Anytime you have an electrical problem with anything that runs throught the steering column, check the multiswitch connector and wiring harness that runs up the steering column. This is especially true with the early Gen1 Sport Trac's from 2001-2003. Ford installed the wiring harness without sufficient slack to compensate for the tilt wheel. If the problem is intermittent, often times moving the tilt wheel up and down will make or break an electrical connection. You should always remove the steering column cover and check if there are loose or broken wires at the multi-switch connector. Sometimes it just pulls one of the connector pins out, and sometimes it pulls the wire out of the pin connector. if none of the wires are broken and all the pins can be reinserted, you just need to pull up a little more slack into the steering column to allow full up/down tilt of the wheel without pulling on the wires.
This steering column wiring harness problem effects everything wired through the column including the cruise control, turn signals, horn, headlights, tailights, brake lights, ignition, starting, accessories, wipers, washers, etc, except the air bag which uses a separate wiring circuit.
...Rich
