Hi FfU-

So my car (Ford, go ahead and laugh) is having some oddball electrical problems- accessories work intermittantly. I have checked all dash and underhood fuses and they are fine. THe person before me did a hack job (get it? hahaha) on the wiring so I bet there is a bad ground somewhere- but I don't want to take it to the STEALER.

I was reminded last night when my wipers stopped working and so did the radio when it rained. While dry these past few days, no problems.

No check engine lights or lights on the dash at ALL.

Lets add to the pile- I am VERY broke right now as mortgage is due next week. Dealer quoted me $190 for diagnostic. No can do. Any ideas?

Forgot to mention- open to all of Faifax and Prince William as long as they can help me for a reasonable price. I don't expect it to be fixed for that price, just to find out whats wrong.

Well you got a Ford, there's your problem buddy! Make sure your tires are good. Sometimes the contact between the rubber and the pavement interferes with the electricity in the vehicle. Try and see how it does off-road. There's a battery hooked up to your engine, follow the wires and make sure they're still dusty.

As far as a shop, there was a place out past Gainesville out near the fire station. Not sure if its still there. When you get there, ask for Dusty, whose definitely no longer there.

You're welcome, buddy.

AC-DC-BC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lets add to the pile- I am VERY broke right now as
> mortgage is due next week. Dealer quoted me $190
> for diagnostic. No can do. Any ideas?

If you can't afford $190 for a diagnosis, how are you going to swing the cost of a repair? This is the type of situation that credit cards were designed for.

I usually use independent local repair shops to do my car work. The guy I use at the moment isn't cheap though, so I don't think he's what you are looking for.

Graham Road Exxon, corner of Rt. 50 and Graham Road, near Loehmanns Plaza. Ask for Long or Kas.

Don't pay $190, figure out the problem yourself.


So, what exactly isn't working? Just interior electronics?

Did the previous owner or yourself hardwire anything in? Like a radar detector or bluetooth module?

Does the car have an aftermarket alarm system?

You bought a USED Ford?

Unfortunately, I'm afraid your problems are just beginning.

Bill.N. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > If you can't afford $190 for a diagnosis, how are
> you going to swing the cost of a repair? This is
> the type of situation that credit cards were
> designed for.
>
>

Actually, this is the type of situation that having some savings in a emergency fund was designed for.

Electric problems can be very tricky and require you follow a specific sequence in diagnosing. Totally doable for a do it yourselfer but not if you are not patient and precise. So you will need to spend your time researching the problem and the procedure for diagnosis and repair. Its all on the internet with pictures and everything for most cars made within the last 20 years.

Go online, google your make model and year and your problem. you might also add the 'DYI' and/or 'forums.' You will need to purchase a digital multimeter like this one http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Digital-Multimeter-MM1000/202521270

You will of course have to learn how to use the multimeter but that is often covered in the instructions for diagnosis.

Personally I like figuring shit out and learning new stuff so I do a lot of repair work on my cars. The most important thing in doing your own work is knowing when to STOP. Wasting your time is one thing but once you start messing things up you then have the cost of the original repair and diagnosis plus fixing what you broke plus eating humble pie when you bring into the repair shop and explain how you made a simple repair (to them) into a costly mistake and wasted your time doing it!

PS Auto parts stores rent specialized equipment (not multimeters) if you end up having to pull the alternator or some other part that takes more than wrenches and screw dirvers...

PPS You are right dont ever go to dealers unless your car is under warranty.

electricave Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Electric problems can be very tricky and require
> you follow a specific sequence in diagnosing.
> Totally doable for a do it yourselfer but not if
> you are not patient and precise. So you will need
> to spend your time researching the problem and the
> procedure for diagnosis and repair. Its all on
> the internet with pictures and everything for most
> cars made within the last 20 years.
>
> Go online, google your make model and year and
> your problem. you might also add the 'DYI' and/or
> 'forums.' You will need to purchase a digital
> multimeter like this one
> http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Digital-Mul
> timeter-MM1000/202521270
>
> You will of course have to learn how to use the
> multimeter but that is often covered in the
> instructions for diagnosis.
>
> Personally I like figuring shit out and learning
> new stuff so I do a lot of repair work on my cars.
> The most important thing in doing your own work
> is knowing when to STOP. Wasting your time is one
> thing but once you start messing things up you
> then have the cost of the original repair and
> diagnosis plus fixing what you broke plus eating
> humble pie when you bring into the repair shop and
> explain how you made a simple repair (to them)
> into a costly mistake and wasted your time doing
> it!
>
> PS Auto parts stores rent specialized equipment
> (not multimeters) if you end up having to pull the
> alternator or some other part that takes more than
> wrenches and screw dirvers...
>
> PPS You are right dont ever go to dealers unless
> your car is under warranty.


Are you fucking retarded? Nobody gives a fuck that you do your own work.

Did you even read the OP you dumb fuck? It asks for a place that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for electrical work. NOT some long story about nothing except that you do your own work.

You fucking idiot. THINK before you POST.

^ You're an idiot. This guy went out of his way to write a detailed response to someone who explicitly said he could not afford the (relatively modest) $190 diagnostic fee. From that we can deduce that he might want to tackle this on his own, if he can handle it. You are a sad, small man who adds nothing to this forum.

Personal experience - I once had an elusive electrical problem that even the mechanics couldn't figure out for about a month. Meanwhile, the car would just die while I was driving. I believe it was a wire that worked OK until the car heated up, at which point it became loose (or something like that - I know nothing about cars). Very frustrating experience.

AC-DC-BC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi FfU-
>
> So my car (Ford, go ahead and laugh) is having
> some oddball electrical problems- accessories work
> intermittantly. I have checked all dash and
> underhood fuses and they are fine. THe person
> before me did a hack job (get it? hahaha) on the
> wiring so I bet there is a bad ground somewhere-
> but I don't want to take it to the STEALER.
>
> I was reminded last night when my wipers stopped
> working and so did the radio when it rained. While
> dry these past few days, no problems.
>
> No check engine lights or lights on the dash at
> ALL.
>
> Lets add to the pile- I am VERY broke right now as
> mortgage is due next week. Dealer quoted me $190
> for diagnostic. No can do. Any ideas?


So my car (Ford, go ahead and laugh) is having some oddball electrical problems- accessories work intermittantly


-----------------------------
Ford is Made in USA - go ford

asian cars have tons of electrica problems that's a fact. and they are terribly expensive to fix. it's called planned failure. ie, LED rear view mirrors: $200 to fix (always needsr eplace) instead of $20

go fuck youself America hater

not helping you with your car question

so go laugh

democrats / foreigners will send mortgages you know were (paid) and never owed, insisting they are your banker

i will send them anything but payment - i will send them hell - exactly what fruadsters who skip court and use corrupt judges should get

i'm an advocate for bringing back the death penalty for judges who are politically corrupt or who use law for profit

the law was canceled after the first 50 years of roman law

however laws sleep and never die, i think it's time to revive that law

There are some serious morons in here

AC-DC-BC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi FfU-
>
> So my car (Ford, go ahead and laugh) is having
> some oddball electrical problems- accessories work
> intermittantly. I have checked all dash and
> underhood fuses and they are fine. THe person
> before me did a hack job (get it? hahaha) on the
> wiring so I bet there is a bad ground somewhere-
> but I don't want to take it to the STEALER.
>
> I was reminded last night when my wipers stopped
> working and so did the radio when it rained. While
> dry these past few days, no problems.
>
> No check engine lights or lights on the dash at
> ALL.
>
> Lets add to the pile- I am VERY broke right now as
> mortgage is due next week. Dealer quoted me $190
> for diagnostic. No can do. Any ideas?


First thing I would do is run two new grounds. Run one from the negative battery terminal to the chassis and another one from the negative battery terminal to the engine block. If that does not work take it to Gills automotive in Sterling. The owner there is a guy named Adam, let him know your situation and he will try to help you out. He is one of the last good guys in the automotive business.

Leroy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There are some serious morons in here


+1

Anyways to the OP.

Checkout forums for your car, and I would do what the guy above said as well. Change the grounds.

Why the Negativity? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ^ You're an idiot. This guy went out of his way to
> write a detailed response to someone who
> explicitly said he could not afford the
> (relatively modest) $190 diagnostic fee. From that
> we can deduce that he might want to tackle this on
> his own, if he can handle it. You are a sad, small
> man who adds nothing to this forum.
>
> Personal experience - I once had an elusive
> electrical problem that even the mechanics
> couldn't figure out for about a month. Meanwhile,
> the car would just die while I was driving. I
> believe it was a wire that worked OK until the car
> heated up, at which point it became loose (or
> something like that - I know nothing about cars).
> Very frustrating experience.

Thanks for the personal experience reminiscences that told us nothing else other that you're a loser who can barely put gas in your car.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2014 09:25AM by Ugh the giant caveman.

OP you are an idiot. if you want something fixed right, let a proffesional diagnose the problem. if you cant afford it, you can sell the car or use your credit car to pay for the repairs. If you are feeling really desperate get in an accident and claim it all under the accident.

Kim's auto on Pickett Road - very honest and good prices. Only place I go.

The first thing you will need is a wiring diagram for your vehicle unless you want to blindly stumble around hope to run across something.

Is it _only_ the accessories? Modern vehicles now seem to have two fuse boxes (as you noted) with the interior accessories on the interior fuse box. This interior box is usually fed by a single line (or just a few, lights might be separate from radio which is why you need the wiring diagram) from the engine bay fuse box. Since you don't have any blown fuses, it seems like a loose connection at either end of this feed.

A bad ground on the interior accessories seems unlikely. These are all grounded to the dash. The dash is mechanically connected to the body of the vehicle. If you had a problem with the ground to the body you would see it in the head lights.

If you want a quick fix pour half of a big gulp down each dashboard vent.

There ya go.