i dont know if you have an aftermarket alarm or remote starter in there but i know they have to access the ignition wires so this is where your problem could lie. also about the alternator, if you have a wire shoerting out this could draw your battery, if you put a mulitmeter on the battery and give the truck gas it should read about 13 - 14 volts (while the truck is at about 1500 - 2000 rpm) if it stays at 12 volts than your alternator is shot.
I do not have aftermarket add ons of any type.
And the multimeter is reading a constant 12.
While your suggestions are appreciated, I am going to let Ford do the work, I don't feel comfortable poking around in the steering column, or poking around with an electrical issue. They are going to fix the electrical short first, then take a look at the charging issue after that..... tomorrow morning.
At this point I am simply keeping a dead fuse in the circuit and doing without the gauges.
Actually Paul, I was quite pleased. Pleased to learn I didn't have several things going wrong at the same time. A new alternator alone, if needed, would have been about $300.
Anyhow the module was $58+ and the labor was $237. And some silly $33 shop fee.
I was sorta ticked because they charged me for 3 10 amp fuses, $2.25, I left a whole box full of hundreds of fuses sitting in the floor for them to use for test purposes. Must have been 35 10 amp fuses in the box.
I drove the Excursion this afternoon, and this evening. They appear to have found the sole problem, and fixed it right.
thats crazy!!! thats why i do all my work myself, i have a manual and a cd with detailed pictures. wow, i would have lost my mind and Ford is wondering why they are loosing so many customers to foreign car makers. I feel sorry for the average person who cannot afford to take there truck to the dealership to be hosed!!
thats crazy!!! thats why i do all my work myself, i have a manual and a cd with detailed pictures. wow, i would have lost my mind and Ford is wondering why they are loosing so many customers to foreign car makers. I feel sorry for the average person who cannot afford to take there truck to the dealership to be hosed!!
In the image below you can see the overdrive cancel switch they replaced. Top center of image under the #5.
My biggest problem would have been diagnosing exactly what was causing all of my problems. My Excursion wasn't throwing any codes out with OBD.
Don't know if this is the same issue but: I recently received a recall notice for safety related overdrive overheating issue, everything was replaced(don't know exactly what parts or where)with no cost to the owner(me). I have a 2003 V10 Limited.
Don't know if this is the same issue but: I recently received a recall notice for safety related overdrive overheating issue, everything was replaced(don't know exactly what parts or where)with no cost to the owner(me). I have a 2003 V10 Limited.
Tony
Very interesting. Wish I could find out more about it. Anybody????
I can add one more thing here though. Thursday night and Friday night I let my daughter drive me around in the Excursion. She's 15, just got her learner's permit, and needs the practice. Everything seemed fine. Tonight....... I drove myself around, just got home. It's amazing how much better the Excursion is now running. The engine is running better. The transmission is shifting better. The radio/CD has stopped "initializing", I thought it was going bad and wasn't related to the other problems. I did not realize how bad it was starting to run because this problem(s) started off slow and gained momentum over the last several weeks, to the point of actually breaking down.
Well, the final verdict is in. Overdrive relay module was shorting out. Replacing it straightened out everything else. Parts and labor -- $331.
I was talking to a local tow truck driver tonight. He knew of my specific problems because he is the one who loaned me several diagnostic tools.
Anyhow, he told me he towed an Excursion that had totally burned up earlier this week. The Excursion driver reported the fire starting as smoke coming from the steering column.
I guess it's safe to say that if any of you guys and girls see smoke coming from your steering column, turn that sucker off and take the key out of the ignition as quick as you safely can.
Don't know if this is the same issue but: I recently received a recall notice for safety related overdrive overheating issue, everything was replaced(don't know exactly what parts or where)with no cost to the owner(me). I have a 2003 V10 Limited.
Tony
Yours sounds like the cruise control recall, you should get it repaired ASAP.
I would look for the arc marks and find the bare wire with black/ burnt insulation
In my Excursion, I let the Ford dealer repair it. It is my understaning they replaced the switch that was shorting out and any/all wires that were affected by it. They must have done a good job because everything has been fine since the repairs. It's actually running better than I ever recall it running. This "short" must have been affecting a lot of various components.... kinda like a cancer spreading throughout the entire Excursion.
