Here's the long and the short of it. I had my windshield replaced yesterday by a company due the fact a rock had cracked it this paste weekend. Key point: I had never had the following issue with my Expy until then. After the windshield had been installed, I was told not to move the vehicle for 1 hour, and the tech left. I stuck my head out the door, and hit lock on the remote twice just to make sure it was locked(I was at work). The vehicle didn't beep. This was odd since I punched the remote twice. So I walked out too it, trying to beep the horn with the remote the whole way. No luck. When I got out to it, I opened the door and found that the dash warning lights were all on, heater fan was blowing, and the radio was powered up. I had never seen anything like this, so I put the key in the ignition and tried to start it. Nothing. No turnover, nada. Called the glass company and they sent their tech back, but all he wanted to say was that it wasn't his fault, yada yada yada. He had the doors open while he was doing it, so I though he might have just killed the battery. But we tried to jump it off, nothing. Had a mechanic come out and check the battery itself, nothing. Plenty of charge. The local garage mentioned that he had heard about there being a lot of problems with GEM's, and that might be it. So I came home last night and started reading on the net. Sure enough, all the symptons I'm having are just like what people who have had them go bad dealt with. My hypothesis is that when he broke the old windshield loose, the snow and moisture that had accumalated ran down the a-pillar and fried the GEM(it had flurried here all morning. I made it clear to the glass company that we could use shelter, but the tech never asked). So here's the root of my question. I called the dealer and was told that a new GEM module would be $208, and a new fusebox would be $190.41(these apparently are also a problem, and while this is being done, logic says change it.) Labor to put them is would be $280, for a grand total of $680. So here's what I want to know:
*Would it be easier for me to remove the gem and replace it myself? It seems easy to get to, but if it has to be reprogramed, is there any point in me doing it?
*Should I also replace the fusebox as well, or would that be a waste of money. Note that the dealer or mechanic haven't actually had it out yet, so I assume they'll know if it's messed up.
*Does the water from the windshield theory make sense? I had never had any problem with them occuring UNTIL that windshield was broke loose.
Someone let me know. I appreciate the help.How do I go about removing a gem module on a 2003 Ford Expedition?
Seen many gem's go out because of windshield leaking on them. Unhooked battery, remove 2 large wire harness connectors on back of fuse box, remove screws in front that hold fuse box, watch, slowing remove fuse box, and unplug gem module wires, then remove fuse box and gem together, make sure that there is no water in the fuse box also.
