You never addressed the issue of the used part. If I found a 1999 Windstar in a parts yard, what wou

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RESOLUTION: The problem was not in any module. The issue was a few frayed wires and possibly a bad ground near the pass side rear brake light. about $6.00 worth of wire and some time and everything is good. Turned out the trans OD light actually is the OD not engaging from time to time.. there s another $2000.00 waiting to be spent. Thanks travel by train canada for everyones help. Ill keep this in bookmarks for the next Ford Windstar Adventure!! 7-21-10
Initially, I took the van to a major tire and general repairs chain to simply have the new AC compressor I installed flushed and refilled. The genius they had working for them went to test the motor by arcing it, and blew the computer. After about 3 weeks without the van, I got it back from my local Ford dealer running fine. They had replaced the $1200.00 computer and the tire shop picked travel by train canada up the bill.
Around the time of the first computer mishap, I noticed that the Electronic Overdrive would signal off and the Check Transmission warning would appear in the digital message window. The Transmission was not down in 3rd gear, and appeared to be operating normally. This would happen around town once in a while. I feared that, with over 110,000 miles, and one transmission at 67,000, it may be time for yet another transmission. My regular mechanic took a look at it and the codes said the trans could grenade at any moment but that it appeared to be running normally. We serviced the trans and chalked it up to the OD column switch and the school of run it till it grenades and replace. It s been still running solid. Turning travel by train canada off the car and restarting clears the error, and it only pops up once every 3-4 days.
At around the same time, I started having the right rear brake light go bad. At first, I thought that the bulbs just needed replacing. the van is old, etc. As the right rear brake light bulb went out again and again, week after week, I thought I had a loose connection or a bad seat for the bulbs. I inspected the bulb seat, and wiring at the taillight, all looked fine. We were having to live with the right rear taillight message.
This last weekend, we used the van for a lot of short trips moving from one home to another. During this weekend, the digital messaging center started listing the right rear brake light, the left rear turn signal. My wife being my wife, I went to the auto parts store in the middle of moving and replaced both bulbs. Neither on of the new bulbs worked and the digital message center travel by train canada went nuts. It still registered both the bulbs as bad. If I had the van running travel by train canada and engaged the left turn signal, it would flash (in time with the signal) the right rear brake bulb message in the digital message center. If I pulled the bulb from the left turn signal, the message flashing would go away. Neither bulb is working, the message center is flashing warning travel by train canada when it shouldn t, and in a weird twist of Gremlin magic, the back up sensors started pinging as if we were close to an object - while in park with nothing behind travel by train canada the van. In fact, while driving, the back up warning sensors would ping randomly. They ping when a car pulls in behind us at a stop, while in drive.
I m no electrician. I took the van to Ford. The service coordinator takes all the info and informs me that the brake/signals are on a completely different system than the back up sensors. He claims the two issues are unrelated. He said, just like my mechanic, that the trans codes say the trans is not engaging 4th gear. They wanted ~$100.00 to research the issue with the signals/brakes and ~$200.00 to look into the back up sensors. I didn t even want to hear their charge for a trans. I had him ignore the trans, ignore the back up sensors, and look into the brake/turn signals. A day later, he calls me to say that they have identified the brake/turn signal problem as the turn signal module (I believe he means the FEM) Cost: $450.00, plus install totals $1000.00. It seems to me like they are in replace parts and pray mode.
1. Could the FEM be the issues with all of the symptoms? If so, could replacing the FEM fix all these errors, including the back up sensors? How much of this problem, if any, could be attributed to the previous computer problems?
I have had the same scenario. In addition, the speedometer did not work, the overdrive was intermittent, the brake light was illuminated, and the cruise control did not function. This was found to be caused by an all too common defect in the Windstar. The brake master cylinder leaks out of the area where the brake switch screws into it from the bottom. The switch has control wiring going to it which feeds various other components and systems. travel by train canada Ford makes a Brake Repair package to solve all of this. It only costs $ 20.00. It comes with a new switch and a wiring pigtail adapter. Simply remove the air filter to get at the master cylinder and remove the old brake switch. I would clean the associated wiring with alcohol (on a cool engine) and allow it to dry and then re-tape travel by train canada and/or heat shrink tubing over the wiring for future protection. Install the new switch and adapter pigtail along with another 10a fuse in the driver s side fuse panel and you are all set....... much less than Ford would charge!::laughing: jax scott
3. I found an FEM on ebay . It s used and a lot cheaper than the new Ford part. How do I ensure it s the right part? Is there any programming involved in installation? Who, besides a Ford dealer service, could install and program the used FEM? Do you advise travel by train canada using a non-returnable used pa rt bought offline?
3 from what i see it is a pmi module and i dont know anyone but a dealership that can do it.I work at a delership so I may not be aware of all the aftermarket scanners/programmers capabilities. Click to expand...
1turn and stop lamps appear to be part of the rem not the fem.I see a connection between the parking aid module and the rem but it appears to just be an input to let the pam know its in reverse. Click to expand...
He states that they don t see any connection between travel by train canada the REM and the PAM. He would not guess that the back up sensors PAM issue would be fixed and that the PAM is a seperate module thay may also have gone bad. sound right?
are you sure the bulbs were the correct bulbs ? I have seen alot of heat related damage to tail lamp pigtails with improper bulbs.Most of the pam does not work due to a sensor isssue. Click to expand...
Am I entitled to a copy of the codes? At this point, it sounds travel by train canada like the REM is the issue, and for me, it s a matter of finding a replacement REM and the programming to go with it for the best pricing possible. Should I even bother getting the codes since survey says REM and the REM is Replace travel by train canada to Fix?
You never addressed the issue of the used part. If I found a 1999 Windstar in a parts yard, what would be the ramifications of pulling the REM off of it and plugging travel by train canada it into my 1999 Windstar? How do I get the actuall travel by train canada part number of the item I need? Buying off ebay and the like, have you had any luck or trouble? travel by train canada Opinion?
Your REM is mounted in the passenger side just in front of the jack. Some have reported issues in the wiring there. If I understand it properly, the REM supplies ground to a number of things, I d check power to it, and that it is properly grounded.
A used part may or may not work completely,I am not fond of used electrical parts but I understand travel by train canada all about money issues.I always wonder how they ended up with the part,am I going to inherit more problems,are they going to stand behind their part. I feel more comfortable with a reputable junk yard even if they have to get one shipped in.The junkyard isnt going to dissapear of the face of the map and being face to face is helpful.
.There will be a manufactures or stamping number on the old module they will be able to match that number or you could have it crossed over to an actual part #.The salvage yard should be able to figure this out for you.
You never addressed the issue of the used part. If I found a 1999 Windstar in a parts yard, what would be the ramifications of pulling the REM off of it and plugging travel by train canada it into my 1999 Windstar? How do I get the actuall part number of the item I need? Buying off ebay and the like, have you had any luck or trouble? Opinion? Click to expand...
If, you purchase it through the dealership, you are purchasing a new REM and yes it will need to be programed, as it is a programmable part. If, you purchase it off, EBay, be cautious, find out if it is NEW or USED, if it is used be sure that you get one that has every feature that your current Windstar has, understand that if it is used, there is NO guarantee that it will work, however, travel by train canada if it is used, it will already have the programming in it and will not need to be programmed. Which is why I stressed, travel by train canada to make sure it has every feature travel by train canada that your current Windstar has. If, you choose to go the option of the wrecking yard, again, use the same cautions and again, it will not need to be programmed. On a personal note, I prefer to get my parts from the wrecker, travel by train canada I have never had a problem with a part I have purchased, I am not a big fan of EBay.
You are experiencing problems that are definitely REM oriented, however, before you go replacing it, it is possible as Poppy stated a bad ground or even possibly a wiring issue. Which may or may not explain the problem you are also experiencing with the PAM as the PAM and REM do communicate to one another.
I am attaching a few more wiring diagrams for the REM, PAM, backup light and grounds. I apologize that I have no exterior lighting wiring diagrams handy at this time. Hopefully REM5 and REM6 will suffice.