Keep losing dash lights on 03 Sebring Convert

[resq302]

Can anyone give me any ideas.  My moms 2003 Sebring Limited Convert keeps losing the dash lights and the dealership has no clue what could be causing it.  The lights go off for a while and then come back on all by themselves.  Everytime we have brought the car in, the lights have been working so they can not find anything wrong with it.  Is there some kind of a circuit breaker on the dash lights vs a typical mini fuse?  Any common areas that might have wiring problems that I can look?  Obviously, this is not a problem during the day but with daylight savings having the clocks roll back, it is starting to get dark at 4 pm around where I live.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

[Chris]

Interested as well in any feedback, have a 2000 Intrepid, will be driving along and all of a sudden dome lights and dash lights start going crazy, could go weeks or months with out this happening, not hitting any bumps and weather doesnt seem to be a factor when this happens ,sounds like it is the same thing. Ideas-suggestions?

Chris

[resq302]

Chris, that is pretty much what is happening to my moms sebring vert.  Funny thing is that it is contained to the instrument cluster ONLY as the lights for the hvac and radio work with the dimmer switch.  Im kinda thinking its either a bad ground or a pinched wire somewhere.

[A383Wing]

we have had that problem before in our shop...it's a common problem, and it's controlled by the BCM....there will be a code in there, once you clear it, dash lights will come back on...or they come back on whenever they feel like it....it's a program glitch

Identifix company said a re-flash of computer was the fix....which ain't cheap

[resq302]

well, they still have the extended warranty.  I wonder if a reflash would be covered?

[rt green]

safety issue  should be covered

[moparstuart]

it happened on the intrepid I was driving  , we had to put a new column it it , the wires were shorting out in the column .
 

[resq302]

Stuart, when yours did this, did all the lights go out or was it just the instrument cluster?  Dad said that the hvac lights and radio still dim and stuff but the only thing that is effected is the lights for the gauges on the dash.  The blinkers, warning lights, etc and all else work in the cluster still.

[moparstuart]

been a couple years ago , but i think it was just the dash lights , but i do know the flashers would work intermittenly or go solid  also  .

[resq302]

Ok, might not be the same problem but close to it.  The only thing we lose is the dash cluster gauge lights.  Dad said everything else seemed to work.

[moparstuart]

the wiring in my column may have gotten alot worse then yours is  , I let it go for a couple years before i fixed it

[resq302]

the wiring in my column may have gotten alot worse then yours is  , I let it go for a couple years before i fixed it

Ah ok.  So did you just have to put a new multifunction switch in and that was it or did you have to entirely rebuild the column?

[moparstuart]

  I HAD LIKE 14 INTREPIDS IN THE SALVAGE YARD AT THE TIME , SO WE JUST THREW IN A USED COLUMN

[resq302]

  I HAD LIKE 14 INTREPIDS IN THE SALVAGE YARD AT THE TIME , SO WE JUST THREW IN A USED COLUMN

Ah, I see.

[resq302]

Well, Im hoping I found the problem.  After taking nearly half of the dash apart just to get to the 4 screws that hold the instrument cluster in, I tried sliding the cluster out to disconnect the wires.  To my amazement, the cluster just popped right out with no wires holding it on!  Wondering how any thing worked on the cluster, I looked behind it after I got it totally out and found out that the wire harness is clipped to the metal framework of the dash and the pins on the back of the cluster just "rest" into the wire harness.  To add to the matter, the wires in the harness were loose in the connector which could have also been adding to the problem.  Seeing no easy fix, I ended up putting dielectric grease on the wire harness connector and then reinstalled everything.  So far, everything seems to be working and have yet to lose the cluster instrument lights.