Flashing HVAC lights after new battery

Just changed the battery on a '98 Grand Caravan 3.3. In the process of tightening the positive terminal I accidently touched the wrench to the negative. There was a spark, of course, but otherwise no biggie. However, now the HVAC indicator lights, including the rear wiper, defroster, etc. indicator lights, all blink continuously until about 15 minutes of driving, then they return to normal. I disconnected the battery thinking that I needed to clear the PCM but the blinking always returns. Is this some sort of manual code reading deal? If so there's no mention of it in the Haynes manual.
Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

i know it is due to the hvac being out of calabration but i froget how to re calibrate. it go to a dealer they will probably take care of it for free or some what cheep

On the left side of the A\C control panel hold down the top and bottoms buttons with the engine running, high blower, panel, full cold (both levers if so equipped). When the lights on the panel come on solid and then start flashing release buttons. It will take about 2 mins or less for it to calibrate. If only the top left button is flashing you are done. Press that button once or restart van all function should be normal.

Hi Jeremy or CJB,

Last night I changed a battery on my 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan and 4 LEDs (AC, circulation, rear window wiper, & timing wiper) started to flash, and after about 15 min. they stop flashing. I read your posts, but it is not clear
how to recalibrate the a/c system.

You mentioned holding down top and bottom bottons on the A/C control panel. Can you explain which buttons are those?

Hi Jeremy or CJB,

Last night I changed a battery on my 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan and 4 LEDs (AC, circulation, rear window wiper, & timing wiper) started to flash, and after about 15 min. they stop flashing. I read your posts, but it is not clear
how to recalibrate the a/c system.

You mentioned holding down top and bottom bottons on the A/C control panel. Can you explain which buttons are those?


Press the A/C and rear washer button at the same time.

Ok. I have been wondering how to get the same lights to stop flashing for over a year now. I seen this post and read the answer. I immediatly went out and tried it and it re-calibrated the AC so quick I was shocked.
All you need to do is start your van. (if you are unsure what knob or lever is which I am looking in the manual for proper terms) Then slide your temp lever all the way to the right (full cold). Then turn the Mode Control to 'panel' (the one that sends air to your face only). Then turn the 'blower switch' to all the way to full. Now go to the leftmost three buttons. Press the top one (rear wiper on constant) and the bottom one (rear wiper washer fluid). Hold these two for a few seconds. Once the lights come on solid then begin to flash you can let go. The AC will now calibrate. You will feel the air blow out of all the different zones at different intervals and see lights come on and go off. Then after a minute or two the top bottn you pressed will be slowly flashing. This means it has been completed (I actually let it run for 5 more minutes just in case something else started blinking). Press the last flashing button and you are done. I then turned off the van and started it back up and now I don't have those infernal blinking lights for the first fifteen minutes of my drives. Thank you to whoever it was who posted the initial answer to this problem.

We've got the same problem with our van, (98 Voyager) only it's just the A/C button and the recirc button beside it that are flashing. I have followed the steps above, it's gone through it's recalibration procedure, but these two lights continue to flash once it's done, which leads me to believe there's more to this problem.
Neither those buttons or the rear defroster work while they're blinking, but after the van's been running 15 minutes or so, they stop blinking and operate normally. Does anyone have any clue what this problem may be?

That procedure worked fine, but now I have 2 lights left blinking. The AC on/off light and the 'Circulation button'...

Any Suggestions?

-- Martin

Ok. I have been wondering how to get the same lights to stop flashing for over a year now. I seen this post and read the answer. I immediatly went out and tried it and it re-calibrated the AC so quick I was shocked.
All you need to do is start your van. (if you are unsure what knob or lever is which I am looking in the manual for proper terms) Then slide your temp lever all the way to the right (full cold). Then turn the Mode Control to 'panel' (the one that sends air to your face only). Then turn the 'blower switch' to all the way to full. Now go to the leftmost three buttons. Press the top one (rear wiper on constant) and the bottom one (rear wiper washer fluid). Hold these two for a few seconds. Once the lights come on solid then begin to flash you can let go. The AC will now calibrate. You will feel the air blow out of all the different zones at different intervals and see lights come on and go off. Then after a minute or two the top bottn you pressed will be slowly flashing. This means it has been completed (I actually let it run for 5 more minutes just in case something else started blinking). Press the last flashing button and you are done. I then turned off the van and started it back up and now I don't have those infernal blinking lights for the first fifteen minutes of my drives. Thank you to whoever it was who posted the initial answer to this problem.

Well, after I posted this, I was under the hood to change the battery and noticed there is no air conditioner belt on ours (we just bought it before I posted) so I guess that's what's causing our lights to flash. Maybe yours could be gone too? The lady who sold it to us didn't know it was missing, so it must have slipped off somewhere unnoticed.

Hi,I'm from the UK and have a 98 Voyager. I also got the flashing lights on the AC control panel. I've run the test, but I still end up with the two rear wiper buttons slowly flashing one after the other (not together). I've also tried the AC and rear wash buttons test, but that still leaves me with the AC and recircualtion buttons flashing together and the two wiper button flashing, again one after the other. I've read the rest of the threads but it still doesn't make much sense as to what I should do next. Can anyone help? Otherwise this is going to cost me a whole heap of money. Thanks to all in advance.

Press the A/C and rear washer button at the same time. thanks for this info love this site mike

Thanks for the detailed information. I have to try this when I get home, but I expect it will work great.

Thanks again,

Kchem

Like others who have replied to this forum, my initial attempts did not completely recalibrate the AC and left two lights flashing. After re-reading the post quoted below, I figured out the problem. Apparently in some models, the temp. control is at full hot when the temp lever is all the way to the right. I attempted to calibrate by setting the temp control all the way to the left which is full cold in my van. I also have a rear blower and dual zone temp control. To get my system to recalibrate, I did as noted below, with the exception that I put all the blowers on high and slid the temp control levers all the way to the right (which was full hot in my van). The system went through the normal adjustments and after pressing the final button was completely reset. My advice to anyone is to follow the procedure below to the letter, ignoring whether or not your temp control is set for hot or cold- just have it all the way to the right.

Ok. I have been wondering how to get the same lights to stop flashing for over a year now. I seen this post and read the answer. I immediatly went out and tried it and it re-calibrated the AC so quick I was shocked.
All you need to do is start your van. (if you are unsure what knob or lever is which I am looking in the manual for proper terms) Then slide your temp lever all the way to the right (full cold). Then turn the Mode Control to 'panel' (the one that sends air to your face only). Then turn the 'blower switch' to all the way to full. Now go to the leftmost three buttons. Press the top one (rear wiper on constant) and the bottom one (rear wiper washer fluid). Hold these two for a few seconds. Once the lights come on solid then begin to flash you can let go. The AC will now calibrate. You will feel the air blow out of all the different zones at different intervals and see lights come on and go off. Then after a minute or two the top bottn you pressed will be slowly flashing. This means it has been completed (I actually let it run for 5 more minutes just in case something else started blinking). Press the last flashing button and you are done. I then turned off the van and started it back up and now I don't have those infernal blinking lights for the first fifteen minutes of my drives. Thank you to whoever it was who posted the initial answer to this problem.

Here is my experience. I have a 1998 Grand Voyager. Like "Kchem", if you turn the temp slider to the right in my vehicle the temperature is set to HOT!. I tried the temp control to the right. The Recirc and the Compressor lights continued to flash after the test. I tried with the Temp set to the left "Cold". Same result. I read in another post that if the recalibrate test leaves lights still flashing to try the "Cool Down" Test. Execute the cool down test by holding the bottom left-most button and the Bottom Right-most button (A/C). After executing the Cool down test, all light turned of and then to their normal expected modes. Recirc and A/C on only..... No Flashing..... WooHooo!

Notes:
1. A/C and Recirc Buttons should be on for both tests.
2. Even when I turned the Temp to HOT (Right) the air blew cold during the test, hence I think turn to cold for the test is the correct statement.
3. The Cool down test, The name simply suggests setting temp to cold.
4. I believe I ran the cool down test twice.

Good Luck, and thanks everyone for their great posts!

Like others who have replied to this forum, my initial attempts did not completely recalibrate the AC and left two lights flashing. After re-reading the post quoted below, I figured out the problem. Apparently in some models, the temp. control is at full hot when the temp lever is all the way to the right. I attempted to calibrate by setting the temp control all the way to the left which is full cold in my van. I also have a rear blower and dual zone temp control. To get my system to recalibrate, I did as noted below, with the exception that I put all the blowers on high and slid the temp control levers all the way to the right (which was full hot in my van). The system went through the normal adjustments and after pressing the final button was completely reset. My advice to anyone is to follow the procedure below to the letter, ignoring whether or not your temp control is set for hot or cold- just have it all the way to the right.

I had the same problem we had put a new motor in our van and the lights kept flashing. I ran the test with the rear wiper buttons but the ac light kept on flashing. After we fixed the ac I ran the test again no success. I ran the cool down test with slides to the right, they were still flashing ( it actually wouldn't even run the test). I ran the test with the slides to the left and SUCCESS. Finally after months of those annoying lights my van is one step closer to being back to normal. Thanks for all your different ideas. Tom

Hi. We have a 96 Grand Caravan SE 3.3. We also have a similar problem. The A/C and recovery lights used to flash for close to 40 minutes, but now it's down to 10-15. All other buttons work fine, just the lights don't work until that initial 10-15 minutes are up. The buttons are also sticky, leading me to believe someone spilled pop in there sometime in the past. I don't have rear air nor dual climate controls. My biggest problem is that the blower just quit today. In the past it would quit, and then it would just magically work a few hours, day or two later. Then, all speeds but 5 quit working, so I had to have it on FULL to have any air come out [not fun in the winter]. Now the blower has quit again. It did this a few days ago [the 4th], but then worked about 25 minutes after it quit. Well, it hasn't started back up yet today. I don't know if this is a problem in the panel or not, but will that little fix work for a 96 as well? Will it solve the blower problem [assuming it's in the panel]? thanks

I was to anxious and decided to reset the panel. After using a bunch of washer fluid [stickyiest button and my bad timing], it reset itself. The lights work! Yay. However, the blower still does not work. Any speed 1-4 acts as if the switch is off [A/C or recovery lights don't respond, doors don't move/open or anything], but if it's in 5 the doors open/move, lights respond, but no air is moved. Any ideas?

Also, when I turn recovery off I guess some door opens or something, but you hear a little whir for it to open or w/e, and then a clack clack clack clack pause clack clack, pause clack and then it's outside air. Going back to recovery is just a little whir and no clacking.

Hi. We have a 96 Grand Caravan SE 3.3. We also have a similar problem. The A/C and recovery lights used to flash for close to 40 minutes, but now it's down to 10-15. All other buttons work fine, just the lights don't work until that initial 10-15 minutes are up. The buttons are also sticky, leading me to believe someone spilled pop in there sometime in the past. I don't have rear air nor dual climate controls. My biggest problem is that the blower just quit today. In the past it would quit, and then it would just magically work a few hours, day or two later. Then, all speeds but 5 quit working, so I had to have it on FULL to have any air come out [not fun in the winter]. Now the blower has quit again. It did this a few days ago [the 4th], but then worked about 25 minutes after it quit. Well, it hasn't started back up yet today. I don't know if this is a problem in the panel or not, but will that little fix work for a 96 as well? Will it solve the blower problem [assuming it's in the panel]? thanks

After following all of your procedures, I still had the flashing lights problem. Then on the Snap-On tools site in "Tech-tips" I found the same procedures except this time I noticed they said to have the A/C turned off during the recalibration. I missed that before. When I made sure the A/C was off the recalibrations worked fine.

Thanks for all your help!

Thanks guys. The fix worked like a charm. My 96 grand caravan got a new battery last week, and the flashing lights too. Guy who put in the battery couldn't figure it out, said to go back to the dealer who probably had the reset codes. Before spending the time and $$ (always) to visit my friendly local dodge service department i figured i'd do a google search first...googled "grand caravan flashing console lights" and got a link to this forum. After registering, i searched on the forum and found this thread. Printed out the instructions, went out to the old van, and it was fixed in minutes! My best auto repair experience in a long time. Thanks again. This forum is great.

Thanks to everyone on this site for saving me 100 + dollars in technician costs. My 97 T&C had a battery go bad so I changed it and just like the rest of you all 4 lights started flashing. I read the information in this forum and within 5 minutes I had the problem fixed. I am making this officially my designated site for my tech related questions. And just for everyones information I asked 3 of the technicians I work with at Elk River Ford Dodge & Jeep in Minnesota about the problem and not one of them answered the question with an answer even close to this forum. Thanks again

I have done all this but still am having problems. Now my recirc light and A/C lights keep blinking! Why is this?

I'm having the ame problem. I have tried every variation of what this thread says to do, and I still have the 2 lights blinking and the A/C and the recir. don't work until after they stop blinking. Usually by the time I get to work and don't need them.

I'm having the ame problem. I have tried every variation of what this thread says to do, and I still have the 2 lights blinking and the A/C and the recir. don't work until after they stop blinking. Usually by the time I get to work and don't need them.


I have the same general problem (4 lights blinking) on my 1997 Ply G. Voyager. I found this link and solution and will try this tonight. I need to study the above obviously useful thread if I have probs below.



http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/What_do_flashing_lights_on_the_rear_window_wiper_a nd_ac_buttons_mean_on_a_'98_Plymouth_Voyager_van


Answer
My 97 Voyager has done the same thing. It was control panel programing, the following instructions is how to program your control panel: 1) SET BLOWER ON HIGH 2) SET MODE TO PANEL 3) SET TEMP TO COLD 4) PRESS WASH AND REAR WIPER TOGATHER AND HOLD FOR 5 SEC. IT WILL GO THROUGH A SERIES OF FLASHING, WHEN DONE THE REAR WIPER SHOULD BE THE ONLY ONE FLASHING PRESS REAR WIPER TO EXIT. DO THIS WITH VAN RUNNING. This worked for my 1997 Voyager. I hope it works for yours.

I'm having the ame problem. I have tried every variation of what this thread says to do, and I still have the 2 lights blinking and the A/C and the recir. don't work until after they stop blinking. Usually by the time I get to work and don't need them.
I have tried all the different ways that this thread has said to try and the 2 lights are STILL flashing. Let me know how you made out with it.

thanks guys for the info no more flashing lights.
ka kite uno new zealand.

had the same 2 flashing lights......A/C and Recirc.
what i did was turn the ignition to ON and with lights flashing pressed the A/C and the rear washer buttons at the same time..........this lit up ALL lights on this panel for a few seconds, then only the two original lights were left flashing,BUT alternately, not in unison as before.........the recalibration followed and then all lights went off.
i did start the van at some point but can't remember exactly when........i think it was when all the lights came on at the beginning...sorry!

I have the same general problem (4 lights blinking) on my 1997 Ply G. Voyager. I found this link and solution and will try this tonight. I need to study the above obviously useful thread if I have probs below.



http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/What_do_flashing_lights_on_the_rear_window_wiper_a nd_ac_buttons_mean_on_a_'98_Plymouth_Voyager_van


Answer
My 97 Voyager has done the same thing. It was control panel programing, the following instructions is how to program your control panel: 1) SET BLOWER ON HIGH 2) SET MODE TO PANEL 3) SET TEMP TO COLD 4) PRESS WASH AND REAR WIPER TOGATHER AND HOLD FOR 5 SEC. IT WILL GO THROUGH A SERIES OF FLASHING, WHEN DONE THE REAR WIPER SHOULD BE THE ONLY ONE FLASHING PRESS REAR WIPER TO EXIT. DO THIS WITH VAN RUNNING. This worked for my 1997 Voyager. I hope it works for yours.


That is correct , that's the official procedure right out of the factory manual.

I was to anxious and decided to reset the panel. After using a bunch of washer fluid [stickyiest button and my bad timing], it reset itself. The lights work! Yay. However, the blower still does not work. Any speed 1-4 acts as if the switch is off [A/C or recovery lights don't respond, doors don't move/open or anything], but if it's in 5 the doors open/move, lights respond, but no air is moved. Any ideas?

Also, when I turn recovery off I guess some door opens or something, but you hear a little whir for it to open or w/e, and then a clack clack clack clack pause clack clack, pause clack and then it's outside air. Going back to recovery is just a little whir and no clacking.
You need to get the blower motor resistor replaced , 2 of your speeds are gone , when you go to those speeds it kills the power and parks the blend door in the closed position which is clicking you are hearing . it's about $50 at the dealer or less than $20 for the part.

tried every pattern above.

97 caravan se

the two wiper buttons and the two air buttons (air c and recirc) continue to flash afterwards....

help

Hey , BE PATIENT, I went to reset my 97 Voyager and had my recirc and AC lights flashing!! Tried again and waited long enough that they went out and only top left light slowly flashed. Shut van down and restart and it now works perfectly. Hope this helps some of the two light flashing people like me. Thanks big time to those that posted the solution to this problem helped me out huge!!!!!

Thank you folks for this thread. I just changed the battery in my 98 Caravan. I had the lights. Google led me here.

I did the test and didn't wait long enough and got the two flashing lights.

I redid the "fix" and let the van run some, a couple minutes, and then when I went out only one light was flashing. I pressed it like the instructions said and all was well. So maybe some of those folks who are getting the two lights flashing, the wiper lights, are not letting the test run long enough.

I have you guys bookmarked thanks!!!!!!!!! :grinyes:

Thank you sooo much for your advice! My husband and I have been trying to figure out what the deal was with the 2 flashing lights on our van. It was driving us crazy. I came across this board and found the answer. On my way home from work I fixed it (after playing with it for 20 minutes) and ran in the house telling my hubby. He was shocked, especially since he does a ton of mechanic work and had no idea what the deal was...LOL

This is what I did:

Started my van
Turn dials to panel, heat & high speed fan
pressed furthest left button (wash rear window) and furthest right button on the bottom (air conditioning)
It ran through its series (even turned on air cond.) and left one button flashing.
I pushed that last flashing button AND
hit the button on my auto starter remote that keeps the engine started without the keys and it worked like a charm!

I tried all kinds of different combos and nothing was working. I was about to give up and run in to my babysitter's house to get the kids, but wanted to keep the car running with the heat and it cleared the lights...lol I was soooo happy!

Bringing back a possibly dead thread, but just wanted to thank the posters and give some new info. Have a 98 Voyager and had that blinking lights problem. Ran the first test, then was left with the recirc and a/c lights blinking together. Ran the cool down test and was left with the left-side-topmost button and left-side-middle button flashing in a 1 and 6 pattern pressed the top button (Was expecting only the top button to be flashing, but got this instead) pressed the top button and all lights turned off. Fixed. Thanks again!

I have a 97 Dodge Caravan and tried had the flashing AC and Recirc LEDs simultaneous after a battery jump start a month ago. I followed the "Normal" Cool down Test procedure to always end up with a successfull and final slow blinking light of the Rear Wiper LED. During the test only the Rear Window and Intermittant Rear would alternate flashing .But the AC/Recirc flashing would always come back. --UNTIL-- I follow the same setup as defined by so many posts (High blower, temp to COLD, mode to Panel) but the only difference was that I initiated the test with the Rear Wash and AC buttons instead of the Rear Wash and Rear Wiper buttons. This starts the test and during the test - 'Amazingly' the Recirc and AC lights would alternate flash. This time when the test was done, all the lights went out by themselves and I simply restarted my van. IT WAS FIXED!!!

gir11910 is correct. I found the solution she mentions here:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Chrysler-Repair-807/2008/2/Chrysler-Voyager-1998.htm
I'm only including the Cooldown Test because that was the one I had a hard time finding the actual procedure for.

From that site:
-------
"COOLDOWN TEST ENTRY TO INITIATE TESTS:
Set Blower motor ON HIGH
Set Mode position to Panel
Set Temperature to Cold (Both slide pots if equipped)
Depress WASH and A/C simultaneously for 5 Seconds
NOTE: If the evaporator is already cold, operate system with A/C OFF and the blower motor ON high for three minutes prior to starting test.

RESULTS:
All LED's will turn on for 5 Seconds (Until all LED's light)
Cooldown Test is running when A/C and RECIRC. are alternately flashing. If A/C and RECIRC. are flashing simultaneously, Cooldown has failed. Make sure that the Blower motor is ON high, and temperature is ON full Cold, abort test and repeat Calibration "
-------
I did this, turned the car on and off twice, let it sit for 20 mins, started the car and turned on and off the AC and recirc buttons and still no light blinking.

I hope this helps someone.

I had similar problem in my 1998 Grand Caravan for the past year (or ore perhaps?) and had been wondering what to do? Should I take it to the dealer and spend couple of hundred dollars or to a auto repair shop and be at their mercy for telling me so much is broke that I cannot afford to repair it anymore!! Today, while I was looking for a video to replace the Steering Wheel Clock Spring and how to do this, I just happened to Google search for flashing lights, I stumbled upon couple of other posts which are talking about running some diagnostic tool and reset code etc etc and I had no idea how to do this and then saw this post in this forum. The post by camachoaj on 11/18/2003 caught my attention where he(or she?) explained so methodically how it could be reset. I also did exactly as it was described after printing the post and running to my car. Everything happened exactly the way it was mentioned there. However, when the top button was flashing slowly, the bottom right two lights - AC, circulation - kept on flashing. Then something stuck me. My van is also equipped with a temp slider knob for the rear section as well and I did not switch it on initially. Next time, I went thru the procedure posted by camachoaj , I also turned on the Rear Temp knob to full throttle and like a miracle happened, it all worked fine!! Now I am no longer facing the flashing lights!!! Thanks everyone who were on this post!!!

Thank you all- this worked a treat for my 1998 Grand Voyager (also full right is 'hot' in my version). Joined especially so I could show my appreciation to all involved in this thread :-).