TIL a 2004 Ford Explorer can hide a fuel pump relay in the dumbest spot

I spent almost 5 hours trying to figure out why my buddy's Explorer wouldn't start last weekend. Checked fuses, swapped relays under the hood, even crawled underneath looking for a cutoff switch. Turned out Ford hid a secondary fuel pump relay behind the right kick panel inside the cab, buried under the carpet and a plastic trim piece that needs a Torx bit. No mention of it in the owner's manual either. Has anyone else run into a car part that was just straight up hidden like the engineers were playing a prank on us?

2 comments

2 Comments

nina_butler1d ago

Five hours for a relay behind the kick panel is brutal.

jamiegreen1d ago

Honestly, five hours? Ford probably saved $0.50 by hiding it there.