Stupid Dodge Intrepid tricks, part n

[unixronin]

In the continuing tradition of Stupid Dodge Intrepid Electrical Tricks, I just drove back from Shaw's with no instrument panel lights.  At all.

But that's OK; I wasn't really missing out on anything.

You see, I didn't have any instruments either.

Yeah, that's right, the entire dash is dead.  Unless you switch from low to high beam (but not high to low) and hold the switch back.  Then the entire panel works (well, except for the blown fuel gauge backlight bulb that can't be changed without tearing the dash apart).  For as long as you hold the switch back.  The moment you have to let go of it, the panel's dead again.

I am sick and tired of this damned car's seemingly never-ending series of random electrical faults, and at this moment in time I fully intend to never buy another Chrysler product.

Comments

[arasirsul.livejournal.com]

Chances are you've got a flaky ground and the whole shootin' match is grounding through the high-beam stalk switch. Ugh. Which prolly ain't good for the switch, neither, come to think of it.

Aside from their trucks (which may as well be a separate company doing 'em...), I'm not convinced there's currently a Chrysler product worth buying, so I don't think you'll be missing much...

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

If we had the cash to spare, I would go and trade this thing in on a Volvo XC70 tomorrow.

[arasirsul.livejournal.com]

Hm. Not high on my list, but then, I don't have to haul children. :)

I've been drooling over the 1-series BMW, myself.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

No space in either the stable or the budget for "toy" cars right now. We need a car that can comfortably seat five people, three of'em adult-sized, and still have room to haul stuff. AWD would be awfully nice up here, too. And then there's that the two I test-drove were the most comfortable cars I've ever driven with my much-the-worse-for-wear knees ... lots of adjustability, good seating position, great visibility, and Volvo got the ergonomics right.