Please help - advice needed

[EastCoast]

Hello Jason here. New to this site but have been reading previous posts in search of an answer to my problems I am having with my 1995 Ford Explorer. I have seen similar questions concerning some of my problems but the things I have tried have not worked so figured I would ask for your assistance. Please excuse me my ignorance if I do not post this correctly. OK, I have an electrical problem I have had intermittently, then frequently and now altogether over the period of about 6 months. The power window console on my drivers door (all doors really, windows in general), the dash lights, the rear running tail lights (brake lights work) and the dome light do not work. They were fine, then sporadic, then quit altogether and I have noticed that when it is frigid outside they work but then quit as soon as the vehicle warms up. I have replaced the Power Accessory Delay Relay (relay approx 1" cube in box under dash by brake pedal with 6 or 7 other smaller relays) and that did not fix problem. Any ideas where I should look now or what could be causing all of these things to work , or I should say not work, at the same time? I have checked all of the fuses inside vehicle (in dash by drivers door) and the larger fuses under hood drivers side and they are all visibly good. Please help as this is keeping me from inspection and out of warnings, lol. Thank you in advance.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Likely the reason the person sold it in the first place - these are a time consuming to troubleshoot. The multi-function switch (turn signal/dimmer switch) is a potential culprit. Also the dash backlighting and the marker lights controls share common grounds so wiring issues such as frayed wires, poor connections, bad ground might be to blame. (Break may be in the dash, column, or door.) You'll need a multimeter, wiring diagrams, and some patience to test all the wires.

 

[EastCoast]

I have owned the vehicle for quite a while and recently started having this issue. Also teh 4x4 indicator lights are blinking in intervals (from what I gather on here that is a warning or code to indicate a problem) this makes sensed because 4 wheel drive engages and works fine. Your answer confused me because my dimmer for the dome light/dash lights is on it own on the dash and the turn signal lever is on the column and the signals work fine all around. But I do agree with the possibility of a fray or broken wire or bad ground. Thinking probably a frayed connection since they work when it is very cold out but no other times. Could this cause all the issues at the same time though, are all of these on a connected loop? And does anyone know where I could find wiring diagrams for these circuits and possibly for the GEM module so I can find where things lead to and from that module? Thanks again.

 

[RomeovilleIL]

There are a lot of possibilities as I noted earlier.

As for the multi-function switch, you would be amazed at how many seemingly unrelated things are wired through it. There is a common issue with the connectors pulling apart from tilting the steering wheel. As a quick/easy check, try removing the the column shroud (two screws from underside of column). Disconnect the plugs from the mfs, clean with electronics spray cleaner and reconnect when dry.

If no improvement, time to start tracing wires.