96 Caravan. Blinking lights, Heat On/OFff

[MattGrass]

We have a 96' Caravan. On the Heater control we have the blinking lights. The wiper control lights all blink as soon as you start up the van, have for months now and the local dealership had no answers for me beyond buy a new panel for $400. Now the heat is working intermitantly. You can start up the van and let it warm up for 30 minutes but the vents are blowing ice cold. Sometimes, the heat comes on right away. A few times it appears to help to drive the van, maybe the increased rpm's is changing something? A few times out of frusteration ;), a few light taps to the dash seems to help too.

Any thoughts would be helpful before I hand this error over to the fine folks at the dealership. My wife is getting cranky about not having heat here in the Rocky mountains during the winter.

MattGrass

[jakeathome]

Had a new battery installed today and that problem showed up. Lights blinking on the dash. Local Dodge dealer sent a fax to the mechanic to reset the problem by turning fan to HI setting and doing a sequence of settings. Did you change or disconnect your battery when the trouble started?

[RickMN]

First try your own calibration/test routine:

1) Set parking brake
2) Start engine and run to normal operating temp.
3) Set blower switch to high
4) Turn mode switch to panel, open all outlets, move temp lever to full cold.
5) Press and hold rear wash and rear wiper buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds until all LEDs light up.
6) All LEDs will light for 5 seconds.
7) Rear wiper and intermittant wiper button LEDs will flash alterantely during calibration.
8) After approx 60 seconds, if only rear wiper button LED is flashing, calibration is successful and system tests ok. If rear wiper and intermittant wiper button LEDs are flashing, Diagnostic Trouble Codes are present.

The computer will send commands to each blend door actuator and record the results. If there's a problem it will set a trouble code.

Count the flashes on each button LED. The rear wiper button LED tells you the code level. Intermittant rear wiper button LED tells you the code value. If the intermittant rear wiper button LED flashes 9 times, it means there's an internal control head failure.

Once you have the codes, you can do the repairs.

Because of the cold air problems you've got, it sounds like a blend actuator problem. Get back to us if you discover any codes and we can tell you what they mean.

[spectre23]

Here is link to a parts store where I picked up a "new" used control head for $110... much better than what the dealer will charge.

http://www.qualityautoparts.com/customer_care.html

Only problem is that this is a pull from another vehicle so you may not get a clean looking control head. Mine came in a neatly packed box but the bezel had minor scratches all over it - cosmetic issues only but the head unit worked.

Give it a try if this turns out to be the problem for you. Place is a parts finder service in Mobile, AL and the ladies on the phone are nice and easy to talk to.

Best of luck.

Chris
- '97 Grand Caravan Sport
- 3.3L V6

[mork]

First try your own calibration/test routine:
1) Set parking brake
2) Start engine and run to normal operating temp.
3) Set blower switch to high
4) Turn mode switch to panel, open all outlets, move temp lever to full cold.
5) Press and hold rear wash and rear wiper buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds until all LEDs light up.
6) All LEDs will light for 5 seconds.
7) Rear wiper and intermittant wiper button LEDs will flash alterantely during calibration.
8) After approx 60 seconds, if only rear wiper button LED is flashing, calibration is successful and system tests ok. If rear wiper and intermittant wiper button LEDs are flashing, Diagnostic Trouble Codes are present.


worked for me! this van is a very strange vehicle.