Crown Vic Electrical Gremlin...
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Joined: May 2004
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
Crown Vic Electrical Gremlin...
I'm working on my sister's '93 Crown Vic LX. The main thing I'm fighting right now is an electrical glitch in the brake light system. The problem is that the fuse blows when you step on the brakes, unless you disconnect the plug from the brake light switch, which is the way she's been driving it for quite some time now. The things that are tied into that switch are: The brake lights, (of course) the cruise control de-activator(?) the shifter interlock. She has to start the car in neutral, if it's in park, then she can't get it out of park with the key on. There's obviously some kind of short, and I'm pretty sure it's in the column. One thing I've determined is that it will work okay sometimes, and then when you turn the wheel a little, the fuse blows. I have disconnected virtually everything on the column, including the multi-function switch and it still does it. I can't find any wire that would be grounding out. I'm about to remove and dissasemble the entire column, and I was wondering if anybody has experienced this problem before, either with a Crown Vic or any other Ford product of early '90s vintage? -TD
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Connecticut
Well, FWIW, owners of a similar year Taurus will sometimes complain about the same type of thing and the culprit is often the CC brake cutoff switch, which on the Taurus is located right under the brake master cylinder (often times it's leaking brake fluid that messes up the circuit).
Also, I'd check all of the lamps and sockets associated with the brakes. Even though the lamps may be lighting up, they can still be bad or the sockets could still have moisture or corrosion in them, causing a short.
Also, I'd check all of the lamps and sockets associated with the brakes. Even though the lamps may be lighting up, they can still be bad or the sockets could still have moisture or corrosion in them, causing a short.
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Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
Well, after endless head scratching I ran a jumper wire from the brake light switch up to the multi-function switch to bypass the original circuit. Of course, that disables the other functions that run off of that circuit; the shifter interlock and the the cruise disengage, as well as the high-mount brakelight. I will work on it again next weekend, but at least she has a car with brakelights now, for the first time in two years! (I don't know how she avoided getting RE'd, I'll bet she gave some of the people behind her a scare from time to time!) The brakelights do light up fine now without blowing the fuse, so I'd say that pretty much eliminates the possibility of the problem being in the brakelights themselves. It has to be right there in the dash/column area. I'll do some more research this week. I'm leaning towards some sort of cruise control problem, as she just informed me that shortly before she noticed the brakelight problem, she was driving it with the cruise and it started to accelerate by itself, and she couldn't get the cruise to disengage. Scared the crap out of her and she hasn't used the cruise since! Wasn't there a recall or something about a cruise control problem with Crown Vics in the early 90s? -TD
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Connecticut
Yep, there is a Safety Recall on the Cruise Control Switch for the '93 Crown Vic which may apply to your sister's vehicle, here's the dealer letter:
Because it's a Safety Recall, the fix is free regardless of who owns the vehicle and how old it is. If the dealer doesn't make the repair promptly and without charge, you may contact the Ford Customer Assistance Center, P. O. Box 6248, Dearborn, Michigan 48121. You also may send a complaint to the Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, S. W., Washington, D. C. 20590 or call the toll free Auto Safety Hotline 1-800-424-9393 (Washington, D. C. area residents may call 366-0123).
May, 1999
To: All Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealers
Subject: Safety Recall 99S15: Certain 1992 and 1993 Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Cars with Speed Control - Speed Control Deactivation Switch
AFFECTED VEHICLES
Certain 1992 and 1993 Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis with Speed Control built at the St. Thomas assembly plant from February 5, 1992 through November 30, 1992. Also, certain 1992 and 1993 Town Cars built at the Wixom Assembly plant from November 4, 1991 through November 30, 1992.
REASON FOR RECALL
Some Speed Control Deactivation Switches on the affected vehicles may develop a resistive short in the electrical circuit that may potentially result in an underhood fire. A fire is possible both when the vehicle is running and when the vehicle engine is off. Also, the short may disable the speed control system or cause the brake light fuse to open.
SERVICE ACTION
Repair parts will not be available until mid-June, 1999. Until parts are available, the interim repair described in Attachment III should be used. When parts are available the permanent repair must be completed to close this recall.
Interim Repair: This repair should be performed immediately to eliminate the possibility of a fire. This interim repair involves disconnecting the electrical connector from the Speed Control Deactivation Switch, taping the connector end to protect it from contamination and securing the connector with a tie-strap. The speed control system will be inoperative until the permanent repair is performed.
Permanent Repair: The parts for this repair are expected to become available the middle of June, 1999. This repair will involve the replacement of the Speed Control Deactivation Switch with a new switch. In addition, the switch hard-shell connector will be replaced to eliminate the possibility of undetected heat damage to the connector.
QUESTIONS?
Claims Information 1-800-423-8851
Other Recall Questions 1-800-325-5621
To: All Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealers
Subject: Safety Recall 99S15: Certain 1992 and 1993 Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, and Lincoln Town Cars with Speed Control - Speed Control Deactivation Switch
AFFECTED VEHICLES
Certain 1992 and 1993 Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis with Speed Control built at the St. Thomas assembly plant from February 5, 1992 through November 30, 1992. Also, certain 1992 and 1993 Town Cars built at the Wixom Assembly plant from November 4, 1991 through November 30, 1992.
REASON FOR RECALL
Some Speed Control Deactivation Switches on the affected vehicles may develop a resistive short in the electrical circuit that may potentially result in an underhood fire. A fire is possible both when the vehicle is running and when the vehicle engine is off. Also, the short may disable the speed control system or cause the brake light fuse to open.
SERVICE ACTION
Repair parts will not be available until mid-June, 1999. Until parts are available, the interim repair described in Attachment III should be used. When parts are available the permanent repair must be completed to close this recall.
Interim Repair: This repair should be performed immediately to eliminate the possibility of a fire. This interim repair involves disconnecting the electrical connector from the Speed Control Deactivation Switch, taping the connector end to protect it from contamination and securing the connector with a tie-strap. The speed control system will be inoperative until the permanent repair is performed.
Permanent Repair: The parts for this repair are expected to become available the middle of June, 1999. This repair will involve the replacement of the Speed Control Deactivation Switch with a new switch. In addition, the switch hard-shell connector will be replaced to eliminate the possibility of undetected heat damage to the connector.
QUESTIONS?
Claims Information 1-800-423-8851
Other Recall Questions 1-800-325-5621
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