2000 Windstar - random failures all at once

[RobbW]

It's the wife's vehicle so I can't guarantee these all happened at once (but she would probably notice the first 3 as soon as they happened). She complained today that 1- the A/C stopped working (true, the clutch doesn't engage); 2-the odometer stopped working (true, it's digital and shows all dashes); 3- the speedometer broke (needle type; it doesn't move); 4- the ABS light is constantly on, and 5- something she didn't notice but I did - when the climate/vent control switch is anywhere but off, the rear circulation fans (van has rear A/C) are on full speed regardless of what the rear fan control on the dash is set at (off, rear passenger control,1,2,3). Also the check engine light has been on for years, but every code check I've done, including today, showed only "lean left bank".

So, seemingly not connected in any matter I can figure other than they are all electrical, but not common wiring/fuses, and not all a loss of power (rear fans).

Can anybody offer any type of clue???

[car17fan]

Hi,
My 2000 did the same thing one morning, scared the crap out of me cause it was running perfect beforehand. It turned out to be one of the fuses under the steering collumn. I'm not sure which one it was, but that's what it was.

[Selectron]

I think fuse #10 (rated at 10 amps, and located in the passenger compartment fuse panel) might be blown, so check that first.

[Selectron]

If #10 fuse is indeed blown then you might want to take a look at this recent thread, because I think that's most likely to be the culprit.

The problem and the fix are described on this website (see 'Problem #1'), with photos.

[RobbW]

Right on the money! But I took it in to a dealer b4 I read your reply, and they charged me 3 hours ($240) to 'find' and fix it. Then 1 minute after I left them it recurred. They didn't have another wiring harness, so I go back next week, and will they get an earful!!
Thanks!

[Selectron]

Ouch, that wasn't cheap eh. If it was a Ford dealer then they should have been able to go straight to the source of the problem because that leaking brake pressure switch is a well-known fault - it seems there are posts about it every few weeks here on the forum. An independent shop wouldn't necessarily have seen the problem before though, in which case it could indeed take a while to track down because fuse #10 feeds into about ten different circuits, any one of which might have been the cause of the blown fuse. Hopefully they'll restore it to full working order next week.

[RobbW]

They're gonna get an earful when I go back, knowing what I do now!