2001 Grand Caravan Climate Control diagnosis and code reset

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by Allen, Jan 30, 2008.

  1. Allen

    Allen Guest

    I am having problems with my HVAC system. I know the power and recirc
    button trick to recalibrate but it is too cold, I think, to get it to
    perform currently. (I read somewhere that ambient temperature has to be
    50ish degrees.)

    Are there other button pushing configerations to generate error codes,
    and if so, does anyone have a list of these error codes and their meanings.

    Thanks much

    Allen
     
    Allen, Jan 30, 2008
    #1
  2. Allen

    maxpower Guest

    Allen, What is the problem you are having?

    Glenn Beasley
    Chrysler Tech
     
    maxpower, Jan 30, 2008
    #2
  3. Allen

    Allen Guest

    Just in case you're not on the dodge group:

    Well, it's a long and kinda painful story, but here goes since you
    asked! My Caravan was struck by lightening and it knocked out the radio
    (just the AM band, oddly), the back up lights, the ability to control
    the temperature, the two zone (driver/passenger) feature and the blend
    doors (defrost, vent, floor)

    I was able to diagnose the back up lights. The BCM was the culprit there
    and I replaced it only to find that my OBD tool wouldn't read codes or
    clear them like it used to and it added a code about a major and minor
    exhaust leak as well as O2 sensor faults as soon as I installed the new
    BCM. I then decided to ask a friend to replace the tiny chip that was at
    fault for the backup lights in the old unit with the same one from the
    "new" BCM(the damage to it was quite apparent) and he did so
    successfully. The backup lights then worked but I retained the new fault
    codes and was still not able to navigate the OBD system as I used to.

    I have taken apart the motors that control the blend doors and they
    respond well to a 9 volt battery--they all operate both directions
    depending on the polarity provided. The doors themselves can be
    manipulated by hand.

    When I do the calibration test now (at 25ish degrees) the recirc button
    merely flashes after the other lights go out. Don't know if that is
    because it is too cold to do the test or if the flashes are a code
    (although they are very regular and go on forever...)

    There, how's that for too much information?

    Thanks,

    Allen
     
    Allen, Jan 30, 2008
    #3
  4. Allen

    maxpower Guest

    Ok your talking about Checking codes in the BCM and your code reader said it
    added a code for the o2 sensor to the BCM? No such code in the BCM! If your
    using a code reader it may not read BCM faults. Are your reading BCM faults?
    If so what are the faults now. What and why qould you add a chip to a BCM
    that you just replaced? Why didnt the new BCM come with this so called
    "Chip"?
    Have you tried to access faults codes from the climate control Module with
    your scan tool? If so what are the faults? And you still havent said what
    the problem is that you are having with the climate control.
    NOT ENOUGH INFO!!!
     
    maxpower, Jan 31, 2008
    #4
  5. Allen

    Allen Guest

    Well, it's a long and kinda painful story, but here goes since you
    Thanks for responding. Okay, I'll try to be a bit more clear than i was:

    My code reader is an OBDII and does not give access to non powertrain
    codes. I didn't mean to imply that it did. It's just that before I
    replaced the BCM I didn't have any codes and after I replaced it I
    immediately got the O2 codes. Since it happened immediately after I
    installed the new BCM I thought that it was perhaps related to the new
    BCM. That's why I took the chip out of the new BCM, installed it on the
    old BCM and reinstalled the old BCM (with the good chip from the new
    BCM)on my car. The backup light problem was then fixed but I still had
    the problem of the inability to control the temperature, the two zone
    (driver/passenger) feature and the blend doors (defrost, vent, floor)

    Part of the problem I am having is that I can not get the codes and was
    wondering if there was a way of pressing various buttons on the climate
    control (it is a manual control, by the way, no digital readout) to
    generate error codes.

    The O2 codes may be a coincidence but I really need to figure out the
    HVAC situation.

    Thanks.
     
    Allen, Jan 31, 2008
    #5
  6. Allen

    maxpower Guest

    The o2 sensor fault was probably set because the 02 sensor has a problem and
    is getting ready to crap out all together. When an 02 goes out, normally the
    lite will go on and off. Get yourself a scan tool that is capable of reading
    body codes!!! This will give you all communication faults between the
    modules, including climate control, air bag, Abs and so on
    It probably was a coincidence, you still need a scan tool to see what is
    going on between the climate control module and BCM
     
    maxpower, Jan 31, 2008
    #6
  7. Allen

    Allen Guest

    Thanks for the advice, I'll start shopping for an updated tool.

    Allen
     
    Allen, Feb 1, 2008
    #7
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