99 - Fuse #11 blown, no running lights, fogs, or dash lights

[2000StreetRod]

not on mine

I just happened to start pulling out my instrument cluster this week to install some dash gauges (boost & oil pressure), fix my gear selection indicator, and replace a burned out airbag light. I looked all around my light switch and dimmer module and didn't notice anything like the component in the photo you posted. It resembles a voltage regulator. I should get the cluster out this afternoon and I'll get a better look then. My Sport is an economy model and doesn't have any of the options (remote start, keypad entry, message center, EATC, outside air temperature, power seats, etc.) so that may be associated with an option I don't have. If you can identify the wire colors attached to it I'll look it up in the wiring diagrams.

 

[trj360]

I'll do that but may not get to it today. I appreciate all the help so far.

 

[trj360]

I've been hands off with the truck for a few days and have done a lot of thinking, and I just remembered something. Sometimes my wipers will stop working on the low/intermittent speeds but always work on high. They seem to stop working and resume working at random. Could my issues here be related to the multifunction switch at all? Or anything in the wiper circuit? I wouldn't think so because the turn signals work just fine, but I figured I'd ask.

I should be able to do some multimeter testing in the next few days when I get some help and of course I'll update with the results.

 

[2000StreetRod]

windshield wipers

In my opinion your windshield wiper problems are unrelated to blowing fuse 11 in the battery junction box.

 

[koda2000]

re the thing in the photo you posted... Ford used something called an IVR to power their gauges. i don't know if they still do/did, but IVR stands for intermittent voltage regualtor. as near as i can figure out, its purpose was to buffer the voltage to the gauges to prevent them from wandering around due to voltage changes in the charging system. if you put a VOM on one if these IVR's you'd see the voltage alternate between 9-12 volts.

 

[trj360]

Another strange development today. I put the dash back together after getting some more advice that it is almost guaranteed not to be anything behind the dash. Just to test it out after I put the dash back together, I put another fuse in and it blew just like normal. A few minutes later, I put another fuse in to show someone what was happening and the fuse did not blow. Absolutely no changes as far as moving any switches or wires from just a few minutes prior. I didn't even move the truck. Then I pulled it out of the garage and the truck is in the driveway right now, running, with all the lights on and fuse #11 is still in tact. I would think that a bad ground or short somewhere would at least act consistently if it's not being moved around. Any ideas?

Also, here is that relay I promised details on:

Full size link so you can zoom in:
http://i.imgur.com/qfjJNbw.jpg

Looks like 2 whites and some red/pink wires. I just left it as-is and put the dash back together. I couldn't see where it could possibly have bolted to.

 

[trj360]

Just got back from a 20 minute test drive with no issues.

Another idea that I had was that the only thing that changed between today's blown fuse the fuse that didn't blow was exactly that - the replacement fuse. Is there any way the socket the fuse is in could be bad, and when I put the new fuse in today is just happened to fall into the right position within the socket?

 

[2000StreetRod]

rear blower motor relay?

I checked my Sport and I don't have a relay in that location. So I looked thru my wiring diagrams and found a possibility. Do you have EATC? The drawings show the rear blower motor relay in that area. The stated location for its mating connector is in instrument panel console. The wire colors are: PK/WH, GY/YE, RD/OG, & BN/OG. Another possibility is the turn/hazard flasher - although mine is yellow instead of black. Wire colors: LB, RD/WH, WH/RD, BK, & OG/YE. Do you happen to have an aftermarket remote start capability?

A defective fuse would not allow current flow instead of causing excess current to flow and blow. There's a remote possibility the socket contacts under the fuse are near an exposed wire to chassis ground.

 

[trj360]

I do have a rear heating vent, in the back of the center console but nothing is automatic, if by EATC you mean electronic automatic temperature control. I don't think I have remote start because I have the stock key fob, but I do have a random tiny antenna in the upper left of my windshield that I have never figured out what it's for.

I wasn't thinking the fuse itself was bad, I'm thinking the #11 fuse socket or whatever it's called. That was the only thing I touched on the truck this afternoon between a blown fuse and the current one that's not blown yet.

On the test drive, I went out of my way to hit a good number of bumps in the road to see if I could jar something and cause a failure but nothing happened.

I guess I can officially call this problem "intermittent" now that there have been 2 fuses to last - one last week lasted about an hour, then after parking and restarting the truck it blew. Today, the fuse seemed to randomly work and continued working during the test drive. I have zero expectation that this fuse will last through tomorrow but we'll see.

 

[trj360]

A whole day with no problems. What a mystery. I'm still open to suggestions but I'm going to refrain from disassembling the dash (again) unless and until I need to.

 

[intelisevil]

Does the antenna look anything like this? (Not my picture, I just searched & 'borrowed' it from another site.)

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss296/rmc523/Flex/antenna.jpg

That's an OEM remote start antenna.

The relay in your last picture looks like something that would have been wired in to allow some option to work within the remote start upgrade. I don't think Ford uses crimp on connectors like that.

Good Luck,
Dan

 

[trj360]

Does the antenna look anything like this? (Not my picture, I just searched & 'borrowed' it from another site.)

http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss296/rmc523/Flex/antenna.jpg

That's an OEM remote start antenna.

The relay in your last picture looks like something that would have been wired in to allow some option to work within the remote start upgrade. I don't think Ford uses crimp on connectors like that.

Good Luck,
Dan

Mine looks very similar, and it's in the upper left corner of the windshield:

Link to full size so you can zoom: http://i.imgur.com/24dHpji.jpg

A search for "DEI remote start" doesn't return a picture of that antenna, unless it says something other than DEI.

I also noticed a black box with a good amount of wires running in and out, behind the dash, located behind the interior fuse panel. Could I have had aftermarket remote start this whole time and not have known it?

 

[trj360]

So, more issues today after 2 days of no problems.

In order of appearance, this all happened within 30 minutes while driving:

The left turn signal got stuck on, no amount of wiggling the turn signal stalk got it to go off. Randomly, it went back to working fine.

I hit the brakes, and suddenly the left turn signal acts like it's part of the brake light system. The left lights came on whenever I hit the brakes, and the turn signal stalk didn't do anything to stop that.

The left turn signal worked fine for a few lane changes down the highway.

Finally,
Fuse #11 blew and the turn signal seemed to go back to normal.

It did rain today so I'm thinking maybe my trailer hitch wiring is getting wet? The trailer light junction box is just hanging inside the rear bumper, underneath the driver's side tail light. Would a wet junction box cause this? I might just try to cut the wiring out because I don't tow anyway.

 

[2000StreetRod]

not the trailer/camper adapter wiring

The trailer/camper adapter wiring is electrically isolated from fuse 11 in the battery junction box.

I suggest that you investigate the wiring to the mystery relay. If an aftermarket remote start capability was added to your vehicle a hot at all times power source would be required. Perhaps the relay is tied into wires from fuse 11. One possibility is when it rains, water leaks into the vehicle and shorts out the remote start system blowing fuse 11.

I understand the convenience of remote start but wouldn't have one. Last year an elderly couple in our area died from carbon monoxide fumes (their bedroom was above the garage) when their remote start capable vehicle started by itself while the couple was sleeping in bed. I think remote start involves some type of defeat of PATS making the vehicle easier to steal. It is frequently the source of difficult to isolate no-start issues.

 

[trj360]

The trailer/camper adapter wiring is electrically isolated from fuse 11 in the battery junction box.

I suggest that you investigate the wiring to the mystery relay. If an aftermarket remote start capability was added to your vehicle a hot at all times power source would be required. Perhaps the relay is tied into wires from fuse 11. One possibility is when it rains, water leaks into the vehicle and shorts out the remote start system blowing fuse 11.

I understand the convenience of remote start but wouldn't have one. Last year an elderly couple in our area died from carbon monoxide fumes (their bedroom was above the garage) when their remote start capable vehicle started by itself while the couple was sleeping in bed. I think remote start involves some type of defeat of PATS making the vehicle easier to steal. It is frequently the source of difficult to isolate no-start issues.

What's the reason for the turn signal oddities then? I'd like to think that is a clue, especially considering the fuse has worked for 2 days and suddenly blows just minutes after my signals go nuts.

 

[2000StreetRod]

Multifunction switch & turn/hazard flasher

I agree that a wet or shrting trailer/camper adapter can affect the turn signals as can a defective multifunction switch or turn/hazard flasher. The turn/hazard flasher is an electro-mechanical device that frequently fails in less than 14 years. One of the symptoms is a turn signal lamp staying on rather than blinking. I just don't see a way that any of those failures can affect fuse 11.

 

[trj360]

I agree that a wet or shrting trailer/camper adapter can affect the turn signals as can a defective multifunction switch or turn/hazard flasher. The turn/hazard flasher is an electro-mechanical device that frequently fails in less than 14 years. One of the symptoms is a turn signal lamp staying on rather than blinking. I just don't see a way that any of those failures can affect fuse 11.

Doesn't the trailer wiring include the running lights? (by this I mean parking lights)

 

[2000StreetRod]

trailer wiring

The trailer left turn signal/stop lamp goes to fuse 3 in the central junction box. The trailer right turn signal/stop lamp goes to fuse 7 in the central junction box. The trailer tail lamps go to the trailer tow park lamp relay in the auxiliary relay box 2 and then to fuse 30 in the central junction box. The relay is energized by the exterior lamps that receive power from the park lamp relay which gets power from fuse 11 when energized. So you're correct, they could be related. Try removing the trailer tow park lamp relay. Maybe it has a short in the energizing coil. The only functions disabled with the relay removed are trailer related.

 

[trj360]

I will try that. Where is the trailer tow relay? I'm using this page for my relay and fuse references but I'm not seeing a trailer tow relay anywhere.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180814

Or, I should ask where is auxiliary relay box 2?

 

[2000StreetRod]

auxiliary relay box 2

auxiliary relay box 2 is located in the left rear of the vehicle next to the remote anti-theft personality (RAP) module. You should be able to access it after removing the interior panel where the jack is stored. There are multiple relays in the box: door unlock relay; door lock relay; driver door unlock relay; trailer tow/park lamp relay.

It looks like the box unfolds to expose the enclosed relays. Two of the relay locations are unused.