gm280
Supreme Mariner
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2011
- Messages
- 14,605
Okay, I have been working on a Heater Core and AC Evaporator replacement for my grandson's 96 Jeep GC. All that work has been completed and works fine now. But I was challenged to repair the VIC unit now.
VIC, Vehicle Information Center, is a unit that sits just above the center consul in the dash just above the ash tray, that tells you if you have a problem with the vehicle. Things like doors ajar, taillights out, turn singles not working, oil levels low, coolant low and date, day, month, time and even mileage to next service schedule, things like that.
His wasn't working...at all. Dead, total black out. So I tackled it and so far I found a completely fried and broken in half TO-220 size component 041MC03. And of course I can't find basically anything that tells me what the heck it is. Sounds like a special designed component that Chrysler had made just for them. Nobody knows exactly what it is or does because I've been searching for a few real hours now. Some suggest it is a 3 volt voltage regulator but that doesn't make a lot of sense, since I am thinking the florescent section works on a lot higher voltage. But I really don't know either!
I also found one small puffed up electrolytic cap (47mfd 25 volt) that I have replaced, even though it tested good out of the circuit. In fact I removed almost all the caps and tested them already to rule out any shorted or way out of value ones.
Since it is totally blacked out, I figured it has to be the power supply section inside. But since this unit uses a florescent display, It has a buck converter that this questioned part is part of. It also has a 7805 5 volt regulator part, but it gets its power from the higher voltage section as well. It is a pretty interesting unit that if I could get a replacement part OR know exactly what it does, I could substitute something in its place.
SOooooo... Does anybody out there have an idea or owns a VIC unit? :violin:
Any help out there?
ray2: :help:
VIC, Vehicle Information Center, is a unit that sits just above the center consul in the dash just above the ash tray, that tells you if you have a problem with the vehicle. Things like doors ajar, taillights out, turn singles not working, oil levels low, coolant low and date, day, month, time and even mileage to next service schedule, things like that.
His wasn't working...at all. Dead, total black out. So I tackled it and so far I found a completely fried and broken in half TO-220 size component 041MC03. And of course I can't find basically anything that tells me what the heck it is. Sounds like a special designed component that Chrysler had made just for them. Nobody knows exactly what it is or does because I've been searching for a few real hours now. Some suggest it is a 3 volt voltage regulator but that doesn't make a lot of sense, since I am thinking the florescent section works on a lot higher voltage. But I really don't know either!
I also found one small puffed up electrolytic cap (47mfd 25 volt) that I have replaced, even though it tested good out of the circuit. In fact I removed almost all the caps and tested them already to rule out any shorted or way out of value ones.
Since it is totally blacked out, I figured it has to be the power supply section inside. But since this unit uses a florescent display, It has a buck converter that this questioned part is part of. It also has a 7805 5 volt regulator part, but it gets its power from the higher voltage section as well. It is a pretty interesting unit that if I could get a replacement part OR know exactly what it does, I could substitute something in its place.
SOooooo... Does anybody out there have an idea or owns a VIC unit? :violin:
Any help out there?
ray2: :help:
