Been hanging around the site for awhile just registered today. Need help with an issue that we can't solve. 2006 300 Touring - my dash lights are going crazy - flickering - flashing - all the warning light come on and turn off and the rpm and speedometer needles drop to zero and bounce back up. This happens non stop while I am driving at any speed. While this is occurring the car continues to run and the exterior lights stay on , the radio keeps playing but the ac shuts off and seat heaters will turn off and I lose abs function I think or traction control because if I'm turning while it happens the car shudders. I've also noticed that my dash light dimmer knob rarely functions and when I turn the knob all the way to illuminate the interior light they do not come on except immediately after the dash has flickered. I have an aftermarket sound system and recently had everything removed and reinstalled professionall with a PAC interface for radio and all amps and grounds redone. The problem went away for a few months and returned now worse than before. When I unplug the deck and interface module the dash activity does calm down drastically (it's not continuos while driving) but still occurs frequently like maybe 5-6 times in a 5 minute drive. So even with all the stereo equipment unplugged the issue is still there.This issue concerns me because I'm worried my car is gonna burn up or fry the computer. I don't where to look for assistance. I have spent days on end scouring the web and others have the issue but no solutions. Please help anyone. Your time is most appreciated. I love my cer and hate the thought of having to sell it . Thank you in advance
Instrument cluster going berzerk! Please help!
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Chris,
These symptoms lead me to believe one of several things are happening with your car and I'd kinda do these things in the order below.
1. A loose ground or positive connection at the battery or the auxiliary connection under the hood next to the fuse box (aka Power Center).
2. A loose positive connection at the starter. Any problems starting the car lately?
3. Your battery may be weak. I'd get it load tested.
4. If the battery is weak, it may just be at the end of it's useful life. Or, it was drained due to a poorly performing alternator or some other minor short in the power harness.
5. I'd check the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) main harness connection to make sure it's clean and tight. Look for bent pins.
6. I'd check the front control module main wiring harness connection to make sure it's clean and tight. Look for bent pins.
These symptoms lead me to believe one of several things are happening with your car and I'd kinda do these things in the order below.
1. A loose ground or positive connection at the battery or the auxiliary connection under the hood next to the fuse box (aka Power Center).
2. A loose positive connection at the starter. Any problems starting the car lately?
3. Your battery may be weak. I'd get it load tested.
4. If the battery is weak, it may just be at the end of it's useful life. Or, it was drained due to a poorly performing alternator or some other minor short in the power harness.
5. I'd check the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) main harness connection to make sure it's clean and tight. Look for bent pins.
6. I'd check the front control module main wiring harness connection to make sure it's clean and tight. Look for bent pins.
Thanks a bunch for the quick reply to my post Maddog. The battery is good brand new as is the alternator plus aux battery. All connections are tight at the starter and it starts perfectly everytime no issues there. I will double check the PCM and power center connections and front control module main harness (not sure where thats located) tomorrow morning. Weird thing is that the issue went away for 4-5 months after reinstalling all the audio equipment with all new cables and wiring so I thought the problem was resolved but than it returned worse than ever like I said above. I kinda think it something interfering with data in the car but than again it seems to occasionally be triggered by hitting a bump but thats hard to confirm maybe its just coincidence since it occurs so often. Only thing I do positively know is that as soon as i unplug the aftermarket deck and PAC interface module for the radio the issue drastically reduces in frequency, it still occurs but near as much. Could the alarm be causing this or the auto start possibly? just a thought? Ive checked the connections of both but that doesnt mean the alarm brain isnt causing the problem as it is connected to data for the locks and lights? i have a video of the issue on my cell but not sure how to upload it here im working on that now though
thanks again for your input and helpful reply
thanks again for your input and helpful reply
Update on dash cluster situation
Searched high and low following all the great suggestions I received here...nothing was discover to be the cause of the problem. So i was driving and finally had enuf of these lights and gauges dancing all over the place and I hit my dash with a flat hand pretty hard right above the cluster and the issue stopped instantly. Since than it has started to act up and I do it again slap the dash 2-3 times firmly and the issue stops again for several days instantly. I know this is not a fix and is probably making matters worse? I'm wondering now if its the cluster itself or a loose connection somewhere in the dash? Anyways I'm still searching but at least I can stop the madness meanwhile because I didn't even want to drive my car with all the lights flashing and gauges bottoming out... I felt like my dash was gonna catch on fire ....maybe it still will ..who knows
Searched high and low following all the great suggestions I received here...nothing was discover to be the cause of the problem. So i was driving and finally had enuf of these lights and gauges dancing all over the place and I hit my dash with a flat hand pretty hard right above the cluster and the issue stopped instantly. Since than it has started to act up and I do it again slap the dash 2-3 times firmly and the issue stops again for several days instantly. I know this is not a fix and is probably making matters worse? I'm wondering now if its the cluster itself or a loose connection somewhere in the dash? Anyways I'm still searching but at least I can stop the madness meanwhile because I didn't even want to drive my car with all the lights flashing and gauges bottoming out... I felt like my dash was gonna catch on fire ....maybe it still will ..who knows
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698 Posts
As Maddog mentioned, it sounds like a canbus screw up. Look around under the dash for twisted pair wiring. The twisted pair is the canbus. Make sure that they are clear of metal surfaces and edges especially under the steering column. I've seen them worn through by rubbing on a sharp edge.
Second, with all of the extra stuff you have under your dash, make sure that the twisted pair is nowhere near a transfomer or anything else that might interfere with the signal. It's a long shot but might work.
Second, with all of the extra stuff you have under your dash, make sure that the twisted pair is nowhere near a transfomer or anything else that might interfere with the signal. It's a long shot but might work.
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1,171 Posts
Remove steering column opening cover
From underneath and behind the instrument panel, push up on the lower clip on headlamp switch then wiggle it down and out of instrument panel and make sure that the connections are good.
From underneath and behind the instrument panel, push up on the lower clip on headlamp switch then wiggle it down and out of instrument panel and make sure that the connections are good.
the same thing happened to me its a can B bus fault my problem was the plug to the seat adjust module under drivers seat the plug points were oxidised from the constant movement (solution ) clean and make secure fitting of plug error was instantly fixed ,though any plug on the can B bus can do the same fault
can bus
Danny4634
Hi ive also got a major problem with my300c 2006 its been in the auto elec for two days also at the dealership no one can find the problem they keep saying a canbus problem note problem is (dash warning lights going crazy and gauges dropping out ) and about 10 codes keep coming back ,does anyone know what could be wrong
Danny4634
forward control module
do you know where the forward control module is .its a metal unit on the side of the fuses in the engine bay held there with 4 screws remove this and spray the plug with CRC or simular dry and refit fixed my problem permanently been 3 weeks now no problems
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2 Posts
I had the same problem over a year. I just had the pcm tcm wcm & sunroof updates done for my 2007 300c. Its too earlty to tell if this has worked. Will send future posts.
Instrument panel going bezerk
I have the 2005 model Chrysler 300. Had the same problem. There was a computer chip that was defective. It only happened in damp
weather.. It was very annoying in the spring and fall. I took it to 2 Chrysler dealers. They both said it could not be repaired as it did
Not act crazy when it was hooked up to the diagnostic computer, so they could not tell what was wrong.
I went to an independent mechanic for new brakes and an oil change and said if he could do something about the flashing and
Flickering lights , I would appreciate it. I expected nothing as this was the 5th time that I tried to get this repaired.
When I returned there was a photocopy from the Chrysler website telling how to repair this problem, identifying which chip was
defective and how to download a new program on a new blank chip. I was instructed to take the photocopy to a Chrysler dealer.
I did. The substitution took 50 minutes to download the software. I have never had a problem since.
It was maddening that this problem with its solution was reported on the Chrysler website 6 months before the first time I went to
a dealer to get it repaired. Two dealerships and neither one looked it up.. It was 8 years before the solution was found by an independent
mechanic. It is 2016 and I am still driving the car and enjoying it. Franc
I have the 2005 model Chrysler 300. Had the same problem. There was a computer chip that was defective. It only happened in damp
weather.. It was very annoying in the spring and fall. I took it to 2 Chrysler dealers. They both said it could not be repaired as it did
Not act crazy when it was hooked up to the diagnostic computer, so they could not tell what was wrong.
I went to an independent mechanic for new brakes and an oil change and said if he could do something about the flashing and
Flickering lights , I would appreciate it. I expected nothing as this was the 5th time that I tried to get this repaired.
When I returned there was a photocopy from the Chrysler website telling how to repair this problem, identifying which chip was
defective and how to download a new program on a new blank chip. I was instructed to take the photocopy to a Chrysler dealer.
I did. The substitution took 50 minutes to download the software. I have never had a problem since.
It was maddening that this problem with its solution was reported on the Chrysler website 6 months before the first time I went to
a dealer to get it repaired. Two dealerships and neither one looked it up.. It was 8 years before the solution was found by an independent
mechanic. It is 2016 and I am still driving the car and enjoying it. Franc
Hi Franc,
Is it possible to download and fix the problem diyself?
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I recently hit a deer got car back from body shop 2 days later lights on dash going crazy. Then it went away 1 month later doing it again now car won't start 2 days later car starts and runs fine. Someone please help I LOVE my 300. Body shop says not there problem.
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