Myriad Electrical Problems

[Antoids]

Hey, all. I have a few problems with a recently purchased used '97 Explorer. I think the problem is that some fuses need replacing but I wanted to run what's going on by everyone here to get a second opinion, since I honestly don't know a whole heck of a lot about cars.

Basically, the problems are:

• Driver door will not lock, manually, via power, or automatically.
• Rear driver door will not open
• Rear passenger door will not open from the inside (I don't believe it's child safety locks)
• Driver window will not begin to work unless engine is running (other windows work when key is turned to ON position)
• Passenger seat adjust works intermittently

Am I correct that the most likely issue here is fuse #5 on this chart? Or am I barking up the wrong tree? I'm not too concerned with the driver window issue, but the first 3 issues I would like to fix ASAP, especially the driver door not locking at all.

For reference, I have included what I believe are diagrams of all the fuses in the car.

I sincerely appreciate any help offered!

 

[1998Exp]

Seems to me that your door locking/unlocking problems are mechanical in nature (broken links, defective latch, etc.) and not electrical. Remove the the interior door panels and take a good look. If the problems are indeed mechanical, it will be pretty obvious what's wrong. If they are not, electrical troubleshooting will be in order -- probably starting with probing the voltage at the respective lock motor.

Hey, all. I have a few problems with a recently purchased used '97 Explorer. I think the problem is that some fuses need replacing but I wanted to run what's going on by everyone here to get a second opinion, since I honestly don't know a whole heck of a lot about cars.

Basically, the problems are:

• Driver door will not lock, manually, via power, or automatically.
• Rear driver door will not open
• Rear passenger door will not open from the inside (I don't believe it's child safety locks)
  

Am I correct that the most likely issue here is fuse #5 on this chart? Or am I barking up the wrong tree? I'm not too concerned with the driver window issue, but the first 3 issues I would like to fix ASAP, especially the driver door not locking at all.

For reference, I have included what I believe are diagrams of all the fuses in the car.

I sincerely appreciate any help offered!

 

[AppleWood]

Sure, replace that fuse & #28 also, very little risk doing that. Then...

In driver door jamb you'll find a large black connector with a rubber boot containing a dozen or so wires. It's notorious for containing broken wires due to door opening and closing a gazillion times over the life of the vehicle.

Open it up by loosening the nut on top - pull back the rubber accordion boot and inspect for breaks in the wires.

 

[snoranger]

Just a few common issues I'd assume are causing your problems:

Drivers door lock- seized door lock actuator. (Can't be the fuse, that won't stop you from locking it manually.)
Pass rear door- broken inside handle. (Is the inside handle loose or look like its already in the open position?)
Drivers window- weak power window motor.

 

[Antoids]

I'll look into the lock mechanisms sometime tomorrow, then. Thanks for the advice. I'm handy enough so I think it should go well. Found a few video tutorials.

I feel embarrassed, apparently I did not adjust the child safety lock sufficiently. The passenger rear door is in fine working order now. However, I did discover that the driver side rear door's handle DOES look like it is constantly in the "open" position. How would I go about repairing that? If I could fix that it would probably make further repairs so that it opens from the outside easier, and even if it didn't, I would find opening from the inside acceptable.

I'll probably end up buying those two fuses AppleWood suggested as well, since they're fairly inexpensive. I see pretty much everything I need to know about that, but, just to clarify, any fuse that meets the 30A MAXI/7.5A MINI specifications is gonna slot in just fine? I don't need to worry about buying the wrong kind?

 

[AppleWood]

Maybe pull the fuses out and take them with you to AutoZone/WalMart, or wherever you shop, so you'll get the correct size/shape...

 

[1998Exp]

As another poster already mentioned, if even a single lock works, it's not a fuse problem, because the fuse is common to all of them. In addition, I don't see any value in replacing fuses, just hoping that this will correct the problem. Fuses don't get 'somewhat bad'; they are either blown or they aren't. And most - if not all - can be inspected by simply looking at them. If they look intact, check that they are properly seated. Good luck!

...
I'll probably end up buying those two fuses AppleWood suggested as well, since they're fairly inexpensive. I see pretty much everything I need to know about that, but, just to clarify, any fuse that meets the 30A MAXI/7.5A MINI specifications is gonna slot in just fine? I don't need to worry about buying the wrong kind?

 

[snoranger]

As another poster already mentioned, if even a single lock works, it's not a fuse problem, because the fuse is common to all of them. In addition, I don't see any value in replacing fuses, just hoping that this will correct the problem. Fuses don't get 'somewhat bad'; they are either blown or they aren't. And most - if not all - can be inspected by simply looking at them. If they look intact, check that they are properly seated. Good luck!

I was going to say the same thing "a fuse is either good or bad", but I did run into an issue years ago on a Volvo with a fuse... The fuse looked and tested good. After a while it would get a little warm and a tiny crack would open up, breaking the circuit.

 

[Antoids]

Before going nuts opening up the door panel and such, I just unscrewed the plastic cover of the driver side door lock and moved it around a little. It was able to lock, and seems to do so fairly consistently now. However, I did one time have it get stuck in the "locked" position and had to climb through the passenger side and unscrew it and mess with it again. It seems like the pin is not aligned properly with whatever it is slotting into.