Message control center not working

[Adam Boston]

I have a 2000 Ford Explorer Eddie and I bought it with the message control center climate control and the over head not working guy said it hasn’t worked since he bought it. So I checked the fuse yeah it was blown so I put a new one in. It worked for like 20 seconds I was fiddling around the ac kicked on and next thing I know it goes blank again and the fuse popped but smoke started coming from the center console where the whole computer is. I assume it has a short and it’s popping the fuse but I’m wondering if any of y’all have had the same problem because it’s kinda getting on my nerves now that I know it does work but If I leave it plugged up long enough it pops the fuse and starts smoking

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

If you saw smoke, then finding the culprit got a little easier, as all you have to do is look for a wire/s with melted insulation. It could be a wire (+) grounding out, or it could be that one of the electrical component/modules has gone bad. But first you will want to double check all the wiring for chaffing, and burning/melted, and replace any damaged wiring.
There are many services that repair electronic modules for older cars too should the need arise.

 

[J_C]

Did you put a major brand fuse in or a generic? I ask because some generic fuses are not at all built to limit current to the value they're supposed to be, otherwise the fuse should have blown long before you had enough current, long enough to create smoke.

This is a unique situation and you'll need to pull parts to see if you can find the smoking area. Considering its age and that it has had at least two owners, there could be all kinds of dubious ghetto repairs done or at least tried between factory and now.

Look at what that fuse powers. Unplug all things it powers and plug them back in one at a time, if you don't see an obvious short.

Which fuse? One of the more common faults is the A/C fan blower transistor (aka resistor) module fails. It's usually the transistor in that fails and if it fails to a shorted state, excess current might be possible, or if the windings on the blower motor have shorted, that too could cause excess current depending on which fuse blew. For this reason if all else/above fails to show a cause, I'd unplug the blower motor module then power it up again to see if it reoccurs, but really I wouldn't want to apply power again at all until you find what was smoking because even if it wasn't the original fault, it could be a new fault, and as above I would double check the fuse used because it should have blown before enough current to cause smoke.... depending on what it was, if there is some IC in the head unit that's fried, that could let the magic smoke out without a lot of current but that is not a common fault, uncommon enough that I wouldn't want you chasing that ghost, yet it is a remote possibility... too little info to know yet.

 

[Graham Watson]

Adam Boston,

Did you sort out you Message Center problem?
Let me know what It was and please tell me where the fuse is located for the message center.

Regards,
Graham Watson

I have a 2000 Ford Explorer Eddie and I bought it with the message control center climate control and the over head not working guy said it hasn’t worked since he bought it. So I checked the fuse yeah it was blown so I put a new one in. It worked for like 20 seconds I was fiddling around the ac kicked on and next thing I know it goes blank again and the fuse popped but smoke started coming from the center console where the whole computer is. I assume it has a short and it’s popping the fuse but I’m wondering if any of y’all have had the same problem because it’s kinda getting on my nerves now that I know it does work but If I leave it plugged up long enough it pops the fuse and starts smoking

I have a 2000 Ford Explorer Eddie and I bought it with the message control center climate control and the over head not working guy said it hasn’t worked since he bought it. So I checked the fuse yeah it was blown so I put a new one in. It worked for like 20 seconds I was fiddling around the ac kicked on and next thing I know it goes blank again and the fuse popped but smoke started coming from the center console where the whole computer is. I assume it has a short and it’s popping the fuse but I’m wondering if any of y’all have had the same problem because it’s kinda getting on my nerves now that I know it does work but If I leave it plugged up long enough it pops the fuse and starts smoking

 

[Graham Watson]

I have a 2000 Ford Explorer Eddie and I bought it with the message control center climate control and the over head not working guy said it hasn’t worked since he bought it. So I checked the fuse yeah it was blown so I put a new one in. It worked for like 20 seconds I was fiddling around the ac kicked on and next thing I know it goes blank again and the fuse popped but smoke started coming from the center console where the whole computer is. I assume it has a short and it’s popping the fuse but I’m wondering if any of y’all have had the same problem because it’s kinda getting on my nerves now that I know it does work but If I leave it plugged up long enough it pops the fuse and starts smoking

Adam Boston,
I’ve located where the fuse for the Message Center is————a fuse diagram I had didn’t mention the Message Center but I’m still interested if you resolved your issues as I have similar problems.

Regards,
Graham Watson

 

[J_C]

Message Center appears to have two fuses, on the interior fuse panel there's #36 hot at all times, and #10, hot in (ignition switch position) run.

If your message center is blowing the fuse, first check to see if anything else is also on that fuse, or just unplug the message center to make sure the fuse doesn't blow from anything else that "might" be on the same fused circuit. IF the MC is blowing fuses, with it unplugged, check to see if the wiring to it seems to have a short, measure resistance between the power wire and a chassis ground point, and resistance should be very high if not infinite/open-circuit.

If there's no wiring fault, either open, reverse engineer and attempt a DIY repair of the MC, or replace it. I'd look at a junkyard first. Those have to be crazy expensive as a new Motorcraft part, if Motorcraft even has any stock remaining.

 

[Graham Watson]

Adam Boston,
I’ve located where the fuse for the Message Center is————a fuse diagram I had didn’t mention the Message Center but I’m still interested if you resolved your issues as I have similar problems.

Regards,
Graham Watson

JC,
thanks for the reply.
The downside of having a Limited Explorer is everything is electrically operated and I have very little knowledge of things electrical.
I bought myself a multimeter last week so all I need now is to learn how to use it.
Every fuse in the car is OK so it looks as if the Message Center itself is the culprit and, as you say, a new one would cost an arm and a leg.
I’m sure there are people around who are smart enough to fix them and so I’ll remove the MC and see what I find.
There are a number of electrical issues of which the MC is just one.
The seats don’t work now and also I have to turn the lights on manually whereas before they came on automatically and I would have thought a failed MC had nothing to do with the seats and lights not working.
Many thanks for your suggestions and help——-it is appreciated.
Regards,
Graham Watson