2003 Wrench Light Only When Top Is Down

[Debbie Rathert]

Has anyone had the issue of the wrench light coming on ONLY when the top is down? We've replaced the $1000 computer about 9 months ago. It was fine all winter. The mechanic tried to run diagnostics on my car and could not get the wrench light to come on like it did when I drove it. Come to find out, the light would come on soon after I put the top down and drove it, and it seemed to be 'missing.' With the top up, no wrench light! Changed all 8 ignition coils and that did not remedy. Any suggestions or comments?

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[jcoul1939]

My wrench lite is the flashlight in my tool box that I use to see things in dark places. I have no idea why it would only work with the top down.

 

[Elsie]

No, no help from here. I too replaced or should say had the Main CPU replaced, a year later wrench light came on and I replaced the coils myself, haven't seen the wrench light on since. It is strange that it comes on for you when the top is down. Whether the top is up or down shouldn't have anything to do with the way the engine runs, but these are strange Birds to say the least.

Sorry I couldn't help.

 

[stevedaphotoman]

I just pulled out the owners manual and there is no Wrench Light mentioned in the manual for a 2002 bird. I also checked my instrument cluster and it must of been an option in the 2003's and above when they switched over to the new cluster..

 

[John Hayman]

My car, a 2003, is still 'missing'. I changed 8 cops and plugs. Still missing. The Ford dealer has had it for four days now, still a mystery to them.....

 

[Debbie Rathert]

No, no help from here. I too replaced or should say had the Main CPU replaced, a year later wrench light came on and I replaced the coils myself, haven't seen the wrench light on since. It is strange that it comes on for you when the top is down. Whether the top is up or down shouldn't have anything to do with the way the engine runs, but these are strange Birds to say the least.

Sorry I couldn't help.

The mechanic thinks (so far) that it has something to do with the temperature... like maybe something is overheating because it's 95 degrees outside and something is unable to keep cool. He says when he ran diagnostics with the top down, there were more error codes, but I don't know what that means!

 

[Quickdraw]

The "wrench light" comes on when the car goes into cripple mode, for any reason - not just transmission... only happened to me once... on my 2002... when the light came on I had no power... I pulled over and shut off the engine and waited a while and it restarted and has been fine ever since. I should have gone to Autozone or Advanced Auto parts and had them read the error code. Some time later I had to replace a COP.

 

[Dave182]

Welcome back Quickdraw. Did you get my message regarding the history of my bird?

 

[tbird]

The mechanic thinks (so far) that it has something to do with the temperature... like maybe something is overheating because it's 95 degrees outside and something is unable to keep cool. He says when he ran diagnostics with the top down, there were more error codes, but I don't know what that means!

You need a new mechanic! The car should not overheat even with 95 degree temperatures! Have your Ignition coils been replaced? https://forums.fordthunderbirdforum...005-ford-thunderbird-ignition-coils-cop.5040/

You need to find out what the error code numbers are and post them. Otherwise you are just spinning your wheels & wasting time.

 

[tbird]

My car, a 2003, is still 'missing'. I changed 8 cops and plugs. Still missing. The Ford dealer has had it for four days now, still a mystery to them.....

Run Seafoam in your gasoline and 200 miles before your next oil change (add it directly to the crank case in your oil)

 

[stevedaphotoman]

The "wrench light" comes on when the car goes into cripple mode, for any reason - not just transmission... only happened to me once... on my 2002... when the light came on I had no power...

So there is a wrench light on the 2002.. I'm not showing anything on my dash.. I powered mine up 3-4 times this morning just to see if the idiot light of a wrench would illuminate and I didn't see anything come up other than the check engine light, oil, temp, etc..

 

[John Hayman]

Run Seafoam in your gasoline and 200 miles before your next oil change (add it directly to the crank case in your oil)

Thanks for the Seafoam tip. I ran some last year. This time I put fuel system cleaner and it did not change the symptoms. S0, are you thinking the fuel injection is not running free, as opposed to an electrical miss?

 

[tbird]

Thanks for the Seafoam tip. I ran some last year. This time I put fuel system cleaner and it did not change the symptoms. S0, are you thinking the fuel injection is not running free, as opposed to an electrical miss?

Seafoam is far superior to any regular fuel system cleaner. I'm not sure what your issue is, but it's a good troubleshooting step, and most people don't realize you can put it in your crankcase with the oil before your oil change and it helps there as well.