Hey everyone,

I have been having some problems that I suspect are electrical. A month or two ago I started getting the "check advtrac" message and not able to shift into 4x4. No other symptoms, no codes are present.

Shortly after that (Maybe at the same time? Can't recall but within a week or two.) a bunch of other things started not working. These all happened at the same time:

-Seat/mirror memory. I set a seat memory position, immediately change the seat position, push the button to go back to my memory position and nothing happens.
-The doors don't automatically lock when I start driving.
-The radio doesn't automatically switch off, I have to manually turn it off when I leave the car. The clock seems to be always on, I think it is supposed to black after you leave it for a while.
-Automatic lights stopped working. This really sucks, I have left the lights on three times now and had to boost it.
-Pretty sure I don't have daytime running lights anymore. Not that I am 100% sure I had them to begin with.
-Maybe a couple more I can't remember.

I am guessing that the check advtrac notification is a separate issue from the rest of it, but maybe not. I have checked all of the fuses and everything looks good. I haven't tested the relays in the fuse box but I am guessing that there isn't one that could explain all this madness at once.

Where would you start looking?

Thanks for your help!

 

I have been looking into this some and it seems as though I have some similar problems to others that have had to replace the VSM (vehicle security module). Tried swapping the relays around and no difference so I don't suspect them. One more thing I have found is that several fuses (#14 for instance) that my manual says are always hot are not hot when then key is off.

Can anyone help with a procedure to isolate the VSM as the problem? Or should I just bite the biscuit and take it to the dealer? From what I have read a new VSM would require programming that only the dealer can do. But I'd rather take it to them and pay the $ required to replace and program the VSM than their ridiculous diagnosis fees in order to replace 20 different parts.

 

There was a broken violet wire splice in the wire bundle under the drivers side threshold trim. Details of resolution can be found here: 2003 Expedition EB electrical problems | Ford Expedition Forum

 

Finding a broken wire inside a bundle is easier said than done, good job!