What did I fry?
 

Hello all, first post and came here because of a problem.


First the question then the story: other that received power from the battery, where in the circuitry of a 2001 F150 do the power windows, all interior lights, cargo lights, and possibly the engine compartment light (I cannot remember if it worked before) meet? Common fuses or relays? Some other component that may get fried?


Long story short, I was changing my 3rd brake light bulb and cargo lights out when is noticed that the bulb sockets were pliable almost like rubber putty, sticky, and discolored. Almost like they were melted but never solidified (it is about 40 degrees outside). Well as I was admiring this strange phenomenon two of the leads on the cargo light touched (of course my driver door was opened and power was being sent to those lights) and I heard a faint click upfront on the driver side. So my first thought was, great I blew a fuse. I have tested every fuse and rely related to the above features and everything tests good. So I am at a complete lost on why these features are dead.

GEM

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Fo.../01f12og4e.pdf Check around page 191 for the fuses in the engine bay

I still have my manual lol. Like I said I have checked all fuses for coninuity and exchanges similar relys with each other.

That's why it's a good policy to unhook a battery cable, it can stop bad things from happening. It's easy for things to touch that shouldn't touch.

And it's in the service manual, step one.

Well since this is the only response I get (besides the gem suggestion thank you), I have never meet anyone who has ever taken the battery cable loose to change a bulb. Of course I never thought I would find my solid plastic sockets turned to Taffy without heat so I guess it would have been super useful in that scenario...thank y'all super hind sights.

Then just keep doin what your doin, if it takes seeing to believe. No ones stopping yuh. :thumbsup:

I always disconnect the batter before I plug in a cell phone car charger. It's also very important to disconnect the batter before you top off the windshield washer fluid. LMAO. I don't blame you for not disconnecting the battery. I'd like to see how productive an individual is that takes those extra captain safety steps with everything in life. That said, crossing the wires shouldn't have damaged anything other than a fuse. It's possible that it could have sent a relay over the edge so I'd definitely check those accessory relays as well. The extra amperage draw could have carbon'd up contacts that were already on their way out.