8.4 screen blank, HVAC controls not functional
 

OK so car was working fine, parked, got up next day, when I put car in reverse, I noticed the rear backup camera didnt come on, and quickly realize the situation was worse, that the whole 8.4N touch screen is blank, and not responsive to touch( as in if it was only blank but functional I could (by memory), operate functions by guessing what is on the screen). The entire HVAC / radio contro stack is also not functional with the exception of the Hazard Lights Button. None of the buttons light up, however. The AC has defaulted to defrost (apparently). Radio still plays, I can switch between USB stick, bluetooth, radio, etc and raise/lower volume by using the steering wheel controls. The voice operation button on the steering wheel does operate. I can press it and choose different artists and genres of music.

So basically AC stuck on defrost and touch swreen blank and non-responsive.

I have read a lot of forums and have seen many, many other posts with this same issue.

I have a BlueDriver ODBII scanner and also I have HPTuners VCM Suite.

HP Tuners VCM Scanner does not show any DTCs. Which is odd, it is usually very very detailed.

The BlueDriver shows two "Electronic Shifter Module codes" which are listed as:
U0101: Lost Communication with TCM: Bus Signal / Message Failure
U11C3: <blank>

I also have one other code, which isnt a surpise, I am missing the driver's side fog light, and so it throws this "Front Control Module (Central Gateway)" code:
B16F7 Front Left Fog Lamp Control Circuit: Circuit Short To Battery or Open

That last one could mean that some water got into the plug, or since it says "or Open" it also could just be harmless and mean that the circuit isnt complete because the fog light is not there, and thus the circuit is just "open".

I am going to check the wires down there, check the touch screen/HVAC controls/radio unit's connections, and the dimmer switch for the touch screen, which is located to the left of the steering wheel on the dash, near the headlamp and fog lamp control switch. Maybe moisture in the fog lamp plug shorted and messed up the dimmer for the screen, which may be related/the cause.

I already pulled the battery for ten minutes, then tried 30 minutes, then an hour, then 3 hours, and finally overnight.

It keeps maintaining my bluetooth pairing, and I think the EQ settings by listening to the same jams I usually jam, it does sound as if the bass is up like I usually have it. Meaning: I am not sure the 8.4N UConnect is actually getting reset..I mean if the presets arent lost, I would think that means it isnt resetting? Right? IDK.

I have the HVAC/center stack controls out, as well as the radio which is behind that, and the 8.4 touch screen/clock/AC vents/trim assembly. I am fairly familiar with electronics components, if something is black and burnt I might see it, so I am going to take a peak while I give it a lot of time with the radio actually OUT so there is no question that it should be powered down lol. Maybe I will see something obvious IDK.

Man this blows big time..I was just about to spoil the car with a makeover too! dang!

By the way..it is a 2013 Chrysler 300 V6 AWD, all stock. 8.4N Uconnect (with NAV).
Car has absolutely zero modifications...

U11C3 seems to be related to a TSB that has to do with harsh trans issue, dealer supposedly does an update to the TCM to address harsh shifts, clunkiness(TSB 21-049-15). Probably unrelated to the screen

but I DID find that there is a TSB out for the screen thing: TSB 08-033-15 REV. B.

you can find a copy of this TSB in PDF format here: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...74618-2280.pdf

Here is a portion:

"A customer may experience, one or more of the following conditions:
• Navigation screen locks up or display will be blank (Software has been updated to better address this condition).
• Navigation feature lockout disable (International Only) (Software has been updated to better address this condition).
• Intermittently the radio may reset (2014-2015 vehicles).
• Improve FM radio reception (This only applies to 2013 or 2014 LX vehicles with RE6, RB6 radios located in Dubai).
• Radio display screen shows “Test Mode”.
• Navigation system may resets intermittently.
• Translation improvements/corrections.
• System consistency and operational improvements for menu selections, month/date formatting, and Garmin translation functions.
• Radio system improvements during remote start operation.
• Unable to adjust radio volume using steering wheel switch intermittently.
• Second screen is blank when using split screen function.
• Some functionality for Japanese and Korean - keyboard, search, sort and jump.
• Unable to add contacts to the favorite list.
• Unable to dial the phone from the radio, while still able to dial from the phone.
• Unable to delete a cell phone number from the favorite list.
• More space available for phone book entries.
• BlackBerry support for playing songs.
• Reduce ticking noise during CD/USB pause and VR is silent between prompts.
• VR unable to transition from Non-navigation to navigation mode.
• iPod screen is displayed with navigation screen.
• Asian language translation added.
• Highlighted preset continues blinking.
• Takes more then one button press to select preset #10.
• Unable to adjust volume from steering wheel switches.
• Clock adjust pop up message displayed in English rather than current language.
• Can not connect to the phone after it has been disconnect.
• Teleprompter screen shows incomplete text.
• Some functionality for traffic & weather jump button.
• After changing a language and then selecting CDDA “of” is displayed as a tracking number.
• In “Set Date Year” only 3 digits are displayed.
• Split map view will not cancel.
• Map screen turns black when driving.
• When in Italian, the destination arrival text will overlap onto the map.
• Does not accept Iraq when commanding “Set Target Country”.
• Some pop up message characters is displayed with “!#”.
• Traffic programming slow to start."

...the only one out of those that 1. I've notice, and/or 2. give a crap about is the fact that the screen is blank. (and HVAC controls/radi controls are not working of course)

I have already tried to update the firmware myself, by going to the UConnect website and downloading the file to a 4GB+ USB stick formatted using the FAT32 file system, following the proper procedure ouitlined by the UConnect web site. Since the screen in blank, I cant see or touch anything to perform that procedure. I only tried one of the two USB firmware updates on the site though, I will try the second after I put the radio/screen/center stack back in and re-connect the battery. Maybe the other one will get it to turn out or something. I am going to exhaust everything I can before throwing parts at it. Too bad the HVAC and other stuff is integrated, or I would just get an aftermarket head unit and be forever done with it...

got the car back together, screen still blank. I checked every.single.fuse. (twice) again Trunk and under the hood. I checked all the connections for the radio/screen/HVAC controls again. I did not smell any burnt plastic in the touch screen, the HVAC/radio controls, or the actual radio. I unplugged the battery for an hour again to see if it would reset. It even still holds all my presets, bluetooth pairings etc. Probably in its own module then i suppose.

I am stumped

OK so the newer TSB on the blanked out screen is here:

https://chrysler.oemdtc.com/TSB/08-004-17.pdf

Dang Stone. It looks like you are talking to yourself. Modern car troubleshooting can do that to a guy.

Ahahahahaha yea man that is the staple of modern car trouble-shooting. If you didnt talk to yourself, it must have not been that hard xD

Seems like most people that have had this problem ended up 1. being covered under warranty, or 2. coughing up the dough to the the dealer throw parts at it (screen/radio/telematics gateway/etc )

Going to check the power distribution center to make sure I am getting good power to the screen

did you find how to fix it i’m having the same problem