I hate these problems.

My 03 Ex PSD. Has been hot around here (100+ most of the time). Yesterday, I back up my drive way and then go to put up the widows. Windows are completely dead (all of 'em). Fuss around and finally turn off the engine. Upon restart, all is well. Everything works OK rest of the day.

Today, I start up and the climate control system is stone dead (windows and all else working fine). I push buttons to no avail. Get to the fuse box and push wiggle all fuses, relays, etc. Try the engine off and restart with no fix.

Finally, with the engine off, I turn on the headlights and the climate control stats working. All works fine the rest of the day.

Can't wait until tommarrow.

I've looked at the obvious places for a loose connector, damaged harness, etc.

Any ideas?????

 

Check your grounds also. I haven't had any problem myself, but others have reported electrical issues and some have found they had loose grounds.

 

I tracked down the battery ground points on the engine block. Upon disassembly it became obvious that they were corroded. Some elbow grease got them cleaned up and I have not had another appearance of the gremlin since.

Hope that was a cure.

 

Ah %#$*&^$...... Though I had it fixed. Today it was the radio/windows not working combination punch. After about a minute of frustration, the radio came on and the windows started working. Prolly 120 degrees or so in the Ex when I got in.

Any more ideas?

 

Any progress on this? I am having similar problems. Most common issue is no radio, windows, interior lights or gauges when first starting after sitting for awhile. Everything usually comes back if I rev the engine up a few times. Cleaned battery terminals and looked everywhere under dash and column for chafed wires - no joy.

 

When I cleaned the battery grounds to the engine block, I thought I had found the problem. No such luck.

In a sense, I'm glad to hear that the problem is not isolated to a 7.3 PSD, since you are having the same problem with a gasoline model. I can't beleive you and I are the only ones having this problem.

I'm thinking it is somehow heat related, as mine only does it (so far) when the vehicle has been sitting in the sun for a while. Further, since it usually is the radio and window combination that craps out (only once did the climate control fail). I cannot find a document, manual, etc that specifies where all the system gounds are located. I have searched the engine/tranny installation as best I could see and cannot find any ground straps other than the battery to block attachment points. I also have not found any obvious wiring harness to ground attachments as yet. I am also trying to find a wiring diagram which may show something common for the radio/widows group (relay, switch, ground point, etc). I have not yet seen my lighting fail, although it wouldn't surprise me that's in my future as well!!!?!

BTW, I also have a 03 F-250 7.3 PSD crew cab pick up with similar miles to my 03 EX that's never had a problem remotely like this one.

 

This is a common issue with all X's and F-250/350's. There appears to be a lazy rely, I believe behind/ or apart of, the dash. In my case it shows up most often during the winter but has happen when hot. The normal cure is to turn on the headlights and AC/radio will power up. I have seen many threads about this and, if I remember correctly, it is a $200 or so fix. many just turn on the headlights and let it be until something completely dies.

RoyC

 

what Roy C said.

 

I thought I had looked everywhere for references to this problem. Could either of you guys remember where I can find more specifics about the fix? My EX has 25K miles left on warrenty, so I don't much care what it costs to fix... ;-D.

TIA,
Tom

 

I had a similar issue with my interior lites. They would stay on all the time. I swapped the interior lite "delay" relay with another relay and it worked OK for a while but then started doing the same. I actually pulled the dash and spliced into a wire with a switch so I could cut the lites off and not have to disconnect my battery cables. I bought a new relay for the delay circuit and have not had a problem. Then I bought all new realys and replaced them. My X only has 67,000 miles on it. I would suggest buying new realys. I believe they are about $5 each. They are an electro-mechanical device and wear out like any other moving part. Whenever I have an electrical now I always look to see if a relay is in the circuit.

DSMMH

 

The latest update......

I visited my local Ford dealer. If anyone has seen some of my other posts, you know my opinion about this dealer is very low. Anyway.....first, I went to the parts dept, described the problem and mentioned a internet discussion on this problem known as "lazy relay" syndrome. Parts guy knew nothing about this, never heard of any such problem, but would be happy to schedule me for a diagnostic appointment. Next, I went the the service writer who also looked at me as if I were from mars. However, he did take me back into the shop and introduced me to their "electrical guy". The "electrical guy" also did not admit to knowing anything about such a common problem, but........ He knew right away that the problem was likely the "Accessory Delay Relay". His rationale, which made sense to me was that the nonfunctioning equipment was all stuff that would normally remain on (or usable) after you turn the ignition key to the off position. The accessory delay relay controls that function. He was also kind enough to give (as in free) me a new accessory delay relay.

I put the relay in two days ago and, so far, the problem has gone away. It was occuring at least once a day. I will follow up post if the problem reappears, or if it stays away long enough for me to be satisfied that it has been fixed.

For those with this problem, the relay in question is in the fuse panel. There are three columns of relays sorta in the center of the fuse panel. As you look at the fuse panel, from left to right there are two columns of larger relays (appx 1" sq) and one column of much smaller relays. The accessory delay relay is in the center column, the lowest one in that column. On my 03 EX the part number is F0AB-14B192-AA.

Hope this helps someone.....especially me.

 

ID Number FOAB-14B192-AA = part number FOAZ14N089A

Ed

 

Wow!!

I declare the problem fixed. I have not have a recurrance of the problem since I replaced the "Accessory Dely Relay".

One for your notebooks.

 

Wow....:-(

I declare that I declared the problem fixed, too soon!

After a couple of weeks and a couple of new relays, the problem has reappeared.

Looking at the Service Manual wiring diagram, there is a relay labeled "battery saver relay" that feeds power to the "accessory delay relay". However, it appears that this "battery saver" relay is associated with the instrument cluster and does not appear to be a replacable unit. Does anyone know any more about this "battery saver" relay?

Tom

 

The "battery saver relay" is actually mounted on the back of the instrument cluster and is non repairable. Been there, done that. I went to Radio Shack and looked for a replacement relay but could not find one. So I removed the dash and the instrument cluster and cut the wire near the plug that connects to the instrument cluster that either powers the relay or that the relay powers. Not sure which one I did. The switch turned the interior lites off. I then spliced a wire to the wire I cut and run it to a switch so I could cut the lites on or off while I figured out what the real problem was. Again, my 6 month old fix was to replace the "accessory delay relay". You might want to check your fuses again.

DSMMH