Cluster gauges flicker

Tiny
EOLBRICH
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 74,000 MILES
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT, 3.8L V6. Have intermittent electrical problems: instrument cluster gauges flicker (go to max and back to normal), bell dings, radio will turn off and headlights flicker. Took to dealer twice and they haven't been able to fix. Have replaced alternator, battery and tightened both body grounds.
Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 AT 10:19 AM

14 Replies

Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
I would suspect BCM module
should mention that to them
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Friday, July 3rd, 2009 AT 6:49 AM
Tiny
MARTY MILES
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Don't forget the ground under the battery box. Plus the 2 body grounds at the base of the B pillars on both sides. If it is your body control module, you are out of luck as it is no longer available from chrysler. You may get one from a wrecker, but it will show the mileage from the wreck, not your van.
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Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 AT 8:18 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,722 POSTS
Excellent addition to this thread! Please feel free to help out whenever you are on the site :)
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Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 AT 11:57 AM
Tiny
DNVRLUV
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
  • 2001 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150 MILES
I replaced the battery today and while I was tighting down the heads my wrench hit a piece of the body and gave out a spark (very little spark) but when I started up my van I noticed my intrument panel wasnt working it dont show how many miles and the gauges dont work nor the turn signals Do you have any clue what is wrong I checked fuses under the hood and the all seem to be good please help!
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GWOLKING
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
1. When reconnecting a battery, connect and tigthen the positive cable first. This lessens the chance of shorting out the positive terminal to ground as you tighten the negative cable. (A small spark is not unusual when you connect the negative cable to the battery -- parts of the electrical system are always "live" even when the key is off.)

2. It's *possible* that the transient caused when you shorted out the battery has made the computer (or the instrument module) "go stupid". Try disconnecting the *negative* battery cable *only* and letting it sit for at least 5 full minutes. Reconnect the negative cable *carefully*, cross your fingers, and hope it works. If not, my guess is that you've probably fried the instrument panel and it will have to be replaced.
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JAN VAN EIJCK
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 57,000 MILES
The instrumentcluster of my Dodge has no tach, can I change the cluster in a model with tach?
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Not that easy as the wiring harness may not be the same and it may cause other issues. Stick to the oem cluster.

Roy
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
TAZETTE2805
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1998 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 3.8L
  • V6
  • AUTOMATIC
When we crank the van the instrument cluster shuts down, the gages and the P N D 1 2 and the mileage, we got another used cluster but it is doing the same thing, can you help me please, we also just replaced the ecm and had it reset by dodge, thank you for any help
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Make sure battery terminal ends are clean and battery is checked for condition including load test. Check connection at junction block lh side of dash (wires plug in) as well as cluster finally have scanned for codes as it may be a body module problem. A local pro will have to scan
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
TAZETTE2805
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
All has been done just got it back for dodge they did not know, it is not reading a code
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Then check connections where I said in first reply it may be a poor connection at jucktino block where wiring comes into firewall. Or one of those plugs. It may have to have a pro take some time to see if it's a short/broken wire, connection problem.
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-1
Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
TAZETTE2805
  • MEMBER
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Thank you
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CLAYTON LAKE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2007 DODGE CARAVAN
  • 3.3L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 100,000 MILES
I seem to have lost my instrument panel, no gauges, no signals. I have a parts van, swapped out the cluster and the BCM, no change. Trying to find the power and the ground to the BCM to test. Any other suggestions. One other problem, very wet weather periodically causes my accessories to intermittently fail, blower, wipers power windows. Any suggestion on that front?
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,881 POSTS
Replacement modules may need to be programmed to work in a different vehicle.

All of the dead circuits you listed are related to the ignition switch. The goal is to get the problem to act up, and stay acting up, then check the voltages feeding those systems. The issue is they could all get turned on by the Body Computer, so that is still a suspect. Having the diagnostic fault codes read and recorded might offer a clue. A scanner is needed that can access that computer.
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Thursday, January 24th, 2019 AT 11:40 AM (Merged)

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