Electrical Gremlins - Help!

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Apr 19, 2008 | 07:21 PM

Dickc

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From: Magna, Utah

Electrical Gremlins - Help!

I have a gremlin in my electrical system. It started when I noticed that my overhead console retained power after turning off the ignition. The display would stay on and you could turn the rear air/heating fan on. I also checked the turn signals and they would function with the ingnition off as well. I figured that the ignition switch was on the fritz so I replaced it and all was well. I did notice an intermittent crackling/buzzing sound where the blinker and console relay are plugged in but it stopped and everything seemed to be working. I demonstrated how everything was working correctly the next day to a buddy of mine but when I got home from work...the gremlin was back.
I checked to see if the power supply wire was hot when the ignition was off but it's not so the switch is functioning properly. However, the blinker and console have power to them when they shouldn't.
Anybody have the answer?

Apr 19, 2008 | 08:53 PM

Monsta

Sit. Stay.

Joined: Oct 2001

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From: Washington State

Well...I know I sure don't. Maybe an exorcism is in order?

Does sound like a bad relay or a bad GEM, though.

Apr 20, 2008 | 12:11 AM

Dickc

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From: Magna, Utah

While I appreciate your input, I'm looking for something a bit more technical and detailed. Besides, while exorcism isn't a bad idea, after spending the day upside down in the cab of my X scraping the skin off of my hands and arms, I was thinking maybe a busy railroad crossing might be more practical...except it would probably just damage the train

Apr 20, 2008 | 01:42 AM

jhouge

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From: Oslo, Norway

I don't know the electrical system in the Ex to well, but I have experienced similar problems on other cars (Volvo) in the past.
Turn off the ignition and start measuring from the fuse box.
See if you can figure out all active functions that is not suppose to work with the ignition off.
Then you find the relays powering these functions.
You can measure this (these) relays to see if the switch function is bad.
In my case it was a combination of a bad ground connection and a broken relay that caused the gremlin..

Anyway.. good luck

Apr 25, 2008 | 05:20 PM

Dickc

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From: Magna, Utah

I found the problem and wanted to post it in case anyone else has this problem with their X. In this case, I could hear the relay growling after hooking the battery back up so I was able to determine where/what it was. It was the auxillary heat/ac, (rear air), relay getting stuck and sending power back through the system when the ignition was turned off, (it's the one plugged in right next to the flasher). It was a $16 dollar relay at Ford and a couple of hours taking the dash and center cover off/on to get to the little sucker.

Apr 25, 2008 | 07:45 PM

Monsta

Sit. Stay.

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From: Washington State

Excellent! Now you're more familiar with dash removal! We now know who to call on.

Bad relays do weird things, huh? Whodathunk that it would be a relay for the rear air motor?

Apr 26, 2008 | 10:04 AM

HowieE

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Joined: Dec 2007

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From: Princeton NJ

Dickc

Back up a second. If the relay was making noise that says power was being applied to the coil. If the relay was just stuck it shouldn't make any sound.

Do you still have the relay and if so can you do a continuity check across the switched terminals to see if it was in fact stuck closed? I am interested from an electrical standpoint.