If you hold the "on" button and turn your key to run while still hold the on button the cruise light does nothing?I got this test right out of the shop manual,so it is quite valid.I was trying to remember it from a few weeks ago,but im pretty sure its right.If its not the on button try the "off" button then do the rest like i said before and substitute the on where the off goes.My wife wrecked own excursion so its at the shop right now and i cant go out and try it.but it is one or the other.

 

kmans777, I do everything in slow motion. I just today went over to Ford and got a new rear speed sensor - it was only $20 and it seems to make sense thats the thing. I'll probably swap it tomorrow. I tried holding the on button down and turning the key - I'll go out and try to hold the off button too and post the result of that...

 

Bigdawg, I will try your check again with off button this time. I did change the speed sensor and the cruise control worked on the road test although the ABS light was still illuminated. Disconnected batteries and that reset the ABS light. But when I drove to work tonight the CC didn't work again and the ABS light was on as soon as I started the truck. Made a stop along the way and when I started again, no ABS light. CC still doesn't work. There are several things going on with my truck that all started at the same time(on the way to work and home same day). No CC, ABS light on, SRS chimes cycling(Seat and Restraint System), Remote entry working intermittently, and heater/ac fan running after ignition switched to off. At first I thought the CC and ABS were related and the others seperate issues. But that the fact that they all came on together makes me wonder. I've only had the truck for a couple of months and everything was fine until this mess. Searched forums and have come across some of these but not all together. I appreciate your help.

 

Pulled, inspected, and reconnected connectors for as many sensors I could find. Found nothing obvious. Scanned computer, no fault codes. Started truck to go talk to dealer and everything is working as it should. Loose connector, wire/pin, or bad connection. Don't know, but it seems to be fixed for now. Dealer suggested keeping a tube of dielectric grease handy and applying it to any connectors I may take off in the future. Corrosion and bad grounds cause of many electrical problems.

Bigdawg, Now that everything seems to be working, I tried your check again and still nothing. Don't know what to say, but thanks for your help.

 

sorry guys, im in a hurry and did not even have time to read the above info.. but just from my experiance... my CC just quite working altogether one day, still under warrenty... took it to the dealer.. and 10 min. later is was up and going... they said a plug up underneath the dash just came disconnected, they said the'd seen it before, usually after someone was toolin around under there installin brake controller, radio.. or whatnot..... I should of had them show me the plug.. i did not, so i dont know where it is, just it was unplugged and was a less than 10 min. fix.
JJ

 

Does your cruise light come on when you have your cruise on?I just thought maybe your bulb was out.Unless the trucks are different then the excursions.well i dont know either,when i get my excursion back i will do the test to see what it is for sure,maybe im forgeting something but i am pretty sure.anyway im glad its working again.Has anyone else tried this without it working?

 

Good post! And very appropriate feedback! I am going through similar problems right now with my 1999 F-350 srw crewcab powerstroke 2wd auto - pretty much stock except for a US-Gear D-Celerator and 4" exhaust.

I had a problem with my drivers side seat this week - it went all the way forward and wouldn't come back, I have been driving it all this week with my knees up to my ears! We have been having some heavy rains off and on here in Virginia lately and other problems have been cropping up. Recently, the abs light came on and the od light started cycling on and off although the od is working properly. I thought this all might be related to the wet weather.

Wheeee.

I removed the drivers seat today. I checked the switch and the motors - the forward motor was non functional. My service manual tells me that I have to replace the entire seat sub assembly with all three motors and carriage as one unit $$$. Maybe after the holidays... For now, I took a pipe wrench and forced the rod until the gear in the forward motor snapped and I was able to manually turn the rod and return the seat back to accommodate my 6'. I disconnected the negative posts on the batteries prior to removing the seat.

Got the seat back in and oh, oh!

I started it up. Tried to turn it off, but it kept running. Turned the ignition back on and the dash indicates that the ignition is working properly. Looked in the owners manual, it jabbers on about the electronic system "learning" after disconnecting the batteries. So I decide to take it for a ride and "relearn it". Did I mention that the speedometer stopped working also, along with the cruise control at this time? I kept trying to turn it off, finally it stopped. I did a search on "fuel solenoid" in my service manual and here on the forums. It didn't come up, not sure that these powerstrokes have a shutoff valve.

"Reeducation camp" didn't work for mine, so I pulled the cables off the batteries again and let it sit for a while and then re educated it again. I also sprayed down the rear speed sensor with electronic cleaner/dryer. Now the Speedometer works and the airbag light is off, but the OD keeps flashing. Also, now it chimes after I remove the keys along with the power door locks automatically cycling over and over again...

I checked all the fuses. One blown - the overhead/cargo light (ten amp). That has been nonfunctional for awhile, not related to this current insanity. I replaced it anyway.

I ordered a new speed sensor from Napa, ten bucks, comes in tomorrow.

In the meantime, I guess I will have to pull the cables off the batteries for the night - the door locks keep cycling and the chime chimes over and over again.

I did try the reprogram of my remote transmitters but that didn't help either.

More will be revealed?

Tony C.
AKA KROMETOES

 

noticed that when I went out to disconnect the batterys that the rear cargo light was dimly lit. What the hell is going on? Damn gremlins!

 

Bigdawg- My cruise light does come on when I set the cruise control.
krometoes-My speedo never quit working, just no CC and ABS light on. Should have been a clue for me before I changed the VSS.
Anyway, second day of driving since everything started working again. No new problems. I't's like it never happened.

 

kmans, glad your stuff is working again...

KROME, dude, U'r truck is wiggin out. damn, sounds like gremlins are HARD at work on your trucks elect system. Unfortunately, this is the shty part of all these electronics...

strange things happen ALL over the Vehicle BUS when one [or more] electrical modules run amuck. for instance, my ABS fuse blew under my I/P, and the Speedo would act erratically. when sitting still, it'd shoot up to 100 mph (AND accrue mileage!!! not good on a lease!!)... but when i'd press the window control, it'll bounce down, or when turn signal is on, it'll bounce around. strange. must be odd 'noise' on the bus.

what i DO know is that ABS controls the wheel speed signals, so... no ABS, no Speedo, AND no Cruise.

 

note to above... if ABS 'module' is out, you can lose Speedo/Odo. (meaning ABS module is dead and not broadcasting accurate data on vehicle bus).

however, if you lose ONLY a Wheel Speed Sensor (e.g. rear diff snsr), the Speedo and Odo will still work since the system defaults to use [one for both of] the other two signals (3 total speed snsrs). if your Speed/Odo works, and ABS lamp is on... most likely is a speed snsr. in this case, your ABS module is still alive and communcating on the bus, but is merely in 'fault' mode due to not having ALL required inputs (that's why ABS light will remain illuminated).

 

Gremlins are gone now.

Here is the sequence of events that happened today...

I hooked the batteries up again today, went to Napa and got the speed sensor. I disconnected the batteries and installed that. It had some metal filings on it, don't know if that is the norm but as it is magnetized I would assume that it would attract any metal debris. Will schedule a rear end flush next for that.

I rehooked up the batteries and went for the re-education drive after the one minute idle and one minute idle with AC on. Buzzer still annoyingly sounding except when dome light is on. I figure that maybe it is the relay #1 - interior lamp relay, so I go to Ford dealer and pick one up for ten bucks. Nope. I return home, pull the seat and disconnect everything but the seatbelt wires. Nope. I then notice that the Aux Trailer brake controll unit is not lighting as it usually does. I pull the fuse that I replaced - #14 (dome, cargo etc). Suddenly, everything is better...

Cruise works properly.
Engine shuts off properly.
OD light no longer flashes.
No Buzzing noise.
Speedometer works properly.
Aux Brake unit lights up properly.
Door locks no longer cycle when keys removed.

This is what I have hypothesized the problem is:
The previous owner had the Aux brake unit hooked up imporperly. It burned out the fuse for the dome/cargo light. The dome light has never worked since I bought it and when I replaced the fuse, it awoke the gremlins...

I don't have dome lights now, but everything else works. I will trace out the actual problem with the aux trailer brake control unit. It is an aftermarket unit.

Anyway, thanks to everybody here who takes the time to post problems and solutions...

Tony C.
AKA KROMETOES

 

my clock spring was bad, but I still had a horn so I wouldn't use that test to ellliminate the clock spring as the problem.

 

I have a similar problem to the ones described here. It started with my airbag trouble light on the dashboard. It comes on all the time and occassionally flashes 3 times then 2 times. My buddy at the Ford dealer says it is a clockspring error code. Over a couple of weeks I lost my horn, CC, and now my ABS light comes on. Sometimes the ABS light doesn't come on and when I pull to a stop the ABS system activates and the pedal gets really sketchy. I recently started getting a noise like a starter solenoid clicking when I start the engine. I had that once before and it turned out to be a bad battery. Last time I couldn't start the truck when that sound occurred. This time it starts OK. THe way this stuff happened made me suspect a wiring harness in the steering column going slowly bad but it seems like most of the solutions here are related to the clock spring. Where is this darn clock spring and how do I replace it? Any other suggestions?

 

I am still having periodic problems with my 99, not as bad as before, but still flashing OD light, and periodic cruise control non function, and once in a while the ABS brakes pump when I am stopping. I did replace the speed sensor in the rear differential and sprayed some electrical water proofing material on some of the connections.
I find that it gets bad when it is wet out, and I did a little experiment the other day - drove in the rain with the windshield wipers off. The problems didn't happen, I have no idea if it was a one time event or if the windshield wipers are causing some problem..
Talk about overengineering a basically great product into worthlessness. I liked the 6.9 and 7.3 normally aspirated (non turbo) diesel engines. All this electronic crap is only costing me money. I will stick to the older Fords myeslf, you all can have this powerstroke crap.

Good luck.