96 Taurus GL Electrical nightmare
seal2177
08-29-2007, 10:34 PM
I have a 95 taurus GL... when driving my wife said she heard a bunch of pops from under the dash...when I got it home to look at it I found that there were severl fuses blown under the dash as well as one under the hood...the Airbag monitering fuse is blown under the hood..and the dash fuses that were blown are the Abs, ....the dash woulndt work and the vehicle dosnet start...cranks fine but dosnt start....I took the instument cluster out and the path to the fuel gauge is fried. I got another cluster and when I pluged it up all the lights just stay on...it doesnt go thouhgh its system check ...the dealer told me somtning about the flex fuel module .....but i dont think I have a flex fuel system....could this be the PCM and if so where is it...
I replaced the fuses and started unplugging diffrent things...the CRCC module, the airbag module, the two relays next to the brake peadle..the radio and the heating and cooling switchs..and then pluged them in one by one to see what fuse blown.....so far the only effect is the airbag module ..when I plug it in it blows the fuse under the hood but not the ones under the dash.....could this module cause a no start?..could this be a PCM??? anyone that could help please do
I replaced the fuses and started unplugging diffrent things...the CRCC module, the airbag module, the two relays next to the brake peadle..the radio and the heating and cooling switchs..and then pluged them in one by one to see what fuse blown.....so far the only effect is the airbag module ..when I plug it in it blows the fuse under the hood but not the ones under the dash.....could this module cause a no start?..could this be a PCM??? anyone that could help please do
oasisgod
08-30-2007, 01:46 AM
I'm not a ford expert or a car expert either for that matter, but I have a few suggestions.
First off you definitely have a short somewhere.
I would check the circuits that are directly involved with the fuses that keep blowing.
If it cranks, check to see if the fuel pump is working just turn it to on but don't crank it and listen to hear a humming noise for a few seconds then it'll stop. If you can't hear it even with your head under the car than your fuel pump isn't running. Check the fuel shut off switch located in the trunk or in the rear passenger side quarter panel on the wagons, and make sure that hasn't been set off.
If the dash lights up but doesn't cycle it could be your pcm is bad or it could have something to do with the short your experiencing. When i fried the pcm in my 86 taurus, the dash still cycled normally but I noticed the fuel pump no longer engaged and ofcourse it would crank but not start.
To check to see if your pcm is bad I would start by attempting to read stored codes from it. If it doesn't respond than its either not getting juice or its dead. Even if it doesn't have any stored faults it will still spit out an "everythings ok" code. PCMs don't die very often at all but if the short you experinced somehow involved the pcm that could definitely kill it.
Your post reads two different years and ironically 2 very different taurus's.
In my 96 the pcm was located almost center in the firewall, and in my 86 (which is very simular to yours if its a 95) was inside the glove box and visible on the passenger side firewall. You can see the back of the Pcms in the engine compartment look for a rectangular shaped connector that has a billion wires running out of it and seems to be plugged right into the firewall.
I believe the PCM on a 95 will only come out from inside the car if it is like my 86. You need to take out the one bolt that is in the center of the connector and remove the the connector then go inside the car and drop the glove box so it pukes on the floor than remove the mounts holding the pcm in place then pull it out from inside the vehicle.
On my 96 you had to remove the center connector bolt just as with the 86 and then two bolts (one off to each side of the connector) and the pcm will slide right out into the engine compartment.
Good luck
First off you definitely have a short somewhere.
I would check the circuits that are directly involved with the fuses that keep blowing.
If it cranks, check to see if the fuel pump is working just turn it to on but don't crank it and listen to hear a humming noise for a few seconds then it'll stop. If you can't hear it even with your head under the car than your fuel pump isn't running. Check the fuel shut off switch located in the trunk or in the rear passenger side quarter panel on the wagons, and make sure that hasn't been set off.
If the dash lights up but doesn't cycle it could be your pcm is bad or it could have something to do with the short your experiencing. When i fried the pcm in my 86 taurus, the dash still cycled normally but I noticed the fuel pump no longer engaged and ofcourse it would crank but not start.
To check to see if your pcm is bad I would start by attempting to read stored codes from it. If it doesn't respond than its either not getting juice or its dead. Even if it doesn't have any stored faults it will still spit out an "everythings ok" code. PCMs don't die very often at all but if the short you experinced somehow involved the pcm that could definitely kill it.
Your post reads two different years and ironically 2 very different taurus's.
In my 96 the pcm was located almost center in the firewall, and in my 86 (which is very simular to yours if its a 95) was inside the glove box and visible on the passenger side firewall. You can see the back of the Pcms in the engine compartment look for a rectangular shaped connector that has a billion wires running out of it and seems to be plugged right into the firewall.
I believe the PCM on a 95 will only come out from inside the car if it is like my 86. You need to take out the one bolt that is in the center of the connector and remove the the connector then go inside the car and drop the glove box so it pukes on the floor than remove the mounts holding the pcm in place then pull it out from inside the vehicle.
On my 96 you had to remove the center connector bolt just as with the 86 and then two bolts (one off to each side of the connector) and the pcm will slide right out into the engine compartment.
Good luck
seal2177
08-30-2007, 12:59 PM
Im sorry about the two diffrent years..it is definetly a 96, I will look for the PCM on the fire wall ...and let you know..
shorod
08-30-2007, 05:08 PM
From the factory service manual for the 1997 model year (1996 should be very similar):
Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
Removal
1. Disconnect battery ground cable (14301). Refer to «Section 14-01».
2. Remove cowl deflector.
3. Remove screw securing the ground cable of the engine control sensor wiring (12A581) to the dash panel (01610).
4. Loosen engine control sensor wiring to PCM connector retainer bolt.
5. Remove engine control sensor wiring from PCM (12A650).
6. Remove retaining nuts and powertrain control module insulator from dash panel.
7. Remove powertrain control module.
-Rod
Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
Removal
1. Disconnect battery ground cable (14301). Refer to «Section 14-01».
2. Remove cowl deflector.
3. Remove screw securing the ground cable of the engine control sensor wiring (12A581) to the dash panel (01610).
4. Loosen engine control sensor wiring to PCM connector retainer bolt.
5. Remove engine control sensor wiring from PCM (12A650).
6. Remove retaining nuts and powertrain control module insulator from dash panel.
7. Remove powertrain control module.
-Rod
seal2177
08-31-2007, 06:06 AM
Ok I found and removed the PCM ...no obvious burns ....i think my nexy step is to test if I have fuel pressure. ....if not then ill go to the fuel pump and see if theres any obvious wire problems...if i dont see any then ill check to make sure the fuel pump is getting power....if not ....could this only be the pcm...or a break in wire to it???....if i do have fuel pressure then I think the only other soultion is to change the PCM...am I on the right track.....and I apoligize to everyone....the year model is a 97 i found this out when i got a istrument cluster out of the wrong year....lol...how do I reprogram the VATS system...or do I need to....this could be causing a no start..if i have fuel pressre correct...???? any help would be awsome...thanks.
oasisgod
08-31-2007, 02:00 PM
I'm glad you were able to remove it and examine it on my 86 when i fried it there were no obvious burns inside or outside of the unit. My only question is did you try to read the codes from it first? That will be the best indicator you can do at home to see if the pcm is bad and if it has stored codes they will assist you in figuring out what the real problem is.
If you already got it out you could just plug it back in but let it temporarily hang in side the engine compartment when you go to read the codes instead of completely reinstalling it. Also if you don't have access to a OBDII scanner and since you already got it out you might want to try calling a dealership and ask them if they could test your PCM for you. They should be able to perform a very thourough test on it that you will not be able to do yourself. Yet if you can read codes from it theres a good chance its alright. (I would as a precaution disconnect the negetive side battery cable whenever i was plugging in or unplugging the computer)
If you do get a response from it when you go to read the codes, i would next try to start the car again (make sure that Pcm is in a safe place though) and then see if you can get any stored codes out of it after a few attempts at starting it. Unfortuanately since you already removed it, its memory has been erased, but trying to start it again should set the trouble codes if the computer has any idea whats wrong. Which these codes would aid you very much in figuring out what the problem is.
I do not have any experince with the VATS system so I can not help you there.
You should be able to hear the fuel pump if its working just stick your head under the car and have someone else turn the key to run but don't crank it. You'll hear a wurrying noise from the fuel tank for a few seconds then it'll stop after the pressure in the line has reach its optimum.
(the computer will have to be installed for this to happen ofcourse.)
Definitely the first thing you need to do though is make sure that computer is working and if it isn't then find a replacement. Luckaly used part yards are very rich in taurus's of that style. Should save you alot of money. Make sure you get the right computer for your motor though follow that part number.
that PCM it could be the problem and is a good place to start, if its not the problem than it might be able to tell you what is.
good luck
If you already got it out you could just plug it back in but let it temporarily hang in side the engine compartment when you go to read the codes instead of completely reinstalling it. Also if you don't have access to a OBDII scanner and since you already got it out you might want to try calling a dealership and ask them if they could test your PCM for you. They should be able to perform a very thourough test on it that you will not be able to do yourself. Yet if you can read codes from it theres a good chance its alright. (I would as a precaution disconnect the negetive side battery cable whenever i was plugging in or unplugging the computer)
If you do get a response from it when you go to read the codes, i would next try to start the car again (make sure that Pcm is in a safe place though) and then see if you can get any stored codes out of it after a few attempts at starting it. Unfortuanately since you already removed it, its memory has been erased, but trying to start it again should set the trouble codes if the computer has any idea whats wrong. Which these codes would aid you very much in figuring out what the problem is.
I do not have any experince with the VATS system so I can not help you there.
You should be able to hear the fuel pump if its working just stick your head under the car and have someone else turn the key to run but don't crank it. You'll hear a wurrying noise from the fuel tank for a few seconds then it'll stop after the pressure in the line has reach its optimum.
(the computer will have to be installed for this to happen ofcourse.)
Definitely the first thing you need to do though is make sure that computer is working and if it isn't then find a replacement. Luckaly used part yards are very rich in taurus's of that style. Should save you alot of money. Make sure you get the right computer for your motor though follow that part number.
that PCM it could be the problem and is a good place to start, if its not the problem than it might be able to tell you what is.
good luck
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