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Ford F-Series Electrical and Lighting Problems

2

Comments

  • diehardforddiehardford Member Posts: 50
    If the keyless entry will lock the doors your problem might be dirty contacts on the the door switch itself. If the passenger side switch will lock the doors I would concentrate on the door switch first.
  • rickevin29rickevin29 Member Posts: 3
    Neither door lock switch works, this problem occured after installing an aftermarket remote starter, when I tried to operate the new remote door locks, I seen a spark from under the steering column. something must have blown and guessing a relay
  • rickevin29rickevin29 Member Posts: 3
    I guess no one can help me..............great forum..........
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    Be patient... not everyone who reads the forums will have the answer, and those who do may not read the forums every day.

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • mickeymouse2mickeymouse2 Member Posts: 161
    I doubt that it is a relay. Most likely your after market remote shorted something out. Recommend close examination of the area that you saw the sparks. Check fuses in interior fuse box and engine compartment. There is a third relay box usually mounted under the dash, drivers side near the heater defrost duct. It holds about 10 relays is black with a black cover. Your relay for power windows, power locks ect is in there. I think your wasting you time checking that first though. Shorts usually occur where the wires melt, sparks ect. My guess is that a power wire that is suppose to be hot at all times, shorted out with your new remote. Either your circuit protection blew a fuse, or a wire melted to ground. The power door lock circut is hot always with the key on or off.
  • dglarsondglarson Member Posts: 4
    I have a 1982 F150, Straight 6 with automatic transmission with the following problem. With engine running but sitting in park the wipers, turn signals, emergency flashers and heater fan do NOT work. I put the vehicle into Drive and the wipers start working but the turn signals, emergency flashers and heater fan still do NOT work. With the Engine OFF but the ignition key turned to On, the wipers, heater fan, emergency flashers and turn signals all Work.
    This is clearly some kind of electrical problem but I don't know where to look or start.
  • wpalkowskiwpalkowski Member Posts: 493
    From the weird behavior you describe, it sounds like maybe the clock spring inside the steering column may be on its last legs. It makes all the electrical connections for the compnenets inthe steering column.
  • mtap007mtap007 Member Posts: 5
    this is a manufacturer problem that they will not admit to. Nevertheless, the best way to corrent this problem is to undo the negative post to your battery for about 2 minutes. This will send a message to your computer to reset everything in your truck and the light will be off when you hook it back up. You will have to reset your clock but other than that it will work fine.
  • bpaulsonbpaulson Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 F-250 with a 7.3 powerstroke diesel. Couldn't get it started this morning, so I put a battery charger on it. Two hours later and nothing. Jumped it, turned over but wouldn't start. During this time the alarm went off intermittently. Batteries checked bad, so I now have two new batteries installed. When I turn the key, I hear the solenoid under the dash click, but nothing else. No cranking at all. All lights/chimes work great. Possibly related...when I lock it with the FOB, the horn beeps instead of the alarm chirping. I've turned the key on and off 3 times, pushed the black valet button with the key on (service guy's suggestion) but no luck. Any suggestions?

    Thanks!
  • mtap007mtap007 Member Posts: 5
    This has been a problem for not only that model but the 1997-98. Try replacing the solenoid first. Also have the alternator checked and let me know it this corrects the problem.
  • 03powerstroke03powerstroke Member Posts: 1
    I have recently been experiencing some issue's with my 03 F250 powerstroke. This past weekend it started having some electrical problems. First the radio goes out, then all of the guages go to zero including the speedometer. At this point the battery light usually flickers and then all of the guages cycle a couple of times. At this point the radio comes back on and the guages go back to normal. This usually occurs while coasting or at low rpm's. I have also been seeing the battery light come on occasionally with no immediate problems. The battery light issue usually occurs either a couple minutes before or after the other electrical issue. Does anyone have any suggestions for a possible fix? I would appreciate any input.
  • madison4madison4 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2001 F150 Supercrew. The moon roof, map lights and power windows do not work. I found what appear to be a 30 AMP fuse in the fuse box under the hood, but it is metal and is the metal fuse looking device in the panel. I tried a plastic 30 Amp fuse but it did not help. The manual
    says this outlet (with the metal fuse) is only used on a Supercrew.

    Is this something I will have to get from a dealer ?

    Does this appear to be a realistic identification of the issue ?

    Thanks

    Chip
  • ibtiggsibtiggs Member Posts: 23
    I am thinking of buying a '05 f350 diesel, that is a lease back from an oilfield company. The problem that I have is, instead of saying 64,323KM, as the dealership claims it has for mileage, the digital odometer reads 064323KM. The 0 at the beginning of the line has me worried. I have looked at about 8 other similar trucks, and none of them has the 0 in front.
    Is there a way to tell if this odometer has been tampered with? ANY help anyone could offer would be greatly appreciated.
  • shep4016shep4016 Member Posts: 2
    Hey Guys, this is the first time I've ever joined an online discussion...here's my situation:

    1992 F150 5.8L with towing pkg, CB, air horn, plus power everything.

    Just bught the truck wih original 60,000 miles, mostly highway. For the past couple of years (don't really know how long) previous owner hardly ran it, just started her up and let her run for 30 mins or so once a week.

    I've put about 5,000 miles on her since May, and now she's draining the battery. I've narrowed the problem down to the voltage regulator.

    Those 5,000 miles were the beak-in; I'm likely only going to drive her a couple times per week, for maybe 20-40 mins each time, and then 2 or 3 times a year for 200-400 mile camping trips.

    Question: Is this limited operation likely to bring on more/other issues with the charging system? If so, maybe I should replace the alternator or consider some other alternatives to head off potential issues?

    Thanks for any advice,
    shep
  • shep4016shep4016 Member Posts: 2
    OK I have a '92 F150 5.8L which has an elusive battery drain. Here's the situation:
    I'd been on some very rough roads, probably driving too fast. When I stopped to set up camp and shut off the ignition, the truck died. No response whatsoever when I turned the key.

    Got lucky and found a guy who sold me a battery, truck started. I was out for a few more days and had no problems. When I got home and didn't run it for 2 days it again would not start--again, no response at all.

    I replaced the battery and starter (just for good measure) and she started right up. The next day, completely dead. Rechecked my starter installation--all good--recharged the battery and she started right up. Next day, dead again.

    I recharged and retested the battery--it held charge when it was not hooked up--and when I put both cables back on the voltage dropped rapidly (30 secs) to about 6.5V. When I pulled either cable off it steadily recharged itself. Both cables hooked up, rapid drain; either cable alone and no problem.

    I unhooked the voltage regulator harness and the drain stopped, so I replaced it. With the new one installed, rapid drain AGAIN!

    I hooked up my multimeter between the POS post and cable and then the NEG post and cable, each time pulled every fuse and relay, but turned up nothing.
    (In line on the NEG side, though, with each fuse pulled I got a minimal jump in voltage--after I pulled and replaced them all the total voltage jump was .3V)

    So I checked continuity across the tops of every fuse. The EEC relay (diode) showed resistance of .18. The maxi20 fuse associated with fuel pump relay showed resistance of .01, so I replaced the relay and got continuity.

    Still the battery drains. I am stumped. Can anyone out there give me a CLUE??

    Thanks,
    Shep
  • hughetthughett Member Posts: 1
    Hello my name is Hughett, I have a 2005 F150, XLT 54. Triton. A week ago when I stopped at the light my truck just shut off. Although I had a new battery, I had to replaced the battery. Then two days ago after getting into my truck I tried to roll down the driver side front window, but the whole window just dropped between the door and panel. Now the drivers side controls will roll the other windows down but will not roll them back up??????? where there any recalls on the electrical system on the 2005 F150 that I should know about? Help please!!!!!!!!
    Hughett :cry: :sick: :mad: :surprise:
  • mickeymouse2mickeymouse2 Member Posts: 161
    Sounds like a parisitic draw. You can only check for that with an external probe on computer controled vehicles just for info. Here is what you can do though. Disconect the battery and then disconect the "B" terminal that is conected to the Alternator. That is the big 8 guage cable leading to the positive post from the alternator. Put something over it so when you reconect the battery it doesn't short to ground. Reconect the battery and see if the drain is still there. If the drain is gone your most likely cause is a shorted alternator. And yes I have come across alternators that charge the vehicle, but have a parisitic draw due to a defect. From what you described on the voltage drop when the battery is connected, it is a big short. If your positive cable is touching ground somewhere, that would cause it too, but most likely would melt at that area. Suspect your alternater!!
  • tjfitztjfitz Member Posts: 41
    My 1999 F-150 has three adjusters per headlight, and only two of those are "adjustable". The third seems to be factory-set.

    My lower adjusters are seized because of rust on the adjuster metal screw thread. I've done the usual WD-40 soak but still can't move the screw in the threaded plastic hub of the adjuster, and at least one of the hubs already has a crack running along its length.

    Does anyone know of a source for buying these adjuster assemblies? I'm afraid Ford will want a big price for them. I've tried eBay and searched the Internet with Google with no luck.
  • tjfitztjfitz Member Posts: 41
    I went to a local car junk yard and I studied eBay for headlight adjusters, but it seems they are not sold separately from the headlights, and the headlight assemblies aren't selling for much less than $30 each.

    I spent some time yesterday spraying the two seized adjusters with WD-40 then tapping them with a small hammer hoping to loosen the plastic rider on the rusted threads, but no luck.

    Then I turned one of the seized riders as forcefully as I dared, and it began to move on the threads. That rider was the one what had a crack running its length, parallel with the threads.

    This morning I got out my utility knife and cut the rider on the other seized adjuster until it was all the way through the hub and now that one moves on the threads, too.

    It is a destructive solution, but is seems to solve my problem, and hopefully will save me about $60!
  • fordman69fordman69 Member Posts: 2
    The wires are on the left side under the hood in the corner at the fire wall.
    They are usually taped to another set of wires.
    There will be 4 of them all together.
    I have an 05 but I cannot find the ones under the dash to plug into the switches.
    Where are they?
  • mmcdermottmmcdermott Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 F150, when it gets cold out the truck needs to warm up for at least 15 min. before the directionals will work. What would the cause of this be?
  • hobie1944hobie1944 Member Posts: 1
    While pulling a trailer with my 2003 F250 Super Duty, the right turn signal and stop light on the trailer does not work, however the truck lights work just fine. It does not matter which trailer I pull they all act the same. I understand there are separate relays for the trailer lights but I cannot find their location.
  • mickeymouse2mickeymouse2 Member Posts: 161
    Since the lights work on your truck and left sides of trailer only. You didn't mentioned if the tail light works on right side. If wired correctly, check the conection of the green wire in you truck trailer harness for power with test light when brake or turn is on. If no power, then it is not connected to the circuit anymore on your truck. Resplice into truck harness for brake/turn right side(should be green wire in truck harness. Looking under the truck you will see where the trailer harness goes into the truck harness.

    Wire Diagram
    Wire color

    White Ground
    Green Right brake/turn +
    Yellow Left brake/turn +
    brown Tail/marker light +
  • hj25wmnyhj25wmny Member Posts: 3
  • hj25wmnyhj25wmny Member Posts: 3
    i have a 2001 f250 super duty pick up and the dash doesn't work, they used to work then one day i went to use my truck and nothing worked. no fuel gauge, speed o meter, rpm gauge, nothing works, i checked all the fuses all are fine, i tried to move the connection to the dash still nothing. and ideas?
  • 97f150needwork97f150needwork Member Posts: 1
    my door open indicator light has been staying on more and more lately. On several occassions my battery has been dead because dome light was left on. I took bulb out of dome light.... but now notice the light on the back of the cab is on. I have looked for the switch on door frame to see if I could work the corosion out of it - I can not find it - this is a three door model. Does anyone know where the switch is located or how I can disable the door open indicator. I can live without dome light. I also have a problem with the key in ignition warning ding ding ding going off even when the doors are closed (I live in an area where leaving keys in vehicle is norm)
  • kyredokyredo Member Posts: 1
    I have an F-150 (2000). It seems to have a mind of its own. Infrequently the wipers just start to operate. Typically they will make 2 - 3 passes then quit. This happens about once in 500 to 1000 miles. I can live with this but....

    Last night after when stopping the truck and turning the key off, the heater fan stayed on, So did the light of the direction and thermometer. I tapped the switch by the thermometer and turned off the heater, the fan stopped. This morning the battery was too weak to start the truck. It's been cold and maybe the battery is bad. (?)

    I too have had the situation with the dome light staying on. I'm going to try the WD40 and hope it works for me too.

    Any ideas why the electrical system seems to have a mind of its own?
  • ucoyucoy Member Posts: 2
    my voltage meter keep bouncing around, and my motor doesn't sound right. whats going on with my '92 F-150 I-6 300?
  • texstaxitexstaxi Member Posts: 2
    I have replaced my alternator 3 times. The voltage is up and down and very unstable. The lights(all) headlights, dome and dash are pulsating like a police car. They see no humor in this. I have looked for broken wires , corroded harnesses, bad grounds etc. but have had no luck. This 3rd alt. was overcharging but now it isn't charging at all. Anybody had the same or similar problem?
  • ucoyucoy Member Posts: 2
  • sfechtigsfechtig Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 F-150 on which the odometer/trip meter digital display is intermittent. It is on most of the time, but sometimes goes out for a few minutes. It will usually come back on by itself after a few minutes, or a slight tap on the instrument panel will usually make it come back on. Both the odometer and trip meter appear to count normally. All the other instruments in the panel work fine. Does anyone know if fixing this will require replacing the whole instrument cluster, or if there is a seperate connection or circuit board for the odometer display?

    Thanks,
    Scott
  • crawdoogiecrawdoogie Member Posts: 3
    This is a very common problem with 1999-2000 F-150's. The dealer charges several hundred dollars to replace instrument cluster circuit board. Fortunately it is fairly easy to fix yourself. Links below to a couple of "how to's".

    http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/196821-odometer-blackout-problem-fixed.html

    http://www.f150online.com/forums/electrical-systems/126765-intermittent-odometer- -repair.html

    Doug
  • platinummikeplatinummike Member Posts: 1
    I have a Ford F150 Platinum. Everything was working fine, until my electric tilt, electric foot pedal adjustments, and my power seat would not work. When you puch the buttons, you can hear the relay clicking under the seat. Went back to Ford and they said they replaced a fuse that was bad behind the glove box.(not accessible to regular people). They fixed it and it happened again about 1 week later. Same symptoms. Going back to dealer tommorrow. Any ideas whats wrong?
  • josh92f150josh92f150 Member Posts: 1
    Both turnsignals frotn and back do not flash unless I continuously flip up and down, and only while I press on my breaks. Fuses in the dash and under the hood are good and the emergancy lights work fine. Any Ideas? :confuse:
  • gene50gene50 Member Posts: 1
    My headlights went out suddenly. I replaced the switch and this didn't help. I replaced the voltage regulator, and lights and there is still not enough juice.
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    Check the flasher itself... it's usually on the backside of the fuse panel under the dash. Swap in a new one (very inexpensive) and see if that cures it.

    kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
  • jeannepjeannep Member Posts: 4
    2002 F250 dash light stays on indicating doors open. Overhead and cargo light stay on about 10 minutes after closing doors, Tried the WD 40 on the door hinges, whats the next step?
  • chaptomchaptom Member Posts: 1
    hi, i am having the same issue and tried the plastic 30 amp fuse also and it did not work. I was wanting to know if you figured out your problems yet because i am confuzed on this one. thanks tom
  • dakotaskidakotaski Member Posts: 1
    Regarding msg #30.I had the exact same thing happen while driving my friends '08 ford f350 while pulling an empty horse trailer. As soon as you lift your foot off the gas pedal the shake stops. The speeds are only around 45 mph and as you start to accelerate past that point the shake increases. Please tell me there is an easy fix for this problem??
  • jeannepjeannep Member Posts: 4
    Seller had it fixed at the Dealer. " Part: XF2Z 14018 AA switch asy - alarm
    removed defective passenger door ajar switch / SCIT CH came out in 2 pieces. Installed New. (Parts: $29.58, Labor $155)
    Don't forget to pay yourself for your hard work!
  • newdelmannewdelman Member Posts: 2
    I've owned my '98 F150 for almost 3 years. The lights on the instrument panel haven't worked since I purchased the truck. I have pulled out the light switch and cleaned it using compressed air. This didn't help. I checked and confirmed that all wires are attached. Would this be a defective switch?

    Also, the door alarm counds every time I open the door. It sounds as it would if I left the key in the ignition and exited the vehicle. I suspect that the problem may be in the steering column. By shaking the key switch will stop the alarm bell for a few seconds and then the ringing comes back. I tried tightening the steering column housing and this didn't work. Does anyone know about this problem and how to fix it?

    Thanks for your help.
  • loki515loki515 Member Posts: 4
    I had some knock off blue lights from ebay about 2 yrs ago that burned out something in my wiring. I can sometimes change a fuse and that works for very limited amount of time until it blows again. Indicating to me that there is a short from burning or slpit whatever. Also this light only not working in the low beams, in high beams both work. I have cut the plug off which i thought was the orginal problem but did not fix the problem. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to start or what part of the harness might be affected? any and all help is much apprecaited.
  • loki515loki515 Member Posts: 4
  • loki515loki515 Member Posts: 4
    bump
  • wdhytewdhyte Member Posts: 92
    I had a similar problem on my Harley a few years back when I ran a bigger xeon bulb (wattage) than is recommended. it ran really hot and actually melted some of the insulation on the harness behind the reflector (but i didn't know that at the time). i wound up putting the orig bulb back in and it would just cut off and then come back...made me think I had a loose connection but never did find one. eventually i began blowing the fuse to the lights (and all sorts of stuff...BAD on a motorcycle) and i finally found it by pulling the bulb, reflector, and the wires out as far as i could and i noticed the bit of melting/clumping of wire. i separated stuff, taped it, and haven't had a problem since. i also don't use a higher wattage bulb anymore either. FWIW and of course YMMV
  • tmrgn2673tmrgn2673 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2006 f150. I hooked up a boat trailer to it and only have a working brake light and turn signal on the right side,no running lights on either side. Any suggestions??
  • 1fastford11fastford1 Member Posts: 2
    Hello, I'm having a leak issue in the area of your truck did could you tell me if and where you located the water leak coming in any help would be great Thanks J
  • 1fastford11fastford1 Member Posts: 2
    Hello, I'm having a leak issue in the area (fuse panle) of your truck did could you tell me if and where you located the water leak coming in any help would be great Thanks J
  • kennybrookskennybrooks Member Posts: 3
    I have an '03 F-250 Super Duty 4 dr Gas, Had the plugs changed, oil changed,
    and rear brakes done.
    Now when I accelerate from a red light the ABS light comes on and the speedo freaks out for a few seconds....
    then the light goes out and the speedo starts to act right.
    Also it seems to have a rougher ride and less power.

    Please Help.
    Thank You,
    Kenny Brooks
  • kennybrookskennybrooks Member Posts: 3
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