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96 Grand marquis electrical issues
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Johnc122000
New User
Jul 1, 2015, 7:13 PM
Post #1 of 7
(1957 views)
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96 Grand marquis electrical issues
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Alright this one's a bit of a doozy. I haven't been able to find anything online that sounds like the problem I'm experiencing so I'm in the dark for the most part. I have a 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis LS With a little over 100,000 miles on it. I was driving to the lake yesterday and my digital instrument panel, radio, and electric automatic temperature control unit all shut off. When I got to the lake I immediately checked both my high current fuse box and interior fuse box and found a blown fuse inside. I tried to replace it with a new 15a fuse but it blew immediately (car was not running) so I disconnected the battery and installed a new fuse then reconnected the battery. The replacement fuse was a 30a because I had no 15a ones left. So after my girlfriend and I were done fishing a few hours later, we got in the car to leave and as I was driving down the road, I noticed a red smoke coming from under the driver's side of the dashboard, the instrument panel was flashing off and on and the horn was beeping. Since I wasn't far from home I continued to drive and the smoke stopped not long before I got home. I checked the fuses again and there were two additional fuses blown this time. I decided to wait until this morning to try and figure out what was causing the problem. After using a multimeter to check the fuse box for current draw while the car was off (couldn't find any except for the fuse that is in charge of radio memory) I went in town and got new 15a fuses, put them in and low and behold my car did the same thing as yesterday. So I tore apart the dashboard in search of burnt or stripped wires and found nothing. Then I remembered that when I put my tweeters in for my radio I had to run short screws into the plastic trim by the windshield and not long afterwards my interior lights would not turn on when I opened the doors or pressed the switch. So I took the trim pieces off and viola, I found the source of my problem. I had accidentally run a screw through three wires that were behind the trim. So I disconnected these wires at the connector and repaired them. Then I tucked them back behind the trim away from the screw. I then replaced the fuses in my fuse box and started the car. Everything was good and then I realized that none of the lights were working, inside or outside, except for the brake lights and flash-to-pass lights. I'm assuming it's something wrong with my lighting control module but I'm not 100% sure. Any advice?
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Johnc122000
New User
Jul 2, 2015, 10:02 AM
Post #3 of 7
(1937 views)
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Re: 96 Grand marquis electrical issues
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Yeah I know it was stupid to put in the bigger fuse but I came here for advice, not to be berated. That's pretty unprofessional for someone who claims to be here to "offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice."
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 2, 2015, 10:50 AM
Post #4 of 7
(1935 views)
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Re: 96 Grand marquis electrical issues
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Sorry this happened and never overfuse anything as it's supposed to blow and you know that.
Now what to do? Hmmmm? Digital dash in this? May be best to hunt down a whole assembly - can't know without now looking for what burned where as now there should be evidence where the problem was and unfixable now by all odds.
Lucky is that these cars were popular for their practicality and for lower use retired folks too. Digital dash and the LS package over GS might be less good scrap out there?
It's time to find what was shorted now retroactively and hopefully can get just what you need,
T
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Johnc122000
New User
Jul 2, 2015, 11:00 AM
Post #5 of 7
(1929 views)
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Re: 96 Grand marquis electrical issues
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Managed to find my problem. My lighting control module was the culprit. Two of the wires running into it looked to have been shorting out and part of the LCM was melted. Just looking for a new one now. Probably going to get a salvaged or refurbished one.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 2, 2015, 12:38 PM
Post #7 of 7
(1923 views)
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Re: 96 Grand marquis electrical issues
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Pease all: Let's see how we get parts? First try a dealer and see f you can get a part # from just what you are looking at. Then the hunt will be easier as the same probably fits Crown Vics and Town Cars maybe others so doubt new from dealer.
IDK what's available to you for used or pick your own. Whole units that include that may be cheap?
? '96 model year may (probably) incorporate the odometer thru computer and know real miles or if not reads wrong if whole works. At the age and type it's almost a "who cares" or might need some help with that part of the fix?
Try not to break anything as plastics are brittle by now and fixes hard to impossible,
T
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