it was the switch on my 2005 T&C - it was doing the same thing yours was.

 

Problem solved by wiring the headlights to the parking light circuit........tired of the run around at the dealer. Its an amazing thing....everytime I turn on the lights now they actual come on and stay on. Guess I could have continued spending hundreds more dollars, but like someone said, what do you expect out of a 5-6 year old vehicle....WHAT...!!! you expect the headlights to work when you need them? What a ridiculous thought.

It would sure be nice if Chrysler admitted to having this problem on these vehicles and did the right thing......fix them without the game playing. There is clearly a BCM defect at work here and replacing that over and over is far to costly for most normal people......so I guess that common sense has trumped emptying my wallet to no avail.

Sorry you folks that work service got your toes stepped on here, but armchair quarter backing and criticizing is way safer and far easier than actually dealing with the reality of getting your only means of transportation fixed on the limited budget that most average Americans make today. And BTW in case you didn't know....buses don't travel out in the country where lots of folks live.

Have a great day..!!! DK

 

Problem solved.....??????

How is the problem solved???? You eliminated an ENTIRE PHASE of your lighting circuit.....When it overloads...you have ..NO LIGHTS AT ALL....

Except of course after the flames burst up from the dash..... And will you STILL blame Chrysler Then???

I would love to see your vehicle in my shop during "Safety Inspection" time...

Ongoing defect....with a BCM???? I have an 01 Caravan.....And Ive Never had a headlight issue....???Well...Except for busting the lights by Hitting a Deer...Up here in the woods where no Busses Run...

You have created More of a Safety hazard in your childrens VEHICLE than you would going around a turn blind....... So if the Money is so important to you, that you would do something like this....Make sure you dont have your Bank Book in the car when it burns...

 

Therbst......

Go back and read the post from the guy you were DEFENDING...... And Look at The Smug Bull$hit response he gave us after hacking his switch into a Mobile fire trap..... While Blaming Chrysler for the unfortunate fact that HIS headlights dont work on a car that is clearly out of warranty....

Just simply by the responses you gave, You were , and Maybe still are looking for a solution...... A REAL SOLUTION....and thats fine......In fact ..that is why I come here....I do kinda enjoy it......But I will not stand for being slandered , or called a Thief, for Practicing My Craft, That I worked Hard to get to this point, and Then Get Kicked in the teeth by This Half Assed Attempt at fixing a problem......

Perhaps I didnt put enough separation between the people who posted in this thread, as My frustration is only with one of you......So to all but that one...My apologies...

I dont know where the Idea Came into anyones Head that Mechanics Need "HAND TRUCKS" to carry home their salaries...But it isnt true.....The Professional mechanics here have worked hard to get to the level of skill that they posess.....We come here to share that knowledge......On our own time, with our own Computers and our own electric......And we do this free of charge.....If you need help, I'd be glad to help If I can.......But It takes a real set of CaJones to come here asking a question, and Complain about what it is going to cost you......I find it insulting.....I get paid to work on cars from 9am to 5pm.....I do it here for free......So excuse me if I get upset, about spending my time trying to help, and then I'm told I Should be Tolerant of someone who comes here to Bad mouth The parent company that feeds MY CHILDREN.

 

I agree with you on several of your comments. 1. you should be proud of your profession and the years of hard work that you put in to get to the level your at now. Offering your opinion for free is a lost art and should be appreciated by whomever is on the receiving end. My reason for my above comment is because I'm currently putting my son thru school to be a mechanic. He's not doing it because he wants to be a millionaire, he simply loves working on cars. 2. I would never hack/jerry rig any electrical circuit regardless of the application. Your correct, it could cause a much more serious series of events that could be tragic. But hopefully you would agree, people are going to do what they want to do regardless of the possible outcome and that responsibility must live with that person, not us.

Back to my original situation.....I ordered a new OEM switch from my local dealership and we'll see what happens, hopefully this is the fix. The mechanic at the dealership I deal with said it's a fairly easy part to replace at home and its a good place to start, so we'll see. Thanks again

 

Agreed DJ. OP, you just removed all of the circuit protection plus you just tripled the load of the park lamp circuit. Guess where you park lamps get their power feed? Yep, the FCM. What are you going to do when THAT power feed burns out? Not a smart thing to do. Say what you want, I really don't care. You're still as ignorant as the second time you posted in this thread...good luck.

 

I find it very interesting that the first thing you tech experts need to do is take a technical discussion to a personal level.......... There are clearly many emotionally reactive ways people could respond to the comments below, but that is not my way of dealing with people and problems. Perhaps you might consider what role you personally could play in turning around the lost faith in American business that Americans have suffered due to situations exactly like this simple one.

Well, go get your car fixed so your kids don't have to be in an accident because their hard-headed parent was too cheap to do anything about it other than come to a forum and complain. Waiting for Chrysler to do anything about it is not an option here either. You're an adult. Control your own destiny.

Sorry Guys...but if youre worried about your kids safety ...then Take A FREAKING BUS until the problem is RECTIFIED..... Your a grown adult, And a motorist, and a vehicle owner......Sorry to say it, But Common sense has to trump Your wallet.

And I for one am getting kind of fed-up, having my profession and ability slandered, by someone who doesnt understand his vehicle, and spends more time looking for a cheaper way out, then actually having the car fixed.

if the Money is so important to you, that you would do something like this....Make sure you dont have your Bank Book in the car when it burns...

You're still as ignorant as the second time you posted in this thread...good luck.

Guess what....there are real people reading these posts that just might make a different purchase decision based on reading the personal attacks made here by the very service folks those customers would expect to treat them with respect.! I guarantee one thing.....the competitors that want to take the "bread and butter" from your and my families mouths would never consider disrespecting their customers.....never. I guess maybe bankruptcy hasn't been enough for "Big Three" Americans to get the message.

And BTW, you technicians ARE a big and extremely important part of the image of American auto makers....just ask people who don't buy American autos why they made the switch to foreign. Their answers might surprise you!

PS.....the lights continue to work every time I turn them on and it is a fused circuit, so I am not too worried about burning my car up. Thanks for your honest concern and have a great day.!

DK

 

Guess what.....At the same time ..there are several members here on the forum that are employed by Major insurance companies....And would love to add your HAcked repair job to thier monthly survey and spread sheet. Any reason to deny a Claim is Their Bread and Butter.
Well...Then Act like a Customer...You arent my customer, And You never would be . A customer PAYS FOR the goods and services he recieves......So If you expect to be respected, Pay me for the service I provide to you....Instead of Bad mouthing My product and My employees.

You may be just as surprised to know that the foreign car companies have just as many problems.......And In truth 3/36 warranty is the same Anywhere you go...whether it be foreign or domestic.

Now...Its a slim to none shot that you live in my neighborhood, and Even if you did, An even slimmer chance that you would visit my Dealership. An even slimmer shot would be that I would recognize you if you did.

Now....I dont work for CHRYSLER...I work for a Franchised dealership....And I really have No say in the length of time a Part or system will work before failing. It is my job to fix them. Who pays for it is Not My Concern, how it gets paid for is not my concern, And What you think of Chryslers Public relations policies are of absolutely no importance to me whatsoever. If you would be more comfortable in a 6 or7 year old Import, then "Have At It"....

If you bought a Coffee pot that quit after 5 months, or a TV set that quit After 2 years....If the warrabty is up, that settles your problem....

You expect everything to be perfect on a 6 year old vehicle, that carries a 3 year warranty???? Then you will have to take responsibility for what you expect.

I'm not going to say that ALL mechanics are Knowledgeable and honest, because that would obviously be a Lie.....But you have discussed your issue in this thread with over 50 years of mechanical experience between the techs here that answered you.

Point Blank......You didnt say a word about what you did or didnt try to properly rectify the issue,You didnt ask for a wiring diagram, or any help locating any of the components you would need to check, and Frankly, You Hijacked a thread, from two people who were looking for professional advice,...Just to Bitch about Chrysler , Their products and their Technical staff....

While I do not agree with your repair methods, there is Nothing I can do about it....So ..Kudos...If it works, more power to ya....But I wont stand to be called a thief, or an Incompetent, based on the Notion in your helmet, that all is good.
What you buy, who fixes it, and how much you paid, are of No concern to me....I'm a Tech, I make NOTHING from parts sales, and even less if you install it yourself......I dont get paid to answer questions on this forum, and as long as you arent driving towards me on a Dark road , without headlamps...You are pretty much on your own with No care from me...

Just one more note.....The Upper left corner of this web page says Chrysler Enthusiasts Forum.......We can all share our entusiasm, But I will say this...there is NOTHING anyone here can do about Chryslers Public relations policies... whether we agree with them or not....So if you came here to Cry about your misfortune...You are barking up the wrong tree, Because even if someone cared, there is Nothing to be gained by alienating the Professionals here, who dont have the power to grant you the freebie youre looking for.

 

Well, happy to report that my T&C still has headlights that come on and stay on when I need them and no spontaneous combustion or any fuse issues with my highly criticized temporary "fix". But more importantly to me and the hundreds of others experiencing the same problem, Chrysler is now being probed by the Fed and it looks like a probable recall is finally on the horizon.

The article in the link below sheds light on this critical situation that has been held in denial by Chrysler for years now. If you are having this problem, please contact the NHTSA and add your name to the growing list.

I'm not interested in provoking more criticism, just want others to know what has developed due to the perseverance of honest consumers who just want a fair shake. Hopefully, an engineered permanent solution will solve this defect correctly for all of us in the near future.

DK

Feds Probe Chrysler Minivan Headlight Failures - Money News Story - WDIV Detroit

 

My lights went off yesterday while driving my family from a grandparent's visiting. During the night ofcourse. I instinctly pull and hold the multifunction lever towards me to at least have a blend light. Then i stopped my vehicle and the firmly tap on the lightswitch and the lights came back on and intermittent off again. Very dangerous and life threathning. You have my signiture. And any other well crafted technicans on this forum, well a message for you: Obviously you are not crafted enough to recognize a true lifetreathning problem but instead you are crafted enough to badmouth people who are trying to do something about it. A sad story for chrysler.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011...sler-minivans/