ON A 2001 FORD SPORT TRAC : THE PAINT ON THE HOOD AND ROOF ARE BEGINNING TO CRACK OVER THE ENTIRE ROOF AND HOOD EXPOSING THE METAL UNDERNEATH. *NM
2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
VEHICLE IS A 2002 FORD SPORT TRAC WITH APPROX 42K MILES. BEGAN WITH RAPID FLASHING OF LEFT TURN SIGNAL. REAR TURN AND BRAKE LAMP WERE INOPERABLE. REPLACING BULB HAD NO EFFECT. FOUND POSITIONING STEERING COLUMN TO A HIGHER TILT POSITION CORRECTED MALFUNCTION. REMOVED STEERING COLUMN COVER AND FOUND 4 WIRES PULLED OUT OF CONNECTOR ON MULTI-FUNCTION (TURN SIGNAL SWITCH). WIRES MOVE IN AND OUT AS COLUMN IS MOVED THROUGH TILT RANGE. WIRES OUT AT BOTTOM OF TILT AND IN AT TOP OF TILT RANGE. REMOVED CONNECTOR PART # E6DB-14489-DA. 3 CONNECTOR PIN RETAINERS FELL OUT AND WERE RECOVERED. A FOURTH WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE CONNECTOR BUT NOT RETAINING IT'S PIN. CONNECTOR MUST BE REPLACED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. ALSO THE WIRING HARNESS IS SECURED ABOVE THE TILT PIVOT POINT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. I BELIEVE THE HARNESS IS SECURED WITH INSUFFICIENT SLACK TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE CONNECTOR AT THE LOWER POSITIONS OF THE STEERING COLUMN TILT RANGE. I BASE THIS ON THE FACT THAT THE 3 PINS WITH BROKEN RETAINERS ARE ON THE TOP ROW OF THE CONNECTOR AND WOULD BE THE MOST STRESSED IN A LOWER POSITION OF THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO I HAVE OVER 20 YEARS OF AIRCRAFT ELECTRONICS EXPERIENCE AS AN AVIONICS TECHNICIAN AND FULLY UNDERSTAND PROPER WIRE ROUTING PROCEDURES. DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE CONNECTOR ARE AVAILABLE. *JB
