98 T&C electrical issue

I've got a '98 T&C that recently quit running after a few miles once the battery dash light came on. Battery was drained. Tried a new alternator. No go. The garage I brought it to yesterday checked it out and they said the wire melted for the CO2 sensor. New sensor and pig tail needed. PCM defective and needs replacing, and a dealer needs to program it. The van runs great and I just use it around town, but I don't think its worth putting $1500+ into it now. Is there any way to get around charging the battery without relying on the PCM, or any other fix that might work. When the dash light comes on for the battery does it mean low battery or not charging. Thanks

If the van runs you can put an old style voltage regulator on it to control the alt field and have it charge. I have done this before when people did not want to replace the PCM if the charging problem was the only problem with the PCM. But it will most likely set a code in the PCM for the alt field circuit since you have to cut the field control wire to the PCM and wire it up to an ext regulator. Ron

Thanks 383man. Can I use any Mopar voltage regulator ? I have the wiring diagram and see that one wire (less than battery voltage) goes from PCM to alt. and the other wire (battery voltage) also goes from PCM to the alt. Should I be concerned about the burnt pigtail and CO2 sensor? I don't have to get an inspection sticker.

If some wires are burnt I would fix them. I just use the 2 pin electronic voltage reg from the 70's that the Mopars used. Good luck , Ron