Electrical problem on Lincoln LS, help!

[Reece.dub]

I have a 2005 Lincoln LS. It has no working heat/AC, the car alarm goes off about a couple of times a day, and while I’m driving the door ajar warning comes on, and the front windows roll up and down by themselves. There was a similar forum before but they never posted the resolution. Any help before I go to a dealership?

 

[joegr]

Did all of these problems start at exactly the same moment? Otherwise, I would suspect that these are multiple separate problems.
Is it always just the front windows, never the sun roof or the back windows? Do the back windows and sun roof work correctly?
Define what you mean by no working heat/AC. Does the DATC display work? Does it respond to selections? Is there any airflow? ...
If you really want help, you have to provide all the details. If you can't do that, then take it somewhere, because we can't see if from here.

 

[Reece.dub]

The car does not have a sunroof. And yes the problems occurred within a few weeks of each other. Yes it is just the front windows, they both are just rolling up and down while driving. The back windows always work just fine. The DATC works, the air will blow and respond to selections, but basically only blows air the temperature of what it is outside. Not entirely sure because it wasn’t immediately after I did it, but problems may have occurred in the month after I replaced the stereo.

 

[joegr]

You say "yes", but then you contradict that with "within a few weeks." Details and exactness are important.
You have multiple different problems, most of them known with the LS. Search the forums here.

Door ajar - The switch in one of the door latch assemblies is failing. You have to replace the latch assembly. eBay/junk yards are the only sources left for most of the latches.

Front windows but not back windows is odd. Usually, it would be the key lock/unlock switch on the driver's exterior key lock shorting out, but that would open/close the rear windows too. I think that this would have to be the master window switch assembly in the driver's door armrest.

It sounds like your DCCV is clogged, or the cooling system is air-locked due to micro-cracks in the plastic. If the cooling system plastic hasn't been replaced in the last seven to ten years, there it is.
It also sounds like you are low or out of refrigerant or the DCCV/clutch fuse is blown in the under the hood fuse box. If it is, then your DCCV is shorting out and must be replaced.

 

[Reece.dub]

Usually the front windows only roll up and down by themselves when the door ajar warning comes on. The car alarm tripping is possibly because the door ajar warning coming on every now and then.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

the air will blow and respond to selections, but basically only blows air the temperature of what it is outside

That sounds like an issue with the A/C system. Either the system is low on refrigerant... or your electrical gremlins aren't engaging the compressor clutch.

 

[Reece.dub]

I put refrigerant in it before and that didn’t change the problem. Do you know how I could check the electrical components to find out which one may not be working?

 

[04_Sport_LS]

And I believe Joe is correct about the drivers door latch assembly.

I'll bet if you check... you will find that the hinges on the drivers door are worn.

To check... open the drivers door about 6" ... and lift up on the door at the back. If you get more than a half inch of verticle movement... your hinges are shot.

You will then want to replace the hinges first... otherwise your replacement door latch will wear out like the first one.

 

[04_Sport_LS]

I put refrigerant in it before and that didn’t change the problem. Do you know how I could check the electrical components to find out which one may not be working?

Is the A/C clutch actually engaging???

There is a fuse for the A/C clutch that will blow. I don't remember the fuse # ... but I'm sure Joe does.

 

[joegr]

I put refrigerant in it before and that didn’t change the problem. Do you know how I could check the electrical components to find out which one may not be working?

I assume this means that the AC clutch was engaging (You can't add refrigerant if not.), so there would be no electrical problem there.
What were your low and high side pressures and the external temperature?

 

[joegr]

Usually the front windows only roll up and down by themselves when the door ajar warning comes on. The car alarm tripping is possibly because the door ajar warning coming on every now and then.

Did you mess with any of the non-radio wiring when you installed the new radio? If so, then all bets are off.

 

[Reece.dub]

Did you mess with any of the non-radio wiring when you installed the new radio? If so, then all bets are off.

No it was just the radio wiring.

 

[Reece.dub]

And I believe Joe is correct about the drivers door latch assembly.

I'll bet if you check... you will find that the hinges on the drivers door are worn.

To check... open the drivers door about 6" ... and lift up on the door at the back. If you get more than a half inch of verticle movement... your hinges are shot.

You will then want to replace the hinges first... otherwise your replacement door latch will wear out like the first one.

How do I check to make sure the door latch is bad?

 

[Reece.dub]

You say "yes", but then you contradict that with "within a few weeks." Details and exactness are important.
You have multiple different problems, most of them known with the LS. Search the forums here.

Door ajar - The switch in one of the door latch assemblies is failing. You have to replace the latch assembly. eBay/junk yards are the only sources left for most of the latches.

Front windows but not back windows is odd. Usually, it would be the key lock/unlock switch on the driver's exterior key lock shorting out, but that would open/close the rear windows too. I think that this would have to be the master window switch assembly in the driver's door armrest.

It sounds like your DCCV is clogged, or the cooling system is air-locked due to micro-cracks in the plastic. If the cooling system plastic hasn't been replaced in the last seven to ten years, there it is.
It also sounds like you are low or out of refrigerant or the DCCV/clutch fuse is blown in the under the hood fuse box. If it is, then your DCCV is shorting out and must be replaced.

The windows roll up and down even if I unplug the button controlling the windows

 

[joegr]

The windows roll up and down even if I unplug the button controlling the windows

Press and hold the unlock button on the remote for several seconds*. Do all four windows roll down, or just the front one? Put the key in the driver's door and turn it to lock and hold it there for several seconds. Do all four windows roll up? (*: Holding the key at unlock in the door will also roll all windows down.)

 

[Reece.dub]

I’m not at home to test my car right now. If one of them doesn’t roll up or down when I try those methods, what will it mean?

 

[joegr]

I’m not at home to test my car right now. If one of them doesn’t roll up or down when I try those methods, what will it mean?

If the rear windows don't go up and down, then the global open/close wire is cut to the REM, and your problem could be the switch in the driver's door lock shorting out (not unheard of). Or, it could be that you mistook that wire for something radio related and connected it to something it shouldn't be. The wire is white with a blue stripe.
If all four open and close with the global signal, and the front windows really do go up and down with the master switch disconnected, then someone has done an interesting modification to your car, or it is possessed.

 

[joegr]

The wire for one of the subs is also white/blue, and is probably in the same bundle in the trunk.

 

[Reece.dub]

So is it possible the wire is messed up if it’s in the trunk? And also definitely unplug the blue/white wire connected to stereo if plugged in?

 

[joegr]

One blue/white wire connected to the sub is correct. The other blue/white wire is not. It depends on if you connected the correct wire or not.