1976 Ford Pinto, didn't blow up on me, but I was never rear-ended 1976 Honda CVCC--my friends called this a beer can. Because it looked like one to them. Could reach over and roll down the window on the passenger side while driving, without leaning over. Small! 1988 Pontiac LeMans-the car they brought back from the 60s only uglier and less durable. The first car I ever ever bought. 1990 Mitsubishi Eclipse-At this time, Mitsubishi, Dodge, and Eagle (remember them?!) were in collusion, I mean had agreements, in place and Eagle made the Talon. Daddy liked my Eclipse so much he bought a Talon. 1990 Mazda Miata--you know how I feel about that one!!!! 2011-1990=21 years old. Still running strong. After bankruptcy, foreclosure, and divorce... AND it got flooded, there is no A/C (I don't care), no heater (I don't care), the driver's window doesn't crank up or down, I can pull it instead, and the radio just went out. I might fix that. I did just get a brand new convertible top and it'll likely work another three or so years. My parents owned, during my lifetime, and I rode in: '67 Jaguar XKE (CHECK THIS CAR OUT!!!!) Late 70s Grand Torino Ford, Pinto (the same one) A really huge and old Oldsmobile that I learned to drive on. Ugh. Cars my boyfriends/husbands have owned, and I drove/owned: 196? VW Bug (two of them) 198? Honda CRX (two of them) 1986 1/2 yes, a half year??? Toyota Celica, Supra (two of them) Oldsmobile Cutlass Nissan pickup Mazda 626 Mazda Protege Isuzu Rodeo The weird thing is, the two bugs, two Hondas, and the two Supras are the same two guys. Both guys onwed all those cars in succession. Where they deviate? After I broke up with boyfriend of eight years, he bought a Nissan Pathfinder. The one I married and stayed married to for 11 years, owned an ordinary Nissan pickup. Weird!!!!!

jbryson1, welcome to the board. As a Ford Electrical engineer (retired) we will find some common ground, and probably some where we will bump heads. While specific vehicle knowledge can come into play on some models, and plug and play is acceptable, there are others out there that plug and play attempts can cause serious problems so that really should be avoided at all costs. First thing, the 4WD indicator blinking does indicate a fault in the 4WD system, and they probably would not have 4WD available if they needed it. One of the biggest things they need to know is the dealer isn't the only place to have this looked at. Most independents can handle GEM module issues with the run of the mil scan tools such as the Snap-On MTG2500, the Genisys, or the Mastertech. However top shops will have an NGS on hand for these systems as well. As far as the repair that was done a few months ago, forget about it for the moment Sue. The car should be diagnosed right now as if it's never had any other problems or repairs. It would really be a waste of time and effort to pull the door panel and start looking at things first, before following a proper diagnostic routine. That being said, the easiest circuit to deal with is the power window circuit. As I said, for this car, and especially this system, I would choose the NGS for my scan tool. The first step I would perform is pull the drivers door switch, and check for power at the LT Blue/Black wire. If there is no power to that wire with the key on, I would use my NGS and attempt to command the ACCY delay relay on/off. BTW, the ACCY Delay relay not only controls the power windows, it also powers up the torque on demand relay, which is part of the 4WD system. Depending on my findings at this point I would be either headed towards the ACCY delay relay, or the GEM module for the next step in the diagnostics. But the most important thing, is I would not be getting anything to plug in and try, and this is where jb and I will be at odds. Ford for some reason has never embraced the idea that technicians are capable of critical thinking skills, and quite able to analyze a system like this. All we need in many cases is a fault code, the criteria that the system uses to determine the fault, and an appropriate schematic, and we will go find the problem in an efficient manor. Now the main reason that I would start where I did in my diagnostics? The switch is easy to access. Plus you said you "windows" don't work which I take as being all of them. The RH door does not get controlled directly through the GEM module. But the ACCY Delay relay, is controlled by the battery saver relay, and it is controlled by the GEM. Once you understand the circuit, it would be easy to temporarily take control of one or both relays away from the GEM, and see if you can operate them and the windows. That is the outline for a solid diagnostic routine, and armed with a schematic, and the correct tools any tech would diagnose your car without unneccesary expense and substitution of "known good parts" that you don't presently own. Use the link below to find a good electrical/electronics technician near you. Here is a link that might be useful: the international Automotive Technicians Network

So your dad quit the auto repair industry, and went to school for aerospace engineering? That is what I wanted to do coming out of high school, aerospace engineering. I was on the doorstep to the Naval Academy in a bid to do just that, but fell short of my dream. I ended up becoming a mechanic because it was something I could do and figured I'd work a little while and then work my way through school. Only I never managed to make enough money to put anything aside in order to get to go back to school, got married, kid came along, and here I am in 2006 still working as a tech albeit self-employed. As far as me being "down this road before" when it comes to me attacking predujuices against my feild, you can be assured that I have been. I can't begin to tell you how many times a "customer" looked down their nose at me because I was fixing cars for a living, and their attitude showed right away that they felt for me to be doing this I either had to be dumb, or a crook, or you go ahead and fill in the degrading label as you choose. Many times it made me want to quit fixing cars, and physically throw them and their POS out the door. I'll bet your dad had similar feelings. The one problem though that I see reguarding your dads automotive repair credentials is about how you said he was only in this for two years. Many people try and start their own shop with little or no real experience, or training. That is one of the problems in this industry that has held pricing in this feild well below where it SHOULD be, especially if you compare what I(we) have to do to almost any other SKILLED LABOR field. When you wrote this "Now I figure with the rates higher in the NE...we should EXPECT to pay a higher charge for this service!! It's criminal." You pushed the button that got me on your case. My accountant told me just last month, with the investment that I have to provide the services that I do, and the costs that I am faced with to continue to upgrade tools and equipment to stay up to date, any other equivelent field would be charging over $120/hr with at least a 50% gross profit margin on the parts. That would work out to an average of right about $200/hr Gross Profit. Now that number is a little higher than industry average, first of all because I am one of a very few techs that specializes in engine performance, emission controls, and all vehicle electronics and has experience on just about everything on the street. Plus I have the mechanical experience that allows me to take on virtually anything, bumper to bumper. But one more factor, I also work by myself, which means the entire cost of the operation weighs squarely on the work what I produce. What this all means is that for me to work at full potential I would easily have to outprice all of my "competition" by more than 2 to 1, and anyone then that would compare prices normally would take the stance where you did earlier and use the word "criminal". That's pretty unfair, being called criminal because they don't understand the costs we are incurring to try and provide the best service that we can. Now in trying to keep that reputation from happening, the only thing that I can do is first, underprice, and second I have to choose what I am going to buy and which cars and systems I will no longer work on. Even though physically I have the means, without electronic support (O.E. scan tools) I have to turn ever more cars away. Right now if you by a 2007 Chrysler product, (Plus some 2004's and on up in numbers through 2007) I don't have the equipment that I truly need to function at the same level that the dealer does. Worse than that is I don't see where the $10,000 that I will need to purchase this equipment will come from, especially when I have the same problem to deal with multiplied by each manufacturer. Ten years ago, I had a single scan tool and I could do everything that showed up at my door. The cost for that tool was $3000 and change. That same expense today is over $250,000 for just that kind of equipment. That is an expense that we didn't have ten years ago, and one that virtually every shop out there is not making. Do you want to know just how big a quarter million dollars is compared to my shop? That amount is more than my shops total gross sales for a year. That amount is more than every tool and piece of equipment that I have collected over the last thrity years. Plus even if I hit the lottery and bought this stuff, it's not like buying a house and is equity. It's all depreciating assets. Ten/twelve years later the best expectation I can have is that they may still have occasional use (one or two times a year), and that I will be able to afford whatever their replacements end up being. After that, they are dust collectors, a quarter million dollars worth of garbage can fillers. That's the reality of the field I am in. One where we get no vacations, I'm always spending every available dime on something for the shop. We have nothing saved for retirement, same reason. Well, let me clarify, I have about $3000 in an IRA from a previous employment and we will have social security, plus I could continue to work at some level until...... So yea I take offense when I see a post like yours. But instead of getting angry, and just blowing it off, I take and grab the chance to help people get a better glimpse of exactly what it takes for their corner garage to be there. Now granted we are not all created equal, we have few if any standards (something I would like to change). If your dad retired from aerospace tomorrow, and wanted to open a shop we don't have anything inside this industry to make him prove that he is actually trained and qualified to do so. (That's something else I would like to change but I know it's beyond my abilities) Now, you wanted help with your Jeep. When you figure out what I am actually saying, you will find exactly what help I have provided. Granted it's not what you thought you were looking for, and it may take some time to understand it fully. But it's there. Me? I have to head to the shop today, I have a couple cars that I can knock out, and make more space on the schedule tomorrow for something else. If I was actually priced correctly, I would not have to work seven days a week. But If I was priced correctly for what it costs me for what I actually provide, I'd only ever get the nightmare cars that "no one else can fix". That would put me out of business in a month.

I didn't read all the way through this thread. But I love Ford and Chevy trucks. Will never buy a Dodge product again. I currently have a Toyota Sequoia (essentially the same thing as a Tundra) and I adore it. My DH has a 96 Tacoma that he's had since brand-new, and it is an amazing little truck. That said, it's little. I'd personally never want a little truck. I know that's funny, being a female, but I *love* trucks. Lol. I would buy a F350 in a heartbeat if I could justify it, having to haul four kids around. My uncles, all farmers, always had Ford or Chevy trucks. I had a Chrysler T&C Van (Dodge product) and as a result, will never buy a Dodge product again. Worse purchase of my life. I know I said that already, but I can't say it enough. Get what you love. Perhaps look at used vehicles, cause I think that's where the real deals are. My DH knew I wanted a Sequoia with all my heart, and when I found one used at Carmax, he gave his blessing. I've had it now for over 2 years, it's a 2003, and no problems except for one, which the extra warranty I bought covered.