2000 Eddie Bauer electrical issues from Windshield Leak

[One Mean Green]

Well my day started off great. I had a dead battery. It is raining today. After doing the things you normally do to get the thing started I discovered that I had electrical gremlins that at first I thought must be due to truck resetting the computer. I went for a ride thinking it would clear up in a little while. I sure was disappointed when it did not. After speaking with a neighbor he said check for a leaking windshield, I did and to my surprise it is. Bummer
No radio, No dash lights, error lights flashing in in strument cluster for the 4X4 and windshield wipers and an annoying clicking sound that sounded like a turn signal flasher but much louder. So anyway I was wondering how to get this fixed. Can my windshield be resealed? where is the GEM module? If I dry it out and it is not corroded can I still use it? or do I have to replace it.
This is why I hate late model vehicles. Yes, somethings are much better than the old vehicles but when things go wrong they are seldom easy fixes.

 

[rburch]

Im not sure about the windshield? Probably need the windshield taken out and reinstalled with new seal.

The GEM is located on top of the fuse panel under the dash. You could try to dry it out and see if it works but Im going to guess from your description that it is toast and will need to be replaced.

 

[One Mean Green]

Thanks for responding. I will be calling a couple of local windshield places tomorrow about the windshield. I have taken the battery cables loose and I will just have to wait until the rain stops and things have a chance to dry out before I mess with the GEM. I hope I do not have to replace the GEM as I am disabled and my funds are very tight right now. I can do somethings but I have severe disc degeneration in my neck and lower back and I can no longer do somethings like I used to be able to do. Maybe I will be able to re-use the GEM module, if not I will have to find a used one somewhere as I am not going to be able to afford a new one at a dealership.

 

[Thermo]

One Mean Green, if this is the first time things have gone south on you, you should be good when it comes to the GEM module. Some take it, some don't. Get the windshield resealed (any windshield place can do it for you) and then see what you have at that point.

 

[rburch]

I have seen these on Ebay from 100-150, you could get it cheeper if you could pull one out yourself at the junk yard.

But try and see if you can dry it out first.

 

[One Mean Green]

Thanks guys, That is my plan, get the windshield resealled first and then go from there. I for now have the battery disconnected to keep it from running down. Hopefully, it will be salvageable because I am finding that even used they are pricey. Time will tell.

 

[One Mean Green]

Update! Well today 2 days later I hooked up the battery cables and went for a drive. I still have some issues but better than last time I drove it. After I stopped for fuel and then restarted the truck everything was back to normal but being overly cautious when I parked her in the driveway I disconnected the cables.
I called around glass companies and they said around $100-125 to reseal windshield or $325-350 ish if the windshield broke during the removal.
If I have to buy a GEM module they seem to be around $100-125 on Ebay or around $300 for a new replacemnt one. I am going to have the windshield resealed/replaced and wait and see what happens.

 

[One Mean Green]

Update

Well today, I reconnected battery and took a ride and it seems everything is back to normal. I will have to wait a couple weeks till I can do something about the windshield. I will just cover it with a piece of plastic if we get anymore rain until it gets resealed. I have had the truck for about 5 months now and this is the first time anything happened like this and I have even driven it in a down pour a couple times. maybe this just started leaking.

 

[96max2fast]

don't be fooled

I had the same issues on my 97 expedition 4x4 4.6... I replaced the windshield since it had a few issues to begin with (chips/cracks)...

The car eventually went back to normal on it's own, however, it rained a whole bunch yesterday and the issue resurfaced again... not sure if it was the humidity or if water actually got in there a different method...


Any ideas????

 

[Thermo]

96max, it can be possible that your windshield has started leaking again. I would look in the driver's footwell area and see how damp the carpeting is. Just because you get the windshield resealed doesn't mean the problem will be fixed 100%. The bodies of our trucks flex a lot and it is enough to break the seal over time.

 

[96max2fast]

I just got a ne windshield last week... He said he scraped the old seal and redid it all carefully

 

[Thermo]

96max, if you just had your windshield replaced, then I am placing money that the seal failed. i would take it back to the shop and tell them that it is leaking. They should fix it for free. Not to ask a silly question, but for the first day or so after getting the windshield installed, were you careful in shutting the doors as to not build up any pressure inside the truck? I have seen instances where if you have a windshield installed and you close the doors normally (windows rolled up, shutting the door in a rapid manner), the pressure that is created from shutting the door is enough to unseat the windshield, leading to a leak, until the sealant is fully cured.

 

[96max2fast]

96max, if you just had your windshield replaced, then I am placing money that the seal failed. i would take it back to the shop and tell them that it is leaking. They should fix it for free. Not to ask a silly question, but for the first day or so after getting the windshield installed, were you careful in shutting the doors as to not build up any pressure inside the truck? I have seen instances where if you have a windshield installed and you close the doors normally (windows rolled up, shutting the door in a rapid manner), the pressure that is created from shutting the door is enough to unseat the windshield, leading to a leak, until the sealant is fully cured.

I understand... Does anyone know if water can get to the GEM module via another method? Like I said before, I do NOT have a sunroof...

 

[Thermo]

96max, the only other way is to blow a boot off of the firewall or have a bolt missing in the firewall. I only blew the boot off on my truck from blasting 2 foot deep puddles at about 40 mph. so, it takes a lot of force to remove those boots just from "normal" driving.