I have a 98 Explorer XLT 5.0 AWD that had a battery light come on. My wife was driving it at the time, she called me and told me she made it less than a 1/4 mile and it lost power (would only idle). Checked it out the battery was bad so I put in a new battery and the light was still on so I checked the fuse it was blown (#14 PDB) replaced it. Took it to Auto Zone to get it scanned and they said the alt it not working in range it needs replaced (it was the original) so I put a new alt on, so far so good. Later on the next day the wife was at her girl friends and I get a call the X won't start, so I grab the battery charger and go check it out. The battery is dead checked the fuse and its blown again, replaced fuse(#14) and charged the battery go back to the zone the alt tests bad. I go home pull the alt exchange it/replace it and the battery light is on again, blown fuse again. Check all the wiring for any chafing, everything looks good do an electrical test with my multi meter everything checks out okay but it keeps blowing fuse #14 in the PDB. I have had 2 techs over whom work on auto electrical and there both lost. I had a remote start put on last x-mas for the wife and we were thinking just maybe but thats not it and to even make things crazier the front wiper washer wouldn't spray for the longest time it just started working again and I also noticed a blown fuse in the cabin #15. I have done automotive electrical in the past and my 2 buddys do it for a living but we are lost and I really just don't want to start replacing parts to guess what maybe wrong....I may replace the ignition switch and the multi function switch but i'd really like to find the source first.... ANY HELP WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED....


Bill

 

you said you checked the wiring, but did you do an ohm test on any of the charging leads? what about corrosion at the terminations?

 

You definately have a short!! How are the wires that go through the firewall?
Hook your VOM to the fuse that blew and to ground and see what you get with the what ever it is plugged into disconnected. So say the wiper motor, disconnect wire at motor, disconnect fuse, check for ground on power wire to motor!! You can always use the hammerhead method of getting it to smoke by putting a bigger fuse in!! But I don't recommend it.