I have a 2003 T&C Chrysler. No one can fix my problem. I just spent 780.00 at Chrysler and they could not find what causes it. Here it is: The windshield wipers, radio, heate, power windows stop when it is raining hard. They work in park and nutaral but not in drive and revers. I am driving down the road in the fast lane of a 3 lane higway and it is raining lightly (ok it all works)then it starts raining hard. The wipers, radio, power windows, heater all cut out at the same time. This is happend on several occasions. Now one can figure out why it happens. Even the Chryslers electral specialest could not figure it out after pouring water an all parts, checking computer parts. It still happens and I spent a fortune on them not being able to fix it. Help. Any sugestions!!!
Take your car to an auto electric specialist. His rates will probably be less than your dealer and likely he’ll find and cure your problem faster, too. His garage will likely be on a back alley, may not look very inviting, but you want results, not looks. Check the phone book Under AUTO REPAIRS, ELECTRICAL for names like Joe’s Alternators and Starters, Sam’s Auto Electric. If you have a friend in the business ask where they take their hard cases.
It is interesting that the shifter position has some relation to the problem. This could be an indication there is some sort of grounding problem in the dash. By adding a ground jumper from the negative battery connection to the dash would prove that out.
I would also check how power is distributed to the affected areas and look for a common link there. Then check for a faulty connection in the line.
My first step would be remove the fuse block from it’s mounting place, turn it over, and examine the connections on the back side very carefully.
I don’t think RAIN is the problem. It’s the LOAD on the electrical system when you turn on the wipers that is the problem, and you do that every time it rains…
Again, look for a melt-down behind the fuse block or in the wires that feed the “multi-function switch” that controls the wipers. The melt-down may be inside the steering column…
I really like that explanation. I’d second the idea of looking at the MFS.
Also… does this car perhaps have a circuit breaker instead of a fuse for these devices? I know that GM used circuit breakers on its high-amperage circuits, and this sounds just like a case of either a weak circuit breaker, or something shorting to ground and tripping the breaker.
I wonder if there is a problem with the ignition switch and here is why: all the items you mentioned, the windshield wipers, radio, heater, and power windows are fed through the ignition switch. These items don’t operate when the ignition switch is off. On the other hand, the only time the starter operates is when the shift selector is either in neutral or park. What is supposed to happen when you start the vehicle is that as you turn the key to start, all the accessories named above are switched off. Something is allowing the wipers, radio, etc. to switch off while the engine keeps running. That leads me to suspect that something is happening in the ignition switch or the wiring related to the ignition switch.
Now the fact that it happens when it is raining hard may be related to the electrical load. You are running the wipers on the highest speed and may have the heater blower turned up high to defrost the windshield. I agree with the electrical load theory and am suggesting that one more place to look is the ignition switch.