I think i have a bad GEM :/

[inh]

So my rear wiper doesnt return to the cradle when its shut off. None of my dash lights work (thankfully i have a whiteface guage kit so i can still see the intstruments.) my dome light wont come on when the door opens. THe front passenger window wont roll down or up, and none of the power locks work...

I'm pretty sure this is the GEM located next to the radio in the dash.. Im trying to find one cheap (or free!)

anyone know aobut GEM issues? Think these are all related? Also, what the heck is that box burried in my left rear quarterpanel with the keyless access code on it. i always thought that was the gem.. guess its just for keyless entry then?

 

[ExplorerDMB]

The GEM runs a lot of stuff. You will have to get the new GEM programed, that is why I think you're best going with a new one. Like a lot of modules, when programing you have ONE chance to put the code in correct (VIN), if you don't then it will shut down and won't ever come out of hibernation. The GEM runs about all of your body stuff, like what you said - door locks, interior lights, dash lights, etc. etc. It's basically one big relay to the computer.

-Drew

 

[inh]

hrm. i thought tat only like 97+ had to be programmed... jeephater#1 is gonna go get me one from the junkyard :/

 

[ExplorerDMB]

who told you 97+? If your referring to like Speedo reprogramming then yes you are right 98+, but I am pretty sure that all Explorers have GEMs.

-Drew

 

[inh]

No i read somehwere on here that only the 97+ GEMs had to be programmed for a specific vehicle in order to work, which means taking it to ford to have them program it :/

 

[inh]

WEeeeeeeeeee. A new gem is on its way, but today, my passenger window decided to roll down again... ANd wouldnt go back up. So i tore apart the door panel, disconencted the motor, and using some paper clips and jumper cables, got the window back up. THe motor is staying disconnected till the new gem goes in. What a great thing to have happen while its snowing out! Oh and my dash lights are working again. I cant wait to swap in a new gem.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Did the GEM solve your problems? Somebody else in another thread was having the same problem with his power door locks, and I thought that it was related to the GEM. How did you go about programming it?

 

[inh]

the GEM was not my problem, so now i have a spare one
and there was no need to program it, at least for my truck.

my issues were caused from a melted wiring harness, where it runs just to the left of the drivers side seat

 

[BrooklynBay]

What was that harness going into? Did you replace the entire harness, or just repair the section that was melted?

 

[BrooklynBay]

By the way, was the GEM from the dealer, or from a junk yard? How much are they?

 

[inh]

I picked up the GEM from a member here who bought it and never used it. From the dealer its like $350-450. I got mine for 160.

The harness i replaced connected up under the dash to the dash wiring harness, runs down the drivers side door sills, and goes to the rear tailights, fuel pump, tcase, alarm system, power door lock relays, runs under the rear seats where it goes to another computer, then up the passeger side of the truck to that rear doooor, and connects up in the kickpanel in the front passenger footwell. The harness also connectes to each of the four doors, and has the wiring for the windows, locks, speakers, etc.

what happened with mine was a wire dead shorted to a ground wire that ran between the two rear doors, which got so hot it melted its own insulation off, and eventually melted in to other wires, causing a chain reaction until about 30 wires were melted together and i got all those wierd electrical issues.

replace that harness and no more problems