My Car Is [Still] Broken. Please Help!

AmsterDutch said:
Press and hold the RESET and SETUP Button then turn the key to the on position so the lights on dash are illuminated...don't turn key far enough to crank just to on position...press and hold the reset and setup buttons on Message Center ....where the fuel specifications show up there should be some PCM info can you tell me what it says?
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You know that is just for the message center processor, right? How's that going to help anything?
 
I have no clue what it is. Do you have a translation as to what it means?
 
dba said:
While the alarm was going off, the parking brake light (the one next to the button, not the one in the dash) was blinking in sync with it. nothing else was doing this, just the parking brake light.
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These new problems are just because you have run the battery down too low. These are typical symptoms of that. You'll probably notice that your gauges sweep when you try to start it too. Recharge the battery, and get back to the actual problems.
 
Yes they do that up and down thingy. That indicates battery is low? It has a brand new battery. Is it like this for other cars? (the gauge sweepy deal)
 
dba said:
Yes they do that up and down thingy. That indicates battery is low? It has a brand new battery. Is it like this for other cars? (the gauge sweepy deal)
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Don't know, but it is for this one. New batteries are usually decently charged, but rarely fully charged. You've been taking a lot out with all the start attempts, but putting hardly anything back in since the engine isn't running much.
 
dba said:
ROM LEVEL 06
CHKSUM 0000
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First off this thread is surrounded by some really awesome Senior members who know the Lincoln so take all (I) say with a big grain of salt....now with that being said ....question #1 did any water get in your car because of a clogged Moon/Sun roof? Was there ever water in either passenger side or driver side side door compartment/ pouch? Was the carpet ever wet that you noticed? Also I would really like to see what other 2003 2 Gen LSes message center processor readings were ....not sure if they're different from 1Gen but wouldn't doubt it mine reads Rom level 28 Checksum 0000 per, etc), you could end up Killing 3 brand new batteries in a matter of days. With that being said dont rule out the possibility that it could be FEM (Front Electronic Module), dealership $595. You can buy one off ebay for $65 (look at your FEM first and see if it's *AA or *AB). Some ppl have changed out in 30-45min. It is located in the driver side kick panel. Only 3 screws to remove. swap out, no programming from dealer necessary. Just remember before I walk out of this thread because I truly do GIVE ....this is not a gauranteed solution
 
Never noticed any leaks, I have noticed that after it rains and you open up a door and leave it open, water will drip out (only a few oz). What does the FEM do? "joegr" said that the pcm/ecu under dash controls engine/tranny, and that is what I am looking into getting fixed. I believe my car is a 2nd gen not a first.
 
dba said:
Never noticed any leaks, I have noticed that after it rains and you open up a door and leave it open, water will drip out (only a few oz). What does the FEM do? "joegr" said that the pcm/ecu under dash controls engine/tranny, and that is what I am looking into getting fixed. I believe my car is a 2nd gen not a first.
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Yes, yours is a 2nd. The FEM controls the lights at the front of the car and the interior, and the boost level of the power steering. I don't know why it was brought up. It does not relate to any of your symptoms and has nothing to do with the engine. It can cause a battery drain if it gets wet, but there is not mystery about the reason your battery is run down. Many start attempts where the engine runs for only a few seconds or doesn't start at all, will run the battery down on any car. Water draining from the doors themselves is normal and expected (it's a problem if it doesn't drain).
The FEM is behind the driver's side kick panel, at the floor.
 
After charging it started up and ran great! Until it didn't....and then it died....
This is second start attempt


Third start attempt
 
The beeping is me fussing on my code scanner. I was trying to observe the live data, but the car would die right as/ or before I could get to the appropriate menu.
 
I definitely think its the PCM, fried by bad coils. I just observed an LS the other day which went into failsafe and had nasty shakes, about to die. All coil > Bad PCM related issues. But thats just my opinion.
 
Okay BIG problem now. After I removed the pcm, the plugs were left exposed so I bagged & taped them. Then i taped a trash bag over that. Then I taped another trash bad over that, then I covered it with cardboard, then I shut the hood. Water STILL got into there. Only one of the plugs had water pooled in the bag. I dont know how wet it got, but I very carefully drained the water out and put it in some rice. Anything I can do? Thoughts? Will water short it out? or are they waterproof?
 
It won't "short" anything out, but it does have enough conductivity to throw off some of the sensor readings. Anyway, that's not your real problem. It will dry out. The real problem is if/when it starts corrosion of the contacts.
If it hasn't been very long, you can spray some WD-40 all in there to get rid of the water. If there's corrosion, you may need to get some good deox spray and try that.
 
WD-40 won't harm the electrics? We are talking about open exposed plug-ins connections to the pcm here
 
dba said:
WD-40 won't harm the electrics? We are talking about open exposed plug-ins connections to the pcm here
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Nope. (Do let it dry though, and don't spray it into the PCM, just the car side connectors.)
 
dba said:
Seems like that might be a fire hazard
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Not so much. In the old day with mechanical distributors, one of the uses of WD (Water Displacing) 40 was to spray into the distributor cap if it got wet and the car wouldn't start. It seems like if it was going to catch fire, the 30,000 volt sparks would have done it.
 
Well I finally got my pcm back and installed it. When I turned the key to acc position the car alarm went off once (one horn honk and one light flash), so I turned it to off and then back to acc, but nothing happened, and I started it. it cranked, started, and immediately died. (did this twice)
I disconnected the battery to reset it, and started it again. When I turned they key to acc it did the alarm thing again. Then it cranked for a while (5 secs) and the rpm needle went to almost 6,000 and the speedo needle went to 35. After it did start they fell back to normal positions and the car went back to revving/stalling, except this time it sounded really bad. it almost sounded like a fan was spinning way out of control, like a deep humming noise. (seperate of the revving/stalling) after a total of 15 - 20 sec, it died.

I should also mention that during all start attempts the security light was going bonkers.

On the third start attempt it cranked 2 secs then started up, revved itself once, then died. (it did not do alarm thing) when in acc position the security light was no longer flashing, instead it was just perma-lit.
On the fourth start attempt (with the security light going nuts again) it cranked and acted like it was going to start but didnt. Then I cranked it again and it kinda gave out. So i cranked it a 3rd time for 10+ seconds of holding key in start position but it wouldnt start. it cranked fine, but wouldnt start. after i let go of key, it sounded like a fan had spooled itself up.

I should also note that the mileage changed from 181,752.02 to 181,751

I have vid tage of this I will upload. I suspect that the company screwed up my pcm, because it wasnt doing this before. What do you think?

According to their receipt, they replaced the "IC controls" which have "various functions" eo footage of this I will upload. I suspect that the company screwed up my pcm, because it wasnt doing this before. What do you think?

According to their receipt, they replaced the "IC controls" which have "various functions"
 
Stupid question as I’m not a GenII owner but is it normal for “Check fuel cap” to come on when the car stalls, or is it saying that in the posted videos because there is a possible vacuum leak due to a faulty cap?

I seem to remember reading this issue on the forum some time ago. Could a fuel rail pressure test identify this issue?

I suppose it would be hard to determine if fuel pressure is stalling the car or coils / pcm since it happens so fast.
 
Im not sure. Im working on uploading new videos, but that "check fuel cap" has always come on after it dies (I used to go and check fuel cap lol)
 
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