97 Intrepid electrical problems

Before we jump into more complicated stuff, when the radio stays on, you might try unplugging the ignition switch connector. If a contact overheated and started to burn or left a carbon track inside the switch, it might pass enough current to power the radio. By "radio lights" do you mean the back lighting for the buttons or the display is staying on? You might find the radio also turns off if you press a power window switch. I can't remember if the windows and wipers are on the same circuit from the ignition switch. Another plan would be to pull the radio to measure the voltages on the switched power and memory power wires. Verifying there is still voltage on the switched power after the ignition switch is turned off will provide a clue. The last thing is the Body Computer which runs the dash lights and the wipers. Before you swap in a different one it is real important to understand what happens when you plug one in. If the car does not have factory anti-theft system, you MUST install an Engine Computer or a Body Computer from another car without the anti-theft system. If your car does have anti-theft, you can use any computer but if it isn't already programmed for anti-theft, it will learn that programming from the other computer as soon as you turn on the ignition switch. That programming can not be undone and from then on that computer will only work in another car with anti-theft. If you borrow a friend's computer from a car without anti-theft and your car has it, it will teach that programming to the borrowed computer. When it is put back in your friend's car it will teach the programming to the other computer. At that point your friend's car won't start until BOTH computers are replaced at the same time.

There are two relays in the wiper circuit. Just for fun, switch both of them with two other similar relays just in case one is sticking on. I've been through the service manual a couple of times and the only thing I can see that all of these things have in common is the Body Computer. Of course if two fuses are touching, that would not be evident in the diagrams. I haven't heard of that problem.

All of that is characteristic of a bad ground wire. Remove the bulb(s) from the working side and you'll see the symptoms will be different on the non-working side.

You're doing yourself a disservice by piggybacking on this thread. There are a lot of really smart experts here who are not going to even see your problem or be able to reply because only those of us who replied previously will get an automated e-mail directing us back here when any reply is posted. You're losing the chance to have your question read by those other people.

I've worked on hundreds of Chrysler radio over the last 20 years. They are mostly real nice radios, and they can't cause a problem with other circuits unless something is shorted inside that causes a fuse to blow; then, typically you'll notice no interior lights. Can I guess you had an aftermarket radio in there?