This has been making me crazy for the last two weeks...
About three weeks ago I got in my 2002 Explorer for a short drive. After a mile or so, the radio and windows stopped working. I also lost gauges. I drove a little ways and stopped in a parking lot where I could check things out. After turning the engine off, It would not restart. I assumed bad battery or alternator. It turned out to be the alternator, which was replaced. At this time, still no windows or radio. I poked around, and changed the 17 fuse, and got them back. It went for a day or so and then blew again. I changed it again, and went another few days and it blew again. I then realized the following:
The fuse would blow immediately on insertion if the key was off or on, but not in start (?) position.
When I turned the truck off, if the fuse was going to blow, it would do it when I opened the door.
The fuse did not blow if I opened the door before turning the engine off.
I thought I could live with this for a while, but a few days ago it started blowing the fuse every time I either removed the key or opened the door. If I opened the door with the engine running, when I turned it off it would blow. If I turned the engine off first, it would blow when I opened the door. I am buying fuses in bulk while I try to figure this out. A week or so ago, I switched the acc delay relay with the rear defroster relay (I think) to see if that was bad, but it did not seem to do much, if anything.
Today, I replaced both relays, removed the door panel, traced every wire I could, and sprinkled fairy dust on it, and things are still the same. Everything works great as long as I put the key to start position (where the blower motor works), and change the fuse. If I then start the engine, everything is good until I turn the thing off. At that point, it will blow if I open the door or take the key out and then open the door. I also let it do its radio/window delay thing and everything was fine and it shut down after ten minutes, and then when I opened the door, it blew again.
Is there another relay that could be bad? Is there something else I am missing? I have been reading about the GEM module, but since this is the only thing that is not behaving - could this be it? Where is this surge (?) coming from? I have a couple of circuit breakers under the hood labeled acc delay - would it do any good to change these? Why are there two circuit breakers in the under the hood box - one is 60 amps and is in the box (#6) - the other is kind of behind it (towards firewall) and is under a clear cover and labeled Delayed Accessory (#67 - 30A CB) in the Owner's Guide? Is there a way to disable this "feature" that I do not care about anyway? If you can answer any of these questions, I would appreciate it. Thanks again....
Ben
About three weeks ago I got in my 2002 Explorer for a short drive. After a mile or so, the radio and windows stopped working. I also lost gauges. I drove a little ways and stopped in a parking lot where I could check things out. After turning the engine off, It would not restart. I assumed bad battery or alternator. It turned out to be the alternator, which was replaced. At this time, still no windows or radio. I poked around, and changed the 17 fuse, and got them back. It went for a day or so and then blew again. I changed it again, and went another few days and it blew again. I then realized the following:
The fuse would blow immediately on insertion if the key was off or on, but not in start (?) position.
When I turned the truck off, if the fuse was going to blow, it would do it when I opened the door.
The fuse did not blow if I opened the door before turning the engine off.
I thought I could live with this for a while, but a few days ago it started blowing the fuse every time I either removed the key or opened the door. If I opened the door with the engine running, when I turned it off it would blow. If I turned the engine off first, it would blow when I opened the door. I am buying fuses in bulk while I try to figure this out. A week or so ago, I switched the acc delay relay with the rear defroster relay (I think) to see if that was bad, but it did not seem to do much, if anything.
Today, I replaced both relays, removed the door panel, traced every wire I could, and sprinkled fairy dust on it, and things are still the same. Everything works great as long as I put the key to start position (where the blower motor works), and change the fuse. If I then start the engine, everything is good until I turn the thing off. At that point, it will blow if I open the door or take the key out and then open the door. I also let it do its radio/window delay thing and everything was fine and it shut down after ten minutes, and then when I opened the door, it blew again.
Is there another relay that could be bad? Is there something else I am missing? I have been reading about the GEM module, but since this is the only thing that is not behaving - could this be it? Where is this surge (?) coming from? I have a couple of circuit breakers under the hood labeled acc delay - would it do any good to change these? Why are there two circuit breakers in the under the hood box - one is 60 amps and is in the box (#6) - the other is kind of behind it (towards firewall) and is under a clear cover and labeled Delayed Accessory (#67 - 30A CB) in the Owner's Guide? Is there a way to disable this "feature" that I do not care about anyway? If you can answer any of these questions, I would appreciate it. Thanks again....
Ben
