I have had to jump start my van twice, and each time I have lost dashboard lights and all gauges. This second time (recent), it was almost as if the vehicle was dying--systems began to shut down--first the dashboard lights, then the gauges, then the interior dimming lights, then the turn signal and finally the brake lights and the stereo. Obviously, the brake lights and turn signals are most problematic, even dangerous. The systems went down over the course of a couple of days and by the time we got it in to the dealership, I was afraid of being rear ended just driving there!

I told the Tech that this problem occurred only one other time--the last time I jump started it--and asked him his theory. At least he was honest and said he didn't know. He said it was a rare thing, but then I told him it happened to me while I was driving a friend's Plymouth Voyager back from a fishing trip the month before. He just shrugged. I was kinda peeved and mentioned that this sort of thing didn't happen to Ford vans or Honda vans or my 1991 Honda accord, though I've jumped that thing a dozen times. He shrugged again.

Anyway, they replaced the fuses which had apparently blown (though the last time they said they had to reset some computer or something) and said there was a short between the dimmer switch and the radio which are apparently linked somehow. "That ought to fix the problem," said the Tech. "At least until I have to jump it again," I said.

He shrugged and lumbered off toward his lair in the dim, smoky recesses of the shop.