SnowWhtSnake

Hi,
Well Its spring and time to get back to my project.

Last fall I bought a 96 Cobra that was having over heating problems. The seller told me his repair shop told him he had a blown head gasket and or a warped head. I think he had a warped mechanic. He parked the car for two years hoping to get it repaired but then decided to sell it. I bought it, put in a new battery and it amazingly started right up with the first turn of the key. Within 15 minutes it was running hot but the new radiator he had put in was cold. I ended up replacing the water pump that look brand new but had a broken impeller shaft. The car runs and drives very good now and the body is in great shape so now its onto the real challenge.

I am having electrical problems with the interior of the car. I was told the stereo didn't work, but I'm not sure if everything else worked before it was parked. The seller told me the stereo was missing but looking at it from the driver’s seat the stereo looks all in tacked. I have no interior lights, no power locks & the key fob does nothing, no lights or sound in the stereo, and the odometer isn’t working either.

The speedometer, tach, headlights, taillights, turn signals, and power seat all work properly. I have replaced all the fuses down by the floor in the driver’s side compartment fuse panel and under the hood on the drivers side fender with no change and all the old fuses look fine.

Any suggestions? What is the proper way to diagnose electrical problems? Are there any tools or meters which will help me? I’m not sure where to start or where to go now?
Thanks,
Mike

Moonshine

Well fortunately everything that is NOT working is in the same electrical system. Locks/lights are all it's on circuit.

Of course the RKE (Remote Keyless Entry) module is in the system. It's apparently the only governing item other than a 20a relay (#12). I would start with making sure the relay is not bad. Then if all other fuses are good, find the RKE module and make sure there is no short in the wiring to/from it. I only know that the RKE module is located in the trunk somewhere. IDK exactly where.

SnowWhtSnake

Thanks for your response.

I just bought a Ford Mechanics Electrical & Vacuum manual for the car.

Its about as easy of a read as a computer manual. I did see where it tells me the key-less entry box is on the left wall of the trunk. This weekend I will pull the trunk panel off and see what I can see.