Have 02 Escape that has strange electrical problem that I need help with BAD. Has no power door locks, no interior lights, and windows also odd. I was told that the "Smart Junction Box" was probably bad - which dealer said was the entire interior fuse box assy with all it's relays (hidden on the back). I bought brand new ($$$) and nothing was better - windows actually worse.

Before the new box the windows and door ajar light would work until you would hear the "time out" relay click under dash then they would be disabled. I can see the door light doing that because that is one of the reasons for the time delay but not the windows. That type of odd action was what led me to think the board in the "smart Box" was bad. With the new box windows and door light now gone all the time.

Also would have thought interior lights would work if it was seeing door ajar but no luck. Also replaced the "yellow" relay box under dash that has two plugs going to it (and also has small pcb in it), and the driver door window switch was supplies power to all windows and door locks. Still no change. (More $$$$)

I need a Ford electrical GURU to tell me what I am missing? Is there another box that would kill all this? Is something under cosole (like main computer) that would kill lights, windows, locks?

HELP!!!!!!!!

 

Whatever your vehicle has, I don't want mine to catch it...

The suspects listed in order for:
All Power Door Locks: switches, circuitry, SJB
All Power Windows inop: citcuitry, accesory delay relay, LH front window switch, SJB
All Interior lights inop: circuitry, interior lamps, SJB

I'm assuming windows also odd means they don't work. The above was culled from the 2005 symptom list.
tom

 

Yes - if you read the lower portion of the post the windows did work until the delay relay clicked and then they would stop. Now with new complete fuse box they do not work at all. Could not find where the actual "accesory delay relay" was so assumed it was one of the many on the back of the new fuse box. Replaced the drivers door window/lock switch block and no luck. I am stumped....

 

Instead of just replacing things, get a meter and find out what you are chasing. Choose one symptom and check things out. For instance, find out why the delay relay is "clicking", it shouldn't. It should stay operated (once your key is "on").

BUT... back up, You said that you replaced the SJB... yourself? or was it done by the dealer. I think that module has to be programmed to function correctly.

 

check ground if they share could be one point not making connection

 

I own a shop and have been doing this for a long time (shows how ancient I am but before I became a Fed and was injured in helicopter accident I started at dealers back in 1974 and have been doing it on side since) so I had checked the power system using my Genisys machine under the GEM/CTM catagory and had codes for just about every electrical thing you could think of.

When I looked around for meanings of these codes like B1300 (not P series from PCM computer) I found that this one code is "power door lock relay coil circuit malfunction". I could not find exactly where this relay coil was but I have a friend at local Ford parts department we buy from who said he thought that was part of SJB and he said the 02 did not need program by them (that started later with 04 to 05) I trust he was right but not so sure now. Once I put in the new SJB, plus the yellow box above it, and the L/F door cluster all codes went away except B1317 and B1318 which make no sense because one is low voltage and one is high voltage and you cant have both.

Then today the B1300 came back. Still through all of this I have no power windows, door locks, interior lights, and before when the windows would work until delay relay clicked the door ajar light would work - now that is gone all the time too. Looking at wiring shows many items do go through the delay circuit but not all. Only thing left I can think of is plugs are not making good contact to pins or there is another culprit I am missing.

Does anyone know if my guy was wrong about 02 needing Ford to program? Or is the door lock "relay coil" and the "delay Circuit" not in the SJB fuse box? I have a 93 big Bronco and 96 Explorer limited that I put 450 HP 5.0 crate engines (84 Mustang GT too) in and never had issues like this. I hope Ford is not showing signs of weakness... Will destroy my love affair. Well - still have my wife and kids but their not the same.

 

You have been given some bad information. This vehicle does not use a smart junction box, it uses an old style central junction box although it does have some relays in it for certain functions like the accessory delay function. However, the vehicle does have a Generic Electronic Module at the front of the center console, and this controls the activation of the accessory delay relay and the power locks along with many other things. The new GEM does need to be programmed before installation.

I would agree with the others though, you need a shop manual or this could get (more) expensive.

 

I hoped I would find someone that knew what the control boxes do. I wondered about what was under the console but the little Escape only has 79k on it and did not want to have to tear it all apart if not needed. I was told the panel was the SJB from several sites and wondered why my friend at Ford parts said there was no "nomenclature" for this truck that said SJB on it.

You mention getting a manual. I have a Haynes manual that shows wiring in it but it just shows what fuses drive certain items and does not show the power door lock relay coil etc. What kind of manuals can you get on-line that show all of this? I am open to anything now. This is getting to be a money pit but even if I just sell the truck I do not sell people serious problems. I am still a Fed and do not do crap like that.

Was planning on using this baby truck for my youngest to get another family member in the Ford truck world. My grandfather sold Fords so I grew up in them. In 69 I was 10 and used to go to the dealership and dream of the Mustangs I would drive soon.

I am so glad I found this site. Did not know there were so many Ford nuts like me. Thanks to all that have responded and I will go take console out and look around in there. I also need to figure out how to look at other's questions because I have worked on a lot of Fords and can pass on help besides just asking for it.

 

My ignorance of Fords dates back as long as yours, plus a few more years. I started driving when the Mustang production line started...
That said, if you hadn't mentioned Smart Junction Box, I would have said that you had a GEM problem. Generic Electronic Module - more or less. They crammed a bunch of stuff in there to do door locks, windows, power off delay, slow dim interior lights, and I don't know what all.
I got a shop manual DVD from eBay that covered Escapes from 05 - 07. I don't have older, but will look at my 97 Ford Car shop CD.
Uh-oh. The 97 Sable, which has a GEM, uses a ISO9141 network to talk to its buddies, spread out all across the car. The GEM can generate DTCs Diagnostic Trouble Codes.
The two relays are not part of the GEM, but attached to it, and operated by it.
The codes could be indicative of 1)lack of power when the module was first installed and 2) not a clue.
I looked further, and there is a whole lot of diagnostic trees for the GEM, includine
illuminated entry
interval wiper washer
heated mirrors
heated rear window
remote entry
warning chimes
VAPS
door lock
window {one touch power down}
delayed access relays {windows, sunroof}
There's too much to 'screen scrape' and post here without some idea of where to look.
The EVTM shows the GEM with several relays attached:
one touch window down
washer, wiper hi/lo, wiper park relays[3!]
drivers unlock relay
rear window defrost
accessory delay
interior lamp
battery saver
Hmm, the battery saver relay disconnects a lot of stuff after some time to protect the battery:
" It is active in ignition ACC or RUN and for 40 minutes after ignition is switched off, and when various GEM inputs are activate."
In other words, it is the gateway for power for GEM controlled stuff. If it doesn't work, all attached to the GEM will not work. *I THINK*. It is a relay controlled by a relay within the GEM. I cannot read the pinout number, but if you monitor amperage, you should see a drain for the relay power after the car is switched off that goes away after 40 minutes as the GEM de-powers the battery saver.
This is all from a 1997 car CD, but I think the GEM was slowly introduced from the 'top down' and the Escape didn't exist, but its progenitor, the Contour, didn't have one.
tom

 

Here's a electrical diagram for power door locks on a '02 Escape.

 

At this point I am starting to consider using another old acronym - TNT - to fix this thing. The guy I bought this from said the window had been left open and a heavy over night rain had got it wet. I wonder now if that rain was named Katrina or something. Now that you mention it the key chime does not work but all dash items like defrost, power mirrors, 4WD, stereo & Cd all work but no windows, interior lights, door locks, or the door ajar light. But before the door ajar light and windows would work for a few minutes until relay in face of fuse box clicked (not the many in the back of the box the single one in front) and then the windows and door ajar light would die.

I have gotten my BIG BRONCO and even my Explorer pretty wet before hitting streams I forgot had swollen (I swear I forgot) and they always dried out and went back to work so this makes me suspect this may be a Wussy truck. Needs a 5.0 in it - that will cure everything! Just kidding - the 3.0 in it seems pretty good since the plow on the Bronco weighs about as much as the whole Escape.

 

I looked at the simplest circuit. The interior lights. It depends on the 'battery saver relay' to provide power. If that is broken, nothing the GEM runs will work, as far as I have delved into the EVTM.
You have the GEM, the interior lamp relay, the battery saver relay and 3 fuses. And, of course the 4 door door ajar switches, plus liftgate. If you have keyless, you likely have door handle switches that enable the interior lights.
tom

 

Snuck out after Easter Dinner (leaving relatives behind) and yanked the lower dash and there is the box marked GEM CPU and the smaller box called the restraint control module. Since no airbag lights or codes I will avoid that one but from all the tests for voltage I could try it looks like the GEM box is a goner. Anyone know if these boxes are common for many vehicle types so used one will be easy to find, or am I stuck trying to find exact match from Escape with same numbers?

 

Ford Parts & Accessories | Genuine Parts & Custom Accessories | FLMowner.com
this is a cool web site to get prices and the Ford part numbers.put in your vehicle info and search

 

Like I wrote before there are many relays built into the back of the interior fuse box. I think that is why my friend at the dealer thought it was a smart juction box. It looks like there is the battery saver relay, door relay, window etc. etc. and I did not see any other relays close to the GEM box. Does anyone know of a diagram or parts list that shows the exact location (or even the rough location) of each item? I wonder if the relays are all on the new fuse box I already bought and if I replace the GEM box it will get them going.

It would be nice to know where each item really is located. Kind of like when they show pic of engine bay and show location of your different emission sensors. I guess what I am hoping for is did someone at Ford ever make a map of where all these things actually are located?

My brother and I can swap an engine or tranny in my shop in a day and I can do a custom paint job on a bike in a weekend but this electrical crap makes me long for crank windows and starter buttons under the gas pedal. The only switches were the high beam switch on floor and blinker relay under dash. Thank god my Explorer Limited with all of it's crap has been perfect since new (knock on wood). If anyone knows of road map for all these items I would be very grateful.

I am going to see about replacing the GEM box for now but I would love to see the whole picture when it comes to the location of all this @*^^!*# (sorry) these wonderful options installed by Ford.