Your post is very helpful. It seems to be missing the last photo and I am wondering if you could post it or send it to me. From your description, it sounds like replacing the switch is something that is not overly challenging. Is that true? I normally don't like taking the door panels apart, since I fear I might screw something up. But if I can change out this switch and solve my problem and avoid taking the truck to the dealer, I'd love to save the time and money.

mikebartosch@comcast.net

 

Just take your time and you should be able to figure it out. It was a little difficult getting my hand in the right position but other than the removal, everything went back in pretty quickly. Took me about 1-1/2 hours but that included getting tools together. It helps to print out his pics. helped me or have a laptop on site.
Good luck.

 

I can't seem to edit the original post. Imageshack is apparently having technical difficulities. Here's the photo you requested.

 

ok aside from this thread being 5 months old. I did your test with rolling the windows down and setting the alarm for each door. the back 2 set the alarm off but the front drivers and passengers didnt at all. Is there something more severe then just the switches or did both of mine happen to go bad at the same time?

btw mine also work sometimes and don't other times...

 

Ran across this today while I was trying to figure out what to do about this problem with my truck. The beeping is driving me insane and I hate that I have to leave my doors unlocked to the alarm doesn't keep going off. Anyway, thanks to you and your awesome instructions and pictures, I was able to do this all on my own! Saved me a lot of money! Thanks again so much! Your post is very appreciated! -Natalie

 

I had my VSM module replaced thinking that would fix all my problems. Wrong again. Originally the door ajar light was on, the door locks quit working with keyfobs or door locks in truck itself. Replacing VSM fixed lock probelm but caused another one. The door ajar light still stays on and the dome light and truck box lights stay on even with key out an doors locked. The ford guy said that the computer was saying that the doors where reading backwards. When there open the computer says closed and vice/versa. They will go off if it's being driven but not just setting there. Any ideas before the $300 goes to FORD. Help

 

Who replaced the VSM, the same dealer that scanned the system and found the polarity is reversed? Did he program the new module once installed? Assuming by "ford guy" you mean dealer, he should have the Ford tool that would allow him to get in to the programming mode, although I'm not sure if the polarity is a parameter that can be changed.

Assuming the "ford guy" is the one that installed the VSM, I'd ask them to go back through the reprogramming (as part of the labor you've already paid for) and doublecheck everything. Unless someone's mucked with the wiring, there's really no way for the polarity to be incorrect, it almost has to be a programming issue if the signal logic is reversed. Now if the issue is actually one of the doors is not changing states (and always reading ajar), that would be a different story. Their professional scan tool should be able to monitor each of the entry points independently.

-Rod

 

It was a local dealer and it was ordered from them. I asked about programming and got a " didn't need to reprogram the module. Personally never read anywhere that it came preprogrammed. It's a problem that I'm going to go back one more time for and see what they find if I have to stand there. He did mentioned that reversing polarity wasn't a programming function but how did it reverse to start with. I've had to pull the bulbs to keep from depleting batteries. Thanks for the reply. One more thing I failed to mention is the alarm system doesn't work now regardless of which door is opened. I sat inside with windows down and alarm set and opened door with handle and nothing happened. Ok thanks.

 

I checked the factory service manual tonight and your dealer is correct, there is no mention of the VSM needing to be programmed to the vehicle. According to the manual, "The vehicle security module communicates the status of each ajar switch to the GEM. The liftgate ajar switch and the liftgate glass ajar switch are wired in series. The vehicle security module cannot distinguish between the two ajar switches." I'm still baffled as to how they could be getting an indication that all switches are reading backward, but if that's really the case, you should be able to open all doors and the liftgate glass and witness that the lights go out after a several seconds.

-Rod

 

Thanks for the reply. I didn't know there was a swithch on the tailgate! But that's irrelevant to the problem right now since it didn't show in test he said they did. If the VSM didn't have to be programmed and the manual say's I don't have a GEM which is why it has a VSM then how do I correct the problem with out spending 300 dollars needlessly and it might not solve the problem since he's guessing anyway. If the theft alarm doesn't work then something else is wrong. Thanks anyway Rod. BY the way this is a Ford F-250 p/u. NO lift gate swithch here.

 

Your truck should have a GEM, that's separate from the VSM. The GEM though should be able to distinguish between the different ajar switches, and the dealer's WDS should be able to access the GEM to see if it is showing the correct state of the switches, unless that's what they were looking at. Worst case, the dealer should get out their multimeter or test light and physically check the state of the signals going in to the GEM and VSM to determine if the module is reporting them correctly or not. It seems a lot of newer "techs" are lost if the computer equipment doesn't tell them what the problem is.

-Rod

 

Amen to they get lost. Ever see the sign that says OUR MECHANICS have 450 years of experience and if you were to divide that by the 60 mechanics they have well you get the picture. Anyway I looked and couldn't find location of the GEM on mine but will refer to the chiltons shop book in the morning before I go to dealer. It just seems that fixing one problem only created 2 more? It'll get better but I'm going to call him out on cost of sensors for the door ajar seems he's aboout twice as high as a dealer on the net and no shipping charge. Thanks again.

 

The GEM module would be behind the dash panel on the RH side. That appears to only apply to the Early Build 2002 Explorers though. Later builds incorporate the GEM functions in to the Body Security Module.

-Rod

 

Thanks for all you expertise in this matter Rod. I took the truck in this morning and told them all that I had learned from you and others here on this forum. I suggested that they try programming the module and was informed one more time it couldn't be programmed. He showed me on his computer where it was "showing the doors ajar with them closed and opened when closed". So I let them install a new switch in the door and it made no difference. So he took the old module and downloaded all the paramenters from it and put that in the new module and low and behold it worked. All the problems went away immediately. He was amazed but still insisted that was not reprogramming anything. They charged me nothing for 2 hours of frustration and me sitting on my hands but would never admit they were wrong and I was right. Once again thanks to all that assisted in this endevour and never give up trying. By by the way this was a late build 2002 so no GEM.

 

Wow, that's great to hear. I'm sure he's right, the programming had nothing to do with it. [note my sarcasm].

-Rod