96 caravan lights/a/c issues help from FLA

1996 DODGE
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LARRYTRAYER
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Hello, i have been doing alot of research on the issues i have been having and they all appear to be related but no one has actually confirmed. I have a 96 dodge caravan se sport 3.3L, 2wd.
Here are the problems
no tail lights, tag lights, marker lights or dash lights.
All other lights work.
the A/C only comes on when turned to max and it does not blow cold.
I have checked ALL fuses and relays and they appear to be fine.
I know it seems odd but according to all the research and many of the post on this sight everything seems to be related. So is the a difference between the Blower Motor Resistor(BMR) and the Resistor Block (RB)?
Part store has BMR but said RB is dealer item??

Please HELP we have SIX children and live in FLA. It is hot and I can't go anywhere at night.
I donated a few bucks in hopes that i'd get a quick answer.

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTIONS?
Jun 11, 2007 at 1:12 PM
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BRUCE HUNT
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The lights point me to a fuse or a ground issue. Given the age of the vehicle, not that it is over the hill like me, but rust and corrosion can be the real culprit. On the A/C not cooling I would point to the refrigerant level.
Jun 11, 2007 at 1:31 PM
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LARRYTRAYER
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fuses and grounding seem to be fine.

The a/c only comes on when switched to high.
Coolant level is fine.
Jun 11, 2007 at 1:56 PM
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ROGERDOGER
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I have a Caravan 1997. My problem was with flashing lights on the A/C control and a relay clicking.

It started with a auto tech replacing the evap coil by removing the dashboard. Then the relay clicking started and I could here a vent motor trying to move but stopping. I did a cooldown test by pressing the wiper buttons however it would only flash lights till I bought a used A/C control unit :

Did not fix the problem so I was up late many nights looking and pulling things apart.

I found that the auto tech pinched some wires when putting the dash back in. The pinched wire was for the common motor driver the opens and closes the vents.

The Blu / Whi wire runs to three of the four motors and should not be grounded but was. I used an meter to find this out and the diagram in the Dodge manual.

I pulled the wire out of the connector and hooked up the control unit and the the lights would flash and try to run a test but would never complete the test.

I had the auto tech pull the dash and he found the pinched wires were behind the dash running down into the air duck.

After pulling the wires back and remounting the dash everything is working and no clicking of the relay.

I can tell you a problem like the one you have will not be a easy fix.

Do a cooldown test on the A/C. Press the top wiper button and the bottom wash at the same time for 5 sec. Did it flash any lights at all ?

Next with the key to off, you might try disconnecting the hole A/C control panal and check for any shorts to ground with a meter. You will need a meter and a manual with diagrams of the wire colors.

Also if you remove the A/C control panel wireing and start the van will all the other problems go away ?

Hook up the A/C control panel put it back in and start looking at relays. Under the driver side dash and swap some of the like relays around to see if the relays are bad. Replace any bad and proceed.

Go to the relays under the hood and do the same thing. Swap like relays around to find any bad relays. Remember each time you swap around a relay you need to start the engine and check to see if the problems are gone or moved to something else so you try and find any bad relays.

If this does not give you a clue where the problem is at then you have a short to ground and you will need more help.

Let us know.
Aug 16, 2007 at 11:59 PM