Horrible electrical issues
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From: USA
Horrible electrical issues
Specs up front:
2005 Ford Expedition NBX
My sunroof drain got clogged and somehow water leaked down the tube and all over the fusebox (wonderful design). I only found out it was leaking down there once I started having problems and put it all together. It was very gradual. Once in a while I would get a "door sensor data error". No big deal, it would go away and things still worked. Then the auto headlights stopped working. Then the power 3rd row seats stopped, then the power locks stopped (really sucks because there is no key for the rear hatch). It would come and go. Sometimes I could go a month without an issue or somethings 5 seconds of it working then not working. I would hear a funny ticking/shuttering noise from someplace under the dash (probably by the fuse panel, but while driving it is hard to triangulate).
So I hit the forums and described the issues and started to work on the problem. I purchased a new VSM because that was the one thing everybody seemed to agree wasn't working. That turned out to not be the problem because the VSM isn't even detected by the car (old one or new one). The Ford tool could not detect it. They were able to say my old one most likely was working, just not able to talk to the car for some reason. A scary thing is that you can remove the VSM and the car starts and drives fine with the exception of the errors above (some security). I then purchased a new fusebox and all new fuses and relays because they said "the fusebox probably has a short inside it". I replaced the fuse box today and I still have the same problems. Now the suggestion is to buy new connectors because there could be corrosion on them. I have spent a small fortune with this problem. I wouldn't mind spending the money if I knew it was the solution. I feel like I've wasted good money towards nothing. New connectors are going to cost a few hundred bucks. I cant find a single one in the scrap yards or ebay. Does anybody have any experience with this issue or a suggestion of how to even track down the issue? I wish I knew all the wire outs on the fuse panel that go to the VSM so I could worry about only replacing those at least. Thanks for listening and any help would be great.
-Chris
2005 Ford Expedition NBX
My sunroof drain got clogged and somehow water leaked down the tube and all over the fusebox (wonderful design). I only found out it was leaking down there once I started having problems and put it all together. It was very gradual. Once in a while I would get a "door sensor data error". No big deal, it would go away and things still worked. Then the auto headlights stopped working. Then the power 3rd row seats stopped, then the power locks stopped (really sucks because there is no key for the rear hatch). It would come and go. Sometimes I could go a month without an issue or somethings 5 seconds of it working then not working. I would hear a funny ticking/shuttering noise from someplace under the dash (probably by the fuse panel, but while driving it is hard to triangulate).
So I hit the forums and described the issues and started to work on the problem. I purchased a new VSM because that was the one thing everybody seemed to agree wasn't working. That turned out to not be the problem because the VSM isn't even detected by the car (old one or new one). The Ford tool could not detect it. They were able to say my old one most likely was working, just not able to talk to the car for some reason. A scary thing is that you can remove the VSM and the car starts and drives fine with the exception of the errors above (some security). I then purchased a new fusebox and all new fuses and relays because they said "the fusebox probably has a short inside it". I replaced the fuse box today and I still have the same problems. Now the suggestion is to buy new connectors because there could be corrosion on them. I have spent a small fortune with this problem. I wouldn't mind spending the money if I knew it was the solution. I feel like I've wasted good money towards nothing. New connectors are going to cost a few hundred bucks. I cant find a single one in the scrap yards or ebay. Does anybody have any experience with this issue or a suggestion of how to even track down the issue? I wish I knew all the wire outs on the fuse panel that go to the VSM so I could worry about only replacing those at least. Thanks for listening and any help would be great.
-Chris
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 10,511
Likes: 10
From: Under the flightpath of old ORD 22R
Not too sure where you got the advice above.
Few things.
1. If the Expy is similar in nature to the F150, the door sensor data error could be due to corroded splice in the door sills. which door sill I do not know.
2. The Autolamps, do the headlamps work as normal on the main headlamp switch ? when you replaced the VSM, did you check the VSM connector for a burnt pin ?
This has happened in the past on F150s for some reason ( autolamp, headlamps do not work but normal does )
This is assuming the place that replaced the fuse panel checked the fuses with a meter on both pins, and at the VSM for the VSM to use for autolamp power ( Fuse #40 -> dark blue w/ orange stripe wire at VSM )
3. Power door locks is also a VSM item, which is starting to look like an issue with fuse #107 or for the PDL Fuse #18 ( -> White w/ light blue stripe wire ).
Could also be a loose ground on the lug that the VSM uses, saw this two times ( think Bluejay was one of the two ?? )
This is what I would have started with rather than R&R the VSM and Fuse panel ( that is the last thing I would want to change ).
BTW : VSM is just the name for the device, it has nothing to do with the immobilizer with the PATS keys. That is cluster to PCM operation, so no shock it runs without it. The immobilizer is key to cluster to PCM process.
Few things.
1. If the Expy is similar in nature to the F150, the door sensor data error could be due to corroded splice in the door sills. which door sill I do not know.
2. The Autolamps, do the headlamps work as normal on the main headlamp switch ? when you replaced the VSM, did you check the VSM connector for a burnt pin ?
This has happened in the past on F150s for some reason ( autolamp, headlamps do not work but normal does )
This is assuming the place that replaced the fuse panel checked the fuses with a meter on both pins, and at the VSM for the VSM to use for autolamp power ( Fuse #40 -> dark blue w/ orange stripe wire at VSM )
3. Power door locks is also a VSM item, which is starting to look like an issue with fuse #107 or for the PDL Fuse #18 ( -> White w/ light blue stripe wire ).
Could also be a loose ground on the lug that the VSM uses, saw this two times ( think Bluejay was one of the two ?? )
This is what I would have started with rather than R&R the VSM and Fuse panel ( that is the last thing I would want to change ).
BTW : VSM is just the name for the device, it has nothing to do with the immobilizer with the PATS keys. That is cluster to PCM operation, so no shock it runs without it. The immobilizer is key to cluster to PCM process.