Hey gang, fairly new f150 owner here, really enjoying my truck. I have a 2004 f150 heritage. Here is the issue I'm having.

I installed a new Rado in the car and everything worked fine for about a month. Got in the truck the other day.. wtf? Puddle of water on the driver side floor mat. Turned the key.. engined turned over and wouldn't start. Looked under the dash and saw water driping on the fuse box and another box. Uggh.. threw a tarp over the truck and threw a dehu in there to dry things out. Also disconnected battery.

3 days later.. get in crank key. Started right up but then things got WEIRD. The wipers wouldn't work... then I put the car in drive.. they did. Shut the truck off and removed the key... fans still running. Ok, well it wasn't raining so I started driving. Then the interior light relay started buzzzing. At a stop light I put it in neutral... the buzzing stopped. But then it starts again.

I stopped for gas and when I started again, the buzzing was going and then my odo and the 4wd light started flashing on and off.
I found out that leaving the interior light on stopped the buzzing and the light flashing.

I purchased a new interior relay, unplugged the battery, sprayed the fuse box with electrical system water displacer, and then blew it out with compressed air. Hooked it all back up... new relay is buzzing, lights won turn off.

Sorry for the long winded description. It's saturday night and I NEED the truck for next weekend. Any suggestions??

Thank you so much!!

 

All symptoms of LWS - Leaky Windshield Syndrome.

Your GEM module, which controls all those functions, is located on TOP of the fuse box and it also got soaked. You can take it and the fuse box out and see if you can dry them out, perhaps you'll get lucky and won't need replacements.

Get your windshield resealed before it rains or snows again. The new radio wasn't a factor.

 

Ok, I'll dig into it today. I did look at the seal on the bottom of the windshield (the part that also covers the windshield wiper "well") it looked fine. After re-installing I ran the garden hose on the window for 15 minutes... no leaks.

Is the GEM module one piece?

 

Ahhh the power of utube.

I got the GEM out.. it was bin dry and no real signs that it got wet. It was really dusty.

Douche the fuse box out with rubbing alcohol to try and get rid of any moisture or crud.

Do you think the fuses got wet, shorting something that then fried the GEM?

I'm just grasping at straws.

Thanks

 

Ahhh the power of utube.

I got the GEM out.. it was bin dry and no real signs that it got wet. It was really dusty.

Douche the fuse box out with rubbing alcohol to try and get rid of any moisture or crud.

Do you think the fuses got wet, shorting something that then fried the GEM?

I'm just grasping at straws.

Thanks