Experiencing bizarre electrical problems in your minivan, especially when the temperature drops? That’s exactly what happened during a recent road trip in a 2015 Chrysler Town & Country. It started subtly, but quickly escalated into a concerning situation, highlighting the potential for unexpected glitches in modern vehicle systems.
The journey began in uncharacteristically cold weather. The dashboard display registered a chilly 8°F – a far cry from the usual Austin climate. As the minivan cruised through Cincinnati, warning lights flickered to life, followed swiftly by a complete shutdown of the HVAC system. Suddenly, there was no heat, only the fan blowing cold air. Even the seat heaters gave up the ghost. Navigating carefully without traction control or ABS on potentially icy roads, the immediate priority was safety. Pulling into a Walmart parking lot, a restart of the engine miraculously reset everything back to normal.
Fortuitously, a Chuy’s Tex Mex in the same parking lot offered a comforting taste of home, prompting a dinner stop. However, as the minivan entered the Chuy’s parking lot and encountered a bump, the electrical gremlins returned with a vengeance, plunging the vehicle back into the same state of electrical chaos. A call to a father-in-law, a seasoned VW master technician, provided some initial direction. His suspicion fell on either a loose connection or external interference with a wheel speed sensor, possibly due to slush, ice, or road salt – the van clearly protesting against the unfamiliar cold.
To address the potential external contaminants, a trip through an undercarriage car wash was deemed necessary, hoping to blast away any debris. After the car wash, a restart in the parking lot brought everything back online – no warning lights, and blessedly warm heat. With darkness setting in, the decision was made to head south, aiming for Louisville for the night and planning for a more thorough inspection in the morning. The drive to the motel was uneventful until, predictably, another bump upon entering the parking lot triggered the same electrical malfunction. This reinforced the suspicion of a wheel speed sensor issue, or something related, being sensitive to physical jolts. The next day, however, started without incident, and the minivan completed the drive to Texarkana free of any further ABS or traction control related issues.
This experience raises questions about the vulnerability of vehicle systems to seemingly minor external factors and the potential for intermittent electrical faults. While the wheel speed sensor was initially suspected, and the bumps seemed to trigger the issue, the broader problem could potentially involve the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) wiring and its connection to the OBD2 port. The OBD2 port is a central hub for diagnostics, and any issues with wiring or connections in this area can manifest in a variety of electrical problems, including sensor malfunctions and system failures.
In the 2015 Chrysler Town & Country, the VSS plays a crucial role in systems like ABS, traction control, and even the HVAC indirectly, as the vehicle’s computer relies on accurate speed data for various functions. A loose or corroded wire in the VSS circuit, particularly near the OBD2 port or any related junction, could be sensitive to bumps and vibrations, causing intermittent signal disruptions. This disruption can lead to the cascade of electrical problems experienced, including warning lights and system shutdowns.
For anyone experiencing similar electrical issues in their 2015 Chrysler Town & Country, especially if symptoms are intermittent or triggered by road bumps, investigating the VSS wiring and OBD2 port connections is a worthwhile diagnostic step. Checking for loose connections, corrosion, or damage to the wiring harness in these areas could potentially uncover the root cause of the problem. While this particular road trip ended without a definitive fix, it serves as a reminder of the complexities of modern vehicle electronics and the importance of considering seemingly simple factors like wiring and connections when troubleshooting electrical gremlins.
