Grand Caravan V6-4.0L (2008)
Fog/Driving Lamp Indicator: Description and Operation
Front Fog Lamp Indicator
Description
DESCRIPTION
A front fog lamp indicator is standard equipment on all instrument clusters. However, on vehicles not equipped with the optional front fog lamps, this
indicator is electronically disabled. On Dodge vehicles, this indicator is located near the bottom of the speedometer dial face of the cluster overlay, just
right of center. On Chrysler vehicles, this indicator is located near the upper right corner of the cluster overlay, above the engine temperature gauge.
The front fog lamp indicator consists of a stencil-like cutout of the International Control and Display Symbol icon for Front Fog Light in the opaque
layer of the instrument cluster overlay. The dark outer layer of the overlay prevents the indicator from being clearly visible when it is not illuminated. A
green Light Emitting Diode (LED) behind the cutout in the opaque layer of the overlay causes the indicator to appear in green through the translucent
outer layer of the overlay when it is illuminated from behind by the LED, which is soldered onto the instrument cluster electronic circuit board.
The front fog lamp indicator is serviced as a unit with the instrument cluster.
Operation
OPERATION
The front fog lamp indicator gives an indication to the vehicle operator whenever the front fog lamps are illuminated. This indicator is controlled by a
transistor on the instrument cluster circuit board based upon cluster programming and electronic messages received by the cluster from the Totally
Integrated Power Module (TIPM) over the Controller Area Network (CAN) data bus.
The front fog lamp indicator Light Emitting Diode (LED) is completely controlled by the instrument cluster logic circuit, and that logic will allow this
indicator to operate whenever the instrument cluster receives a battery current input on the fused B(+) circuit. Therefore, the LED can be illuminated
regardless of the ignition switch position. The LED only illuminates when it is provided a path to ground by the instrument cluster transistor. The
instrument cluster will turn ON the front fog lamp indicator for the following reasons:
-
Front Fog Indicator Lamp-On Message - Each time the cluster receives an electronic front fog indicator lamp-ON message from the TIPM
indicating the front fog lamps are turned ON, the front fog lamp indicator will be illuminated. The indicator remains illuminated until the cluster
receives a lamp-OFF message from the TIPM, or until the exterior lamp load shedding (battery saver) timed interval expires, whichever occurs
first.
-
Actuator Test - Each time the cluster is put through the actuator test, the front fog lamp indicator will be turned ON, then OFF again during the
bulb check portion of the test to confirm the functionality of the LED and the cluster control circuitry.
The TIPM continually monitors electronic exterior lighting request messages from the ElectroMechanical Instrument Cluster (EMIC) (also known as
the Cab Compartment Node/CCN) to determine the appropriate outputs to the front fog lamps. The TIPM activates or deactivates the front fog lamps
then sends the proper lamp-ON or lamp-OFF message back to the EMIC.
For proper diagnosis of the front fog lamp system, the TIPM, the EMIC, the CAN data bus or the electronic communication related to front fog lamp
indicator operation a diagnostic scan tool is required.
