Key fob not working

Tiny
SESCADMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2005 FORD EXPLORER
  • 4.3L
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 165,000 MILES
When the interior dimmer switch is in any on or dimmed position the key fob will not lock or unlock the doors, the exterior keypad entry won't work and the dome light remains on.
If the interior dash lights dimmer is rolled to off all the above problems go away, but then the dash lighting is off; real pain driving at night without illumination of dash speedometer, tachometer, gauges, climate control or stereo. Bought new in 2005, had the problem for years, Ford has no knowledge of this problem. Have read before it could be some kind of circuit board problem behind the speedometer and it's not the dimmer switch.
Please help if you know the real fix.
Sunday, January 3rd, 2021 AT 9:56 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Have you replaced any parts for this? I am hoping to get an idea of what you have done so that I am not wasting time on suggesting things that have already been replaced.

Also, when did this issue start? Did you notice it after something was replaced?

Let us know this info and we can figure out possible causes. Thanks
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Tuesday, January 5th, 2021 AT 2:59 PM
Tiny
SESCADMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Solved! Thank you for your contact to assist me. The below is the scenario and the repair:
A few years ago I slipped the wiring flex boot back from the body to the door and inspected the wiring for any damage or breaks but found none. Yesterday I went a step further, I removed the door panel, the door mounted speaker and was directly over the wiring harness before it enters the flex boot and viola I did find a broken 16ga black ground wire and a nearly broken 12ga black ground wire (power windows). I pulled the boot from the door pillar and wiggled it into the door far enough to splice 2 new wires or the correct gauge in locations easy to splice and solder and heat the shrink tubing over the splices (center of the boot area between the door and pillar and inside the door below the door speaker at the wire loom). The problem I've neglected to go further on is now fixed as well as an upcoming failure of all the power windows due to a fractured but not yet broken thru wire. For others who have electric problems with the driver side door, go all the way the first time and remove the door panel, both the broken and near broken wire were located exactly where the wires enter the boot from inside the door.
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2021 AT 8:02 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
That is great news. Thanks for the update and I love the ones that I literally do nothing but still get thanked :)

Thanks for the follow because I am sure that will help others that visit this site. Please come back to 2CarPros. Thanks
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Wednesday, January 6th, 2021 AT 5:52 PM

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