All,

My sister has a weird issue. I have copied what she sent me.

She has a 2002 F150: The electrical is acting up.* A fuse keeps blowing that controls the windows, wipers, dome light, and she has to put the truck in neutral or drive*in order to start it.* She was inserting a new fuse initially to get things to work, but now*a replacement fuse does nothing.* She can at least still start the truck (putting it in neutral or drive).*

 

Might have wiring problems in the column. Tilt steering, look for wire connector damage. Ford recalled 2002 for cruise control deactivation switch burning up. Also 1/2 dozen electrical TSB's. Short will need to be found.

 

Might be two separate problems. For the starting in neutral or drive, it may be the connection halfway down the steering column for the gear selector is loose. If you lay your head on the floor and look up following the steering column up to the dash; about halfway between the floor and the dash are two torx crews (with the heads facing toward the floor) that can become loose and make the gear selector sloppy. Tightening these screws will tighten up the gear selector linkage.

If a fuse keeps blowing then there is a short in the system somewhere. She will have to trace that out. First I would take the fuse out; pull the negative lead off of the battery and see if either side of the fuse block for that fuse has continuity to ground. If there is continuity, then there is a short and that will have to be found.

It could also be that one of the bulbs have blown with a filament falling in such a way to provide a short. I'd check the bulbs in the dome lights.

Also the wiper stalk can screw up and provide a short. I would pull that and see if the short goes away with it out.

Good Luck

 

I don't remember the years, but I think there was a TSB or maybe even a recall notice, on the wire harness in the column. It got pinched or cut and caused similar problems.

Dave

 

What fuse, and what does it cover? Aside from the wiring issue in the column that I referenced earlier, the GEM could also affect everything mentioned.

Dave