My Electrical is Possessed by the Devil
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Joined: May 2003
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My Electrical is Possessed by the Devil
I own a 2000 F150 4X4 4.6L extended cab. After being sick and not driving for a week, I got into my truck and all hell broke loose. First thing that happened was the door chime started sounding while driving. When I got home, I parked and shut off the ignition but the heater blower kept running. The next time I drove, the heater did the same thing, only this time it would run only with the headlights on. The blower would come on when I turned on the headlights, but shut off when I put on the high beams with the ignition off! This morning on my way to work I put it in reverse and my radio turned off. While driving the 4X4 indicator light started flashing.
Can someone please help me figure out what needs to be fixed.
Can someone please help me figure out what needs to be fixed.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
Has it been raining lots there?
It sounds like you've probably got water in your fuse box and GEM under the dash. The GEM (Generic Electronic Module) is bolted to the back of the fuse box. It controls interior lights, wipers, 4X4 operation etc.
If you have a leaking windshield water drips onto the fuse box and GEM and can cause the problems you've got. Take a look under the dash for any signs of water. If you find some get the windshield resealed at a body shop or glass shop and then try to dry out the fuse box and GEM. I've seen a few that dried out ok and other that had to be replaced.
It sounds like you've probably got water in your fuse box and GEM under the dash. The GEM (Generic Electronic Module) is bolted to the back of the fuse box. It controls interior lights, wipers, 4X4 operation etc.
If you have a leaking windshield water drips onto the fuse box and GEM and can cause the problems you've got. Take a look under the dash for any signs of water. If you find some get the windshield resealed at a body shop or glass shop and then try to dry out the fuse box and GEM. I've seen a few that dried out ok and other that had to be replaced.
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New User
Joined: May 2003
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Racerguy,
you hit the nail right on the head! I replaced some blown fuses and then heard a hissing noise. Turns out that the noise was coming from the fuse block itself! I removed the fuse block and found water inside it. I found some traces with heat discoloration and pitting from arcing. I dried off and cleaned each layer of the fuse block and reinstalled. Everything works fine now.
I did find other signs of water under the dash. Can you tell me if the windshield is the only source of a leak? I like to drive through puddles and was wondering if that could have caused water to enter somewhere else. I gust don’t want to have the windshield resealed unless I am sure that is the problem.
Thanks for the insight, it was vital in solving this problem.
you hit the nail right on the head! I replaced some blown fuses and then heard a hissing noise. Turns out that the noise was coming from the fuse block itself! I removed the fuse block and found water inside it. I found some traces with heat discoloration and pitting from arcing. I dried off and cleaned each layer of the fuse block and reinstalled. Everything works fine now.
I did find other signs of water under the dash. Can you tell me if the windshield is the only source of a leak? I like to drive through puddles and was wondering if that could have caused water to enter somewhere else. I gust don’t want to have the windshield resealed unless I am sure that is the problem.
Thanks for the insight, it was vital in solving this problem.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
The problem is usually the windshield but sometimes the cowls leaks too. To find the leak can be quite hard but usually if you lay under the dash with a flashlight and have someone hose down the area you suspect is leaking you'll find it.
Hotshot
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 12,679
Likes: 15
From: BC, Canada
It was pretty common until the last couple years. I guess Ford must have started sealing the windshields better than they had previously. This is another one of those problems that show up more so in different locations than others. Where I live we get lots of rain so we have more water leaks. In California they probably see this problem very rarely.
