Here it goes, went to a job site parked my truck and unloaded the truck. As I was at the back of the truck I started to smell some electrical smell. I come out to the drivers side and notice that my running boards are smoking like they are on fire.

They were not and had instead water pooled inside the light at the back and then started to short out I tapped it and loosened the light and the smoke stopped. I disconnected it and everything was fine or so I thought....

Now I go to start the truck up and well I noticed I have no WTS Lights, my Tach doesn't work, my seats will not work, my radio and my dome lights no longer work. However the remaining three side steps lights still work. I have my heater, the truck starts and my day time running lights all work.

I have checked every fuse inside the truck all are good the PCM Relay is good, and Ive also pulled all the fuses manually including the PCM Memory switch to be safe.

Still none of the above work. What the heck has gone wrong???? And hwo do I trouble shoot and fix this!!!!

 

Try disconnecting the battery(ies) for a minute or so to see if it resets the memory.

 

yah that's not the problem. Tried calling ford they said the obvious it sounds like you have a short I'm like thanks Captain Obvious. what gave that away the burnt wires or the fact that the lights not working.


I asked him if it was possible that the BCM was damaged with the light burning up and maybe it was either also victim of the shorting out or was ford smart enough to put fuses in so that it was protected but he said he doesnt know.

SO I have no confidence in Pine Vally Ford at all and not going to give them $105/HR when he seems so slow on the uptake. with my luck they will try to drag their ***** and ding me for 20-40 hours for something they probably know how to fix.

That being said since they cant do anything until Monday, does anyone know if there is a way to check anything myself (and yes Im very comfortable with electronics, just dont know where to look for all the parts.)

Im curious where the BCM is what additional fuses or Relays are other than the ones behind the drivers kick panel. Right now I have my overhead console telling me that I have 0 miles to empty, and that I also have no power windows, (locks work) my keyless entry works, and my factory remote starter/alarm. Dash still doesnt work, none of the interior dome lights, although my headlights work and my truck drives and runs.

Any help would be appreciated!!!

 

Did you check for continuity on the fuse. I have personaly seen fuses that looked good but were not. Use a meter with audible continuity. The fuse for the interior lights and guages are one in the same. I think it might be number 34 at least on my 2002 ex.

 

Make the light smoke again till it starts on fire and watch the truck burn. That will fix it.

 

Hey mister snowseeker,guy has a big problem and if you can't help with anything don't **** him and us off with your disconnected comments.
Please.
you still think it's funny?

 

Just saying if he has insurance it would fix it.

Wiring problems like this normally don't turn out to be an easy or cheap fix. If you get smoke and don't blow a fuse and now as many things as the OP is having act up normally it turns into a big headache.

 

should be another fuse box under the hood have you checked there?

 

Yeah I might be blind as a bat but the only thing I found under the hood had a bunch of relays behind the drivers side battery.

I'm going to grab a few new fuses and relays but I checked the wwiring harness that went to the running board and it was fine. The only menting that I've seen thus far is the socket that held the bulb itself.

I'm wondering where the bcm is I want to see if there is any damaged wires there or if it looks or smells burnt up.

So that's the next thing I'm looking for today. I just don't know where it is.

 

Use dielectric grease on the light sockets when you put a new one in. I have on a rare occasion seen water sizzle in light sockets which can cause a little smoke. The socket was corroded pretty bad and needed much cleaning up. Dielectric grease will help keep the water away from the terminals in the socket plus keep the socket from corroding and keep a good connection with the bulb.

 

I see this same thing quite a bit on GM vehicles with DRLs. They overheat, most of the time they get wet - but the end result is the socket turns black and blows the bulb. The items you mention which no longer work are on several different circuits so I doubt you have multiple fuses or relays giving you problems. I'd actually cut the bulb socket wires - not too close to the socket so you can solder them back at some point. Since the other 3 lights work it seems to me the problem is with the socket or potentially the wiring itself at that specific bulb socket.

 

What I have done so far is taken and completely disconnected the bulb socket from the wiring harness. Ive tapped it all up so as to make sure no more water gets into the plug, but that plug is undamaged the bulb socket itself is the one thats all destroyed from melting.

Which still makes me wonder if the BCM is whats now failed Especially since everything thats failed now to the best of my knowledge is whats controlled by the BCM. The only time my dome lights work is when the factory Ford Alarm Remote Starter are used which use the a seperate output from the VSM. Im kicking myself now because I saw this guy on ebay with a complete Ford OEM Repair Manuals for an 04 Ex and I didnt grab it!! GRRR.

 

Any updates?

 

Turned out was just a short and a few other burnt out fuses. Thankfully I found out that the dealership I went to not only knows how to work on these trucks to find the problems fast and without breaking my pocket total repairs only cost me $168.

I ended up also finding out the Tech is a Forum Member!! So Im forever thankful and happy to have met him as hes going to be doing my long list of upgrades to my Ex, just want to wait for a little warmer weather before I start my bulletproofing the beast!

PS It was Yorkdale Ford Lincoln I went to!

 

Very lucky! Glad you got it all straitened out for fairly cheap!

Do you have salted roads where you live? Salt water is conductive and I have seen some weird electrical stuff happen over winter and spring when salt, water, slush, etc is all packed in a vehicle.