2005 Pacifica 3.5 - Touring Oil Light
 

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Just joined the Chrysler Forum and came across your post. My 96 Saturn SL finally died and my old boss was kind of enough to gift me her 2005 3.5 Touring Pacifica with exactly 180k miles. Pretty clean and well taken care of.


It's a great car, however, the oil light came on for a day several months ago. It went out on it's own after a day so I thought "problem solved". The car had set for 5 months before she gave it to me.


I had thought about replacing the oil sending switch, however, it went out and so I ran an oil system cleaner and changed the oil and filter.


Now 4 months later it's back on. It goes like this: first start on and stays on the entire trip unless you stop and restart. Then for the next 3 starts no engine oil light the whole time running.


So I took the sites advice and replaced the oil sending switch and it was exactly the same. I took it to a mechanic who said try removing the white rubber backing on the back of the connecting clip. (Help it breath or read better?) I did this, see attached, and got the same result.


While I had it up on jack stands I thought I would disconnect the switch and see what happened. It was the same with the oil pressure switch disconnected. The light comes on with the first start and not on the next few. So when it's on it stays on and when it is off it stays off.


Of course my concern is damaging the engine. But now I'm believing it's some sort of electrical problem. Do you have any ideas/suggestions?


Is this a known 2005 Chrysler Pacifica 3.5 Touring problem or issues?


Thanks Brothers,
Getting back on my feet in Kansas City,


Scott


"UberPacifica2005" - From Chrysler Forum

Just for curiosity's sake, did you put in a Mopar sending unit, or aftermarket?
Chrysler products only like genuine Mopar sensors and sending units.
I've seen WAY stranger symptoms than yours that boiled down to an aftermarket sensor/sending unit.

Thank You!
 

Yes, I put a $17 aftermarket sensor. I'd gladly buy the Mopar part, however, how would you account for the same symptoms without it connected?

UberPacifica2005

Thank you!

You make a very valid point!
There are three major ground wire clusters directly below the battery and they can cause a myriad of electrical gremlins when they get corroded.
It's a good and cheap first step to take.
I hope that helps!

Great idea! Will look tomorrow!

UberPacifica2005

Scott/Kansas City

Hey Jeep Guy,

Are these the three ground wires you were referring to?
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UberPacifica2005

Those are the ones.
Mine looked fine visually but once I put a little pressure on them when wiggling the terminal, they crumbled.
I replaced the ring terminals and stripped all the wires back about 1/2" and all of my accessories and gauges worked as intended.
A good coating of liquid electrical tape slathered on the crimp section and in between all of the wires helps prevent this problem in the future!

So I found the wire were dry, gray with hints of red rust. I took a wire brush to both the stud and the terminals. I put it all back together and got the same result.

But, I feel like this wasn't wasted time, as in this was probably worth doing and I learned some more about my "new" car.

Hey anyone; is the Pacifica a truck, mini-van or SUV?

UberPacifica2005

Among the vehicles in my "stable", I have an 04 Neon 2.0 engine....Every once in a while i'll get the same oil light stays on, shut down and restart...oil light goes out, The 3.5 is known to consume oil, keep a check on the oil level with the dip stick. I've done the ground point connections just as you have done and it did slow down the number (regularity) of occurrences of the light. I THINK the other end of the wires from the press. switch going into either the fuse panel or PCM are the cause by either being a little loose connection. Just don't have the time or schematics to track down the Neons occasional fault, as it's my college commuting son's ride and free days he's on the road with friends and his GF! You may want to pursue this thought of the other end of the wires into the fuse panel or PCM if you can get a schematic for your Pacifica. GOOD LUCK

If there was rust and corrosion on the outside of the wires then there is rust and corrosion in between the individual strands of the wires, as well as the points of contact between the wires and the crimped connection of the ring terminal.
All of the sensors work via resistance and all of that corrosion and rust is adding additional resistance to the circuits.
As an electrician I can assure you that getting rid of the bad wire ends and using new ring terminals is going to save you from future issues, possibly at the most inconvenient time.
It's intimidating to think about trying to crimp that many wires into a large crimp for the average DIYer, so I recommend getting smaller(gauge, because obviously the ring part needs to fit over the studs on the car body) ring terminals and putting a few wires in each terminal.
Go to Lowe's or some place like that and go to the electrical department and get an $8 bottle of liquid electrical tape and the ring terminals( the yellow size should fit 4 or possibly more of the small wires each).
After you put on the ring terminals and tighten them on their intended studs give them a ridiculous amount of the liquid electrical tape and make sure to get top and bottom of the crimp section of the terminals and in between each wire, let it start to cure for an hour, then give it another coat of almost the same ridiculous amount.
It will skin over in 30 minutes to an hour and fully cure in roughly a day.
An hour or two of driving might fully cure it as well, but let it skin over before you drive it.

The Pacifica is considered an SUV, but with it's lack of ride height, I consider it a station wagon. Lol
My $0.02

lol

LOLOLOLOL - "I am not driving a station wagon.....but really I had a 67 or 68 Chevy Nomad wagon and loved it!" Ok, I'm hearing you on the wires. Will work up a plan and get back to you. Rebel59 these boards has suggested wires could be loose or corroded on the other end of the pressure switch and at the PCM or the fuse panel.

You guys are great, and since this is currently not threatening and the "SUV" is not consuming oil I will wait till I have a free day.

Thanks!

UberPacifica2005

Hey Rebel59, thank you for your time. What's funny is I went to my car Guru guy and he said exactly the same. No noise, no consumption and same result connected or other wise - "electrical problem". Which means I can drive the car until I find time to chase it down. I have checked several times and this SUV/Pacifica is using zero oil.

Why do you do you think the same pattern or result would occur even when the switch is disconnected? That's where I'm getting confused!

One wire will go to a ground and can be the problem as others have posted. I've done that already with my Neon...only slightly less often does the condition show up. Other wiring goes thu the TIPM/fuse panel and then to the dash, that's where I haven't had the time to tear into it for further diagnosis.
Good to hear that yours is not an oil guzzler, I've known of a large number of 3.5 motor owners(various cars/models) that have the oil consumption problem. I also am involved with a few other MOPAR related forums.

What other Chrysler Forums should join?

Thanks Rebel59

Hey, thanks! You were right! It needed a MoPar part. Put the MoPar part in and light went out right away. Is it my imagination, or was there a little more power in the engine, say 20%? Maybe Ol' Girl held defaulting to low pressure due to error code?

Hey, thanks! It needed a MoPar part. Put the MoPar part in and light went out right away. Is it my imagination, or was there a little more power in the engine, say 20%? Maybe Ol' Girl held defaulting to low pressure due to error code?

Glad to hear!
It wouldn't surprise me one bit if there was a reduction in power for a low oil pressure reading.
The amount of over-engineering that went into these station wagons(LMAO!!!) is ridiculous, so it may not be your imagination.
I don't know for sure, but maybe one of the real gurus on here does.

Hey That Jeep Guy!

Need your help. So I had the "GASCAP" code at the odometer and the OBII codes of small Evap leak. I replaced both the canister leak detection pump or vacuum detection pump at the EVAP Canister and the Purge Valve up front by the air filter. Immediately the codes for Evap Leaks were gone. (Assumed it was one of these switches because with the key turned to the on position before start it would throw the "GASCAP" code without any vacume.)

However, the "GASCAP" odometer error code came on. I cleared the all codes just to make sure and drove it for 20 minutes. Still 0 codes from OBII about Evap, but the "GASCAP' code won't clear.

So my questions are these: 1. If there are now no codes for Evap Leaks why is the "GASCAP" odometer code still throwing? 2. Is it possible it will take several cold starts for this 05 Pacifica to recognize these new parts? and 3. Is it possible I used Rock Auto Parts and not MoPar and therefore this thing is not reading these new parts.

Desperate and Pissed off in Kansas City
UberPacifica2005

Oh, and thanks!

Hey Rebel59,

Need your help. So I had the "GASCAP" code at the odometer and OBII codes of small Evap Leak. I replaced both the canister leak detection pump of vacuum detection pump at the Evap Canister and the Purge Valve up front by the air filter. Immediately the codes for Evap Leak were gone. (Assumed it was one of these switches because with the key turned to the on position before start it would throw the "GASCAP" code without and vacuum.)

However, the "GASCAP" odometer error code came on. I then cleared all the codes just to make sure and drove it for 20 minutes. Still 0 codes from OBII about the Evap, but the "GASCAP" code won't clear.

So my questions are these: 1. If there are now no codes for Evap Leaks why is the "GASCAP" odometer code sitll throwing? 2. Is it possible it will take several cold starts for this 05 Pacifica to recognize these new parts? and 3. Is it possible I used Rock Auto Parts and not MoPar and therefore this Pacifica is not reading these new parts. (Car has brand new MoPar gas cap.)

Desperate and Pissed off in Kansas City,
UberPacifica2005

Thanks for your help!

I'm not 100% sure, my gas cap message has also been on.
I replaced both mufflers, suspecting that the huge holes in them were the cause of mine.
The message went away for 2 weeks and then came back on.
I'd have to GUESS that you either have an exhaust leak, or a vacuum leak.
Or both.
Just keep in mind that I haven't found the cause of mine yet...
For now I just hit the odometer reset button to make it display the mileage when I drive it.
It's too *#%$@& cold out to fix anything right now.
LOL

Hey Thanks! I ran the codes again, having just replaced the purge valve and vacuum detection pump at the evap canister, and there are no evap codes.... just P0420 "threshold bank 1" Could an O2 sensor cause the "GasCap" dash code? My other worry is that I did not use Mopar parts and it now can't see the new parts. I have a new Mopar gas cap...

You mentioned exhaust, how would that effect the "gascap" dash code?

Thanks,
Scott - UberPacifica2005
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Purge valve - Vacuum leak detection pump

Hey Jeep Guy!

Need some help. I have ordered a new catalytic converter and want to know how to order the "correct" 02 sensors? First, I know it takes two on the 3.5, one before and after the converter. However, my concern is I will order two online only to find out they are not considered OEM and thus not recognized by the Pacifica's PCM.

Is this even an issue as I have heard before? Or if it is, how can I be sure I have ordered 02 Sensors that will function properly and clear the P0420 code and then the "Check Engine" light on the dash?

Thanks, open to ALL SUGESTIONS!

Thanks,

UberPacifica2005