness or the body computer that responds to it are suspect.
For now, that is the best I can offer.
Roland