Message center problems

[mersberg]

I've been having problems with my abs light coming off and on and speedo jumping around behaving erratically. I took out my center console in preps of installing a complete gauge readout for my cb equipment. I wanted to remove the message center so I have space for gauges, so I unplugged the connectors to the MC(message Center) and when I turn on the headlights the AC comes on and all my lights go hay wire blinkers don't work and I get abs and speedo problems , so I plug the connectors back in and since the MC is out I notice a smell coming from the MC so I check the connector and the connector is super hot to touch then I get some abs lights and my other faults. I search and veiwed other post and saw that the VSS signal runs through the MC. Is there a plug that I can cap the connector to enable the truck to function normally? I don't want or need the MC, I will save it for later but I want to remove it. Is there maybe a way to jumper some pins to enable the truck with it out? I will look at what pin is heating up nearly melting the connector. Thanks

 

[Cobraguy]

Wow. I drove my 99 one day with the console out and didn't notice an issue. But it was just a block down the street too. I wish I had an answer for you. Very interesting. But I would say you should put everything back together until you know for sure if something is getting hot. That is not good. Are you certain you haven't damaged a wire or component somewhere?

You know, I wonder if your 2000 car uses the PCM to process the VSS instead of the ABS module. Somewhere around that year they swapped to that. One of our members...renzwing I believe...did some research into this and knows about it. Search for a thread by him. It was regarding some sort of swap. An engine, an instrument cluster, something or another. Anyway, I don't have a 2000 diagram with me so I can't look into it...but I wonder if the VSS doesn't travel through the MC prior to your instrument panel and ABS module...and by disconnecting it, you have interrupted the circuit to other components. That is not possible on the 99 that uses the ABS module to condition and distribute the signal.

 

[Cobraguy]

Looks like maybe your car is the same as a 99 and it uses the ABS module too.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230656&highlight=vss

In that case, I can't see where disconnecting the message center should affect any other component that receives the VSS as it's distributed via a splice (S247) prior to the MC. So everything is basically in parallel.

 

[mersberg]

well the MC being disconnected does affect VSS somehow ,I started having the erratic speedo and abs flashing while driving , having my MC in pieces I moved the wire thats in the big connector that is heating up and my symtoms disappear, but it still doesn't explain why my wire is hot and almost melting my connector .

 

[mersberg]

Working on the problem in this post
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2114999&posted=1#post2114999