Stuck in Baja

[davidceder]

Can anyone help. I am in Cabo San Lucas Mexico. I have a 2003 Eddie Bauer 4X4 Explorer. I started the car last week and have the following conditions:

What isn't working:
No instrumentation panel AT ALL (gas guage, temp, oil etc, Tach, speedometer, non existent)
No lights on instrumentation when car is first started (check mode)
No electric windows
No radio
No interior lights
No seat memory
No overdirve off
Can not tell if 4X4 is working due to no indicator lights
Airbag readiness lamp always illuminated.
Who know what else???

What is working:

All head, tail, fog, parking, hi beams & backup lights
Car starts & rides just fine
AC works great
Electric seats work (just Not the memory portion or the seat backing up when the key is placed in the ignition)
Horn is loud as ever
Wipers ok
Rear electric hatch release ok
Cruise control just purrs along

Getting home 1100 miles is going to be a chore if I cannot get this working. To make things worse I have to pull a 6X10 ft trailer and I cannot get the car into 4th gear because I cannot turn overdrive off.

Any ideas. I did all the typical fuse checking. Nothing common to all this...As a side note Ford did replace my instrument cluster about 5,000 miles ago..

Thanks for any assistance

davidceder

 

[Isles4evr]

I'm not completly sure what type of modules the 03's have, but it kinda sounds like a comfort module. We had problems similar to those at VW. If you checked all the fuses, then I would have to lean towards some type of interior comfort module (not sure what ford would call it), or it may be a part of the cluster. Some manufactures use the cluster to control many of the interior functions, and if the new one is bad or if there is a loose connection behind it you may experience those symptoms. I'd hate to tell you this, but your best bet is to take it back to ford and have them check it... it should be under warranty.

Chris

 

[JPA1982]

i know u said u checked the fuses, but how about the ones under the hood, just a thought, not up to date under the hood of a 03, but i know there are plenty of them on my 97, most fuses on the whole car i've ever seen

 

[Ken Cooke]

I was also stuck in Baja 3 years ago. The first thing you will want to do is contact your insurance company, and figure out if you have towing included in your policy. I know that some companies will actually pay to have your vehicle towed back to the 'states for repair work. Tow Truck/Towing in Spanish is "Grua". If you want me to contact your insurer here in the 'states, just email me privately at: ken@rubiconowners.com, and I will try to work on a plan on getting you out. I am on vacation currently, but I have a 4WD event that I will be hosting on Saturday/Sunday in Big Bear. I live in Riverside, CA and w/free daytime minutes, I can call around to the insurers for free and get you whatever info you request.

If you need me to locate services in Tijuana, Ensenada, Tecate, Mexicali, or San Felipe, I have the Yellow Pages "Paginas Amarillas" for that region. No problem locating what you need. I'm your buddy on the other side of the border! :smoke:

-Ken