Rick's Free Auto Repair Advice » Expedition, Navigator

Starter Engages by itself or blower stays on with key off – Ford Trucks

Rick — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:05:24 +0000

Owners of Ford trucks may experience a starter motor that engages all by itself. Or, they may discover the blower motor running with the key off. This may sound like a bad ignition switch (and may be), but first check out the interior fuse panel. Any leak in the windshield (which is common) may cause corrosion inside the fuse panel. Locate the fuse panel and look for any signs of moisture or corrosion. If you find any, have the windshield leak repaired (resealed) and then replace the fuse panel. Don’t try to clean off the corrosion–it’s toast.

FYI, a leaking windshield can also cause a Generic Electronic Module (GEM) to act up.

For more information on this repair or any others for your vehicle, buy an online subscription to either Alldatadiy.com or eautorepair.net. Click on this link to compare the two services: Compare Alldata and Eautorepair.

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ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Rear Wiper Inoperative/Dead Battery—Expedition-Navigator

Rick — Tue, 20 May 2008 00:28:00 +0000

Owners of 2003-07 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators may experience a dead battery along with a balky rear wiper. The problem is covered by TSB #07-10-13 and can be diagnosed with the following procedure:

Pop the rear window open to make sure the wiper mechanism is disengaged from the motor drive plate. Next, open the beauty cover over the wiper arm attaching nut. Then, connect a dial torque wrench to the nut and rotate the wiper arm across the entire length of travel, keeping the blade touching the glass the entire time. Keep the window open during this test.

The torque measurement must not exceed 49 INCH pounds. If you discover that it is greater than this amount, replace the rear window striker/wiper pivot shaft assembly.

Corrosion on the wiper pivot shaft assembly causes excess torque and prevents the wiper arm from returning to the park position. The wiper system continues to attempt a park maneuver periodically and those continued attempts drain the battery.

The torque measurement must not exceed 49 INCH pounds. If you discover that it is greater than this amount, replace the rear window striker/wiper pivot shaft assembly.

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Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
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If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

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ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

No Horn Engine Running but plenty of Horn With Engine Off—Ford Trucks

Rick — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:30:00 +0000

This may sound like the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard of, but if you look at the electrical diagram it makes a little more sense. Think about it—what controls are on the steering wheel? Cruise Control and the Horn. Ok, if you’ve got a really expensive Ford Truck, you might also have remote radio controls. But for the most part, we’re talking horn and cruise. How does the cruise control know how to behave? Well, it provides power to the switches in the steering wheel. Inside each switch is a resistor. When you operate the switch, power flows through the resistor and then goes to ground. The computer watches to see exactly how much the voltage dropped and by determining that, it figures out what command you’ve just issued to the cruise. Guess what? The horn works the same way. When you press the switch, it completes a path to ground. That activates the horn relay.

My guess is that if your horn isn’t working properly, your cruise isn’t either.

What’s the common thread here? Yup, you guessed it, the ground at the cruise control. In this case you’ll find the “ground” wire from the steering wheel coming into the cruise control servo at pin #6. It’s a dark green/orange wire. The servo is mounted on the driver’s side of the engine compartment. The servo itself gets its ground from the black wire at pin #10. So first check to see if you have good ground at pin #10. If you don’t have good ground there, neither the cruise, nor the horn will work. If you do have good ground, then try placing a jumper wire from pin #6 to pin #10. If your horn now works fine, you can conclude that it’s not getting proper ground from the electronics inside the cruise servo.

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Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

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ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Ford door switches—a known problem

Rick — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:21:00 +0000

Remember the pin/plunger switches that car makers used to install in the door jamb? Well, you won’t find them in Fords—some brilliant engineer had a “better idea.” They decided to place the switches inside the door right under the latch mechanism. When the door latches, a lever deactivates the switch and the body control module turns off the interior lights. Good so far….. The problem is that the switches gum up with grease from the latch mechanism or corrosion. That’s when interior lights stay on.

Some shops have reported success by saturating the latch mechanism with a rust penetrant and opening and closing the door about 20 or 30 times. That works the penetrant into the mechanism and some of it finds its way to the lever and switch. You really don’t have much to lose by trying this method because the only alternative is to remove the door trim panel and replace the switch.

I’ve tried this on a few Ford vehicles and had success. However, it’s not a long term fix. You will have to do it about twice a year.

Find a replacement ford door lock switch here

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Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Whistling or Hooting Noise from Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator

Rick — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:24:00 +0000

Ford is reporting problems with 2005-06 Expedition/Navigator vehicles with dual A/C systems. The problem is reported at a whistling or hooting sound coming from the rear A/C unit. Ford says the problem occurs when the vehicle is driven with the front A/C on and the interior relative cool. The rear A/C is off and the blower motor speed is set to low. It turns out the rear expansion valve is the culprit. The fix is to install a newer design, part #6L1Z-10849-B. This involves disassembling the rear A/C case and evacuating the system. Then the valve can be replaced. Pull a vacuum and install new refrigerant.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Blower Motor Stays On—Ford Expedition

Rick — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:08:00 +0000

2000-era Ford Expeditions experienced leaking windshields. The water from those leaks can find its way into the fuse box (Central Junction Box) and the generic electronic module (GEM). When that happens, it corrodes the contacts and can cause shorting or goofy electrical gremlins.

One of those gremlins is a blower motor that won’t shut off even with the key removed from the ignition. Head right for the fuse box and examine it for corrosion. Also check fuse #22. If you pull that fuse and the blower stops running, it’s evidence of an internal fuse box short. The fuse box must be replaced with a new one– It CANNOT be repaired (thanks Ford).

Oh, and fix the windshield leak or it will happen again.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

P0340, P0344, P0172, P0175 codes and hard start, low power on Expedition and Navigator

Rick — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 01:41:00 +0000

Ford has issued a TSB (#06-13-9) for 2005-06 Expeditions and Navigator vehicles. The fix involves updating the PCM software. The symptoms are as follows: Hard starting requiring multiple restart attempts after the vehicle has been driven and shut down (hot soak). The “check engine” light is on and any or all of the above codes are stored in the PCM. You may also notice a reduction in power between 3500 and 4500 RPM during wide open throttle. This symptom may actually feel like the transmission is slipping. The Expedition model may also exhibit a higher than normal idle speed on a cold start. Update the PCM software with release B43.4 or later. The flash update is covered under under the new vehicle warranty if the vehicle is still under warranty.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Vibration, Chatter, Binding in Ford Rear Wheel Drive Vehicles

Rick — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 04:08:00 +0000

Ford has disclosed a problem with limited slip differentials in 2002-04 Mustangs, Explorers, and Mercury Mountaineers, 2003 Navigators, 2003-04 Expeditions and 2004-F-150 pickups. The problem differentials vibrate, chatter, and feeling like they’re binding during slow turns. The clutch packs in the limited slip differential are the cause of the problem.

To pinpoint the differential as the cause, place the vehicle in 2WD. That will restrict all the power output to the rear differential. Put the transmission in gear and clock the steering wheel right or left while you slowly accelerate. If you feel the vibration or other symptoms when you do that, you’ll need to replace the clutch packs with an updated configuration. Here are the part numbers: F5!Z-4947-BA for 8.8” rear axles, 6L1Z-4947-A for 9.75” rear axles. Make sure you soak the clutch disks in the Ford limited slip friction modifier (Ford XL-3) for a minimum of 15 minutes before assembling.

If your vehicle has independent rear suspension, you will have to replace the circlips and wheel end nuts with new ones. Even though you soaked the clutch disks in friction modifier, you still have to add a full 4oz bottle to the diff. before refilling with lube #XY-75W140-QL.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Intermittent no-crank – Ford cars and trucks

Rick — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 21:49:00 +0000

Ford has discovered a problem in its starting circuit that affects a wide range of cars and trucks. The problem results in an intermittent no-crank condition. The problem is an intermittent open circuit between the starter relay and the starter motor. To correct the problem, Ford has issued a new starter terminal pigtail kit (Part #6U2Z-14S411-NA). The installation instructions are included with the kit.

1997-2004 F-150 Heritage trucks
1997-2006 Ford Expeditions
1997-2007 Ford Crown Victoria and
Mercury Grand Marquis
1998-2006 Ford E-series vans and
Lincoln Navigators
1999-2006 Ford F-Super Duty
pickups
2002-07 Ford Explorers and
Mercury Mountaineers
2003-05 Lincoln Aviators
2004-06 F-150 pickups
2007 Ford Explorer Sport Tracs

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use

Engine flush

Firing order, cylinder layout, finding #1 cylinder

MAF or MAP sensor

Oxygen sensors, How they work, How to change, How to test

PassLock or Passkey

Thermostat issues

Transmission flush

Serpentine belt diagrams

Window issues, power window motor, replace window regulator, glass adhesive

Debris blowing out of HVAC vents – Ford

Rick — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 05:46:00 +0000

It’s not snow coming out of your vents—it’s excess brazing flux from the evaporator core. You’ll need to vacuum out the vent system to get rid of it all. Remove the floor duct trim. Attach a shop vacuum hose to the driver’s-side floor duct and seal it off with masking tape. Then, seal off every dash vent with tape. Turn the mode lever to Floor/Panel and the temp to cold and insert a compressed air hose into one of the vents. Turn on the vacuum cleaner and blow compressed air into the vent for at least 30 seconds. Perform this procedure at each vent. Next, move the mode lever to Floor/Defrost and insert the air hose into the defrost vents. Remove the blower motor and repeat the procedure from that location. Vehicles that have the problem: 2005-05 Expedition, F-150, Lincoln Navigator, 2002-05 Crown Vic, Mercury Grand Marquis, and 2005 Focus.

Alldatadiy.com

eautorepair.net

Both Alldata and Eautorepair offer professional grade shop manuals at a price you can afford. Check them out!.

Hover your mouse over the REPAIR ARTICLES tab at the top of the page. The click on DIAGNOSTICS to search by SYMPTOM, TROUBLE CODE, or read TECH TIPS on how to diagnose a problem

Click on MAKE an MODEL to see all the articles I’ve written for your vehicle
Click on REPAIR TOPICS to read individual articles written for specific automotive systems

If you’ve had your car scanned and know the trouble code go to TROUBLE CODES

Here are some quick links to speed up your research

Click on the link below for speedy navigation:

ABS issues, how to bleed ABS brakes

Airbag issues or SRS light on

Alternator issues or how to test

Belt diagram or serpentine belt issues

Blower motor

Blower motor resistor

Brakes, brake issues, what kind of brake parts to buy, ABS issues

Car Alarms or Antitheft systems

Cooling system, Water pump, What type of coolant to use