Eletrical/Fuel Problem

[DestinVantine]

My '02 Explorer had a problem with the door ajar latch, where the dash light stayed on and the "ding" noise would rapidly sound while driving. The wd-40 trick didn't work so I tried to bypass the switch, which also didn't work. So I do a little research and find that a single speaker makes that noise and on some cars it is attached to the upper side of the fuse box. Stupid me takes out not one not two but three "boxes" off the top. I start the car and rpm needle started dancing wildly, so i immediately shut it off. I put the relay switches back in and find the real speaker and remove it.

The three relay switches I removed were the battery saver, the rear defroster, and the flasher relay.

Ok, now for the actual question. My explorer will not start. It cranks, the battery is good, the spark plugs are good, the battery connections are clean, no fuses are blown, all relays work, inertia switch is ok, won't start in neutral, and fuel pump sounds when initially turning the key.

The dash lights that are on are service engine, battery, and check gauge.

The door ajar light won't even come one, but the sound is gone.

When I turn the radio on the fm comes in fuzzy and only one speaker comes in louder then the rest.

Just to make sure it wasn't the starter or the spark plugs, I sprayed starter fluid into the air intake, and it started to fire up but when the fluid wasn't being sprayed it stopped.

I goofed. Any help would be appreciated.

I have no clue whats wrong but I think that without the three relays the extra power was diverted into another component and shorted it out. I don't know which component it could be.

 

[rwt101]

Did you try putting the speaker box back in?
Bob T

 

[mbrando1994]

The issue you're describing sounds like a faulty ground. Remove your driver side door panel, and the rubber grommet between your door and chassis. Inspect all of the wires in there, look for broken or frayed ones, especially green/black depending on year/model. If they are damaged, splice new wire in or tape up if there are breaks in the insulation. Also tape any new connections with spliced wire (also use butt connectors!), or use a soldering iron, whichever you prefer.

If that doesn't resolve the issue, look into replacing your door latch/sensors. I would be willing to bet 80% it's that first issue I mentioned though, very common failure.

As for the start up issue. I would set my sites on the starter itself. Have someone come out and test for this, I'm personally not entirely sure how its done. I'm sure it's not too hard to perform with the right tools. If it cranks and there's no clicking, it is probably the starter. It could also be bad wiring from the battery to the starter/alternator (generator). I know you tested for this and read that portion too late, but still worth professionally testing. I would check other fuses in the box that could have blown, you'll need a multimeter I believe. Bypassing is never the answer, only in rare cases such as DVD radios and light mods like that that will not affect the actual car electronics. Always strive to fix the issue at hand and not working around it.

Hopefully some of this was helpful.

Best wishes

 

[fordysenior]

ok, you said "any help would be appreciated" --

You also said you found the speaker and removed it. My 2002 door dinger speaker was located near the "inertia switch' on a circuit board by the front passenger foot area. It's not easily removed. In fact, I just drilled a hole in mine. Problem solved. I hate those dingers since I sit in the vehicle with the door open and the radio on. Any chance the thing you removed was other than the actual speaker? My 2002 is an early build model, have not had any problems since deactivating the speaker. But maybe your Explorer is different