2003 Explorer Dash Lights/Gauges, Stereo, & Power Windows Stopped Working

[froglady99]

Without warning, almost everything on my dashboard quit working. The seatbelt light is on, and the turn signal lights work, but the gauges (speedometer, gas gauge, etc.), stereo, power windows, and interior lights don't work at all. Also, I kept feeling like the car was shuddering a lot as I was driving, especially when I was driving at high speed, but that could just be my imagination. Otherwise, the car is running fine. The power door locks still work, and so does the blower.

Could this just be a fuse, or is it something more complicated? I really hope it's an easy fix, because I'm away from home right now, and I don't want to have to drive the 300+ miles back home in a couple weeks without a working speedometer and CD player. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Sabrina​

 

[froglady99]

We found two blown fuses and replaced them. We did it one at a time, and after the first one, nothing changed, so I don't know what it was for. But the second fuse did the trick. Unfortunately, two days later it blew again. Each time, the fuse blew right when I turned off the car.

After replacing the fuse a second time, I did a little experimenting, and I found that when I turned the dimmer switch all the way up, sometimes the stereo would turn off, and sometimes the "door ajar" light would come on, even though no doors were open. But then when I would turn the dimmer switch all the way off, the "door ajar" light would turn off. I've had problems for a long time with the door ajar light coming on, and I thought the problem was something in the driver's side door (and it still could be), but now I'm wondering if the dimmer switch is the problem.

Whatever the case, I really need to figure out why the fuse keeps blowing. I have to drive over 300 miles to get home in two days, and I don't want to have to drive the whole way without a working speedometer. I don't have the money to pay someone else to fix this, so if I can fix it myself, I'd rather do that.

 

[brokkanic]

I don't know if it's related or not but this reminded me of a customers car which was experiencing not the same but similar related dimmer switch issues.

The guy was a taxi driver and a smoker. In order to have his car not smell like an ashtray, he would constantly spray perfume down his ac vent. Well, all that perfume liquid ended up inside the aftermarket stereo. The resulting short that it caused didn't shut off the stereo but was transmitted through the dimmer wire affecting several other electrical systems.

Haven't hooked up a dimmer wire since.