Light show without music

[Ford4Life]

Newby here. 2008 Expedition Limited, 34,000 miles. Random power loss to radio unit then the light show begins. Panel lights get bright, including control panel lights for a/c, seat temp, etc., warning display lights up bright for tire pressure, parking brake, door ajar. Headlights MAY come on if in shaded garage. Turn indicators do not work while the show is in progress. Then all goes normal and radio comes back on. Event may just include power loss to radio and "Tire Pressure Monitor Fault" and "Door ajar" while Brake and tire pressure warning lights are on. May repeat show several times. Heard it could be water leaking onto the GEM or fuse box from windshield. Hasn't rained in couple of weeks, car is garaged. No discernable pattern to event. Doesn't impact engine operation. Real wierd. Will take to shop next week. Any suggestions on what to look at? I've been told ignition, GEM, fuse box and "bad ground somewhere". Seen symptoms described before on websites but no definitive cure. Seems to be getting worse and I don't want to be left stranded somewhere as a result. HELP and thanks!

 

[Stoned06]

GEM sounds likely. Loose ground is possible, but that would affect more than just the dash lighting. Possibly a bad instrument panel?
It looks as if you would still be under warranty, so I would get that to a dealer ASAP.

 

[Ford4Life]

Thanks for the reply. Will be admitting in the morning. Hope the dealership can pinpoint the problem.

8 days in . . . dealership replaced "seat control module", still diagnosing problem, waiting on software update which has been coded to "fix these type of problems". Hope it works!!

19th day. Picked up my unit today. Software loaded. Determined before leaving dealership the the "audio control module" (21st century for RADIO) has a bad module in it. Ordered new one. Bad unit could have caused all the craziness. Will know for sure after replacement. CD doesn't work due to software upload but that's okay as I haven't seen the return of my symptoms. Fingers are crossed that the new radio will be the answer.

Went back and got a new radio installed. Happy to report no further problems with previously described problem. Hard to believe a module in a radio could send an electronic signal to the main processor and cause so much craziness. Guess anything is possible with these complex electronics. Have to put in kudos for the service people at the dealership. They listened to what was going on and systematically began working to correct the problem. I feel pretty confident that they succeeded. Only time will tell. Now, if I can just get my CDs back out of the old radio/CD player. . .