Ford Ranger Maintenance and Repair

slickhead13 · December 2003

I have a 98 ford ranger and my battery has give me problems ever since i got it and i have replaced it and my alternator and it still keeps draining. The book says that my battery saver relay is bad and to check it but where in the world is it. If anyone has a clue it would help alot because i am tired of it draining on me

wijoco · December 2003

First thing you need to do is confirm that current is indeed flowing while the car is parked. You need to find out how long the battery saver relay stays closed after you turn the ignition off, then go out and check for current after the relay has opened. You need to eliminate a charging problem first, then start tracking down the key-off current draw. It may or may not be the battery saver relay itself, it could be another problem. Before replacing the relay check its signal wire to see if it's getting a command to stay closed permanently, if so then you've got a problem elsewhere.

midnight_stang · December 2003

Disconnect your battery's negative post when you intend to park it for a while. If it's dead after reconnecting the battery upon your return, then it's a bad battery. Otherwise something is drawing current that shouldn't.

Most autopart chains will test your battery/alternator for free.

opera_house_wk · January 2004

This device is supposed to turn off interior lights after a period if you forget and leave them on. Leave a light on and see if it shuts it off. May take an hour or more. If it never shuts them off then the only drain is about 0.1A unless there is a glove box lamp or something else not easily noticed. I think that module is wrong place to look. I just had that, "Honey, I pulled the keys out and the wipers are stil going." A week before that I had to replace a "dead battery." You need something with a couple amps of draw to drain a battery. I'd think of sticking key switch or sticking fuel pump relay.

winchester62 · January 2004

Have recently puchased a 98 xlt 4x4 sc with the 4.0 liter engine. The light for 4high lights on/off properly but 4low doesn't light up at all. Noticed the posting at #619 but no response listed to that particular question. Any ideas or TSB related to this?

cos2482 · January 2004

I recently had my 00 XLT 2.5l 2wd Ranger in to the local Ford dealer for the 05 NY inspection. It has 54k smooth highway miles, always babied. I was told that I needed both upper control arms/ball joints replaced. At my surprised reaction, he assured me that this was common maintenance item, and routine for the 98+ Ranger and explorer at this mileage and quite often lower.
I can not believe that is possible that my wheels will fall off before the vehicle has even needed a major tune-up or even brake work. I love my truck and want to keep it another 100k. At this point,($500.00+)I do not want to have Ford install the same obviously undersigned faulty parts needing to be replace again just as soon.

Questions,
1) Has anybody else had this problem?
2) Can the ball joint be pressed out of the original control arm and be replaced with a greasable ball joint?
3) Is there a better quality control arm available with a greasable replaceable ball joint?
4) Does anyone know of a write-up or procedure for 98+ Ranger control arm replacement on-line?

Jim

clintonjohn · January 2004

My way of thinking for personal health and automobiles, especially when a major organ or a chunk of change is involved is to get a second opinion. Take it to another dealer or a trusted independent mechanic. As far as different manufaturers, you could go to a parts store and ask about different manufacturers. Even if they don't carry a variety, at least you know there's another alternative out there

czechmate1 · January 2004

Anyone know how to go about changing "pulse vacuum hubs" to "manual" lockout hubs? My '99 B4000 (really a Mazda) Troy Lee is nothing but a headache in this area.

dustyk · January 2004

I'm afraid I can't help you much with specific information regarding the Ranger. I've known a few people that have owned them but I don't remerber hearing from them or anyone else that this is a common problem.

In my experience the majority of ball-joints are repaceable without having to bear the expense of replacing the entire control arm. That may not be the case for Rangers, but I'd be a little surprized.

In just about any case the aftermarket parts will in all likihood have a grease fitting. I would expect that a Ford replacement would not.

Do you have an independent service establishment that you do business with? It most certainly is worth at least a second opinion and I'd bet they could do the job at far less expense.

Good luck,
Dusty (also in NYS)

vidtech · January 2004

to answer your questions:
1.yes,ball joint failure is very common on ford products.2.aftermarket ball joints can be installed in existing control arms.this is the route i would take because they are more likely to have a grease fitting.3&4 not sure of any.
i have seen many people have to change ball joints at your mileage.the parts cannot be greased which causes them to wear out.i have seen many ford vans,pickups and explorers exhibit premature ball joint failure.many times you can see these vehicles with camber problems where the wheels are tilted out at the bottom.those will soon be in the shop for frontend work.

stevek · January 2004

I have a 2003 ranger 2WD with 13K miles. Wondering if a greese fittings can be installled on the original front end now to avoid this problem.

I also have a 2001 Subaru wihout greese fittings with 75K miles and the fornt end is tight as new.

wijoco · January 2004

I wouldn't assume problems until they actually occur. You'll drive yourself to poverty replacing parts that haven't failed yet! Really, sealed ball joints as a concept aren't the problem. The problem is inferior grade dust boots that don't hold up for the life of the vehicle. Once the boot hardens, shrinks, cracks, and lets water and dirt in and grease out, that's when failure occurs. Back when manufacturers started going to the "Maintenance Free" joints, the understanding was that everyone would move up to the highest quality sealing materials and techniques to ensure grease retention. The added cost of better materials would be compensated by the warranty cost savings of chassis greasing and premature failures due to overgreasing. But some people (ahem, Ford!) just deleted the grease fittings while continuing to use the cheapest rubbers, which is a deadly combination. And they continue to have problems throughout their product lines.

dustyk · January 2004

You can install grease fittings on most ball joints. It requires drilling a small hole then the installation of a self-tapping grease fitting (not "threaded"). One would normally drill this hole on the flat surface of the joint cover plate, or where you would normally expect to see a fitting.

Don't worry about the debris from drilling. There's already a good chance there is a lot of other junk in the joint. Moisture is the biggest reason for failure of the joint; second is lack of lubrication. Both can be caused by cracked, punctured, embrittled, or distorted seal.

Regards,
Dusty

vidtech · January 2004

i read that someone sprays silicone spray on their boots to preserve them.has anyone tried this with any success?

dustyk · January 2004

Most service manuals will, or at least have in the past, cautioned against using standard lubricant materials on the rubber bushing and various grease seals. I know that sounds funny for a grease seal, but grease or oil will attract foreign material such as dust and other road grime. And being a petroleum-based material will cause rubber to break down over the very long term.

Back in the '20 through '40s, many car manufacturers spared the seals and they would be replaced on occasion. Of course, the rubber material back then was no where as durable or robust as they have now.

Years ago we use to use a product called Krytox to lube rubber-type suspension components, including the tie-rod and ball joint seals. It was advertised as being non-harmful to rubber and available as an oil and a grease.

I don't know if silicone would be beneficial or harmful to the seal material found on today's cars and trucks. I know that the products my company makes uses pliable gasket and seal materials that cannot tolerate silicone. But again, materials that look and feel the same are necessarily the same.

My GUESS is it wouldn't hurt ball-joint seals. But I may be wrong, too.

Best of luck,
Dusty

thel · January 2004

Hello there. My Dad has a 94 Ranger with the 4.0L, 4WD and automatic. The automatic transmission fluid leaks rapidly (about 1 quart every few dozen miles or so). When its full, it shifts all right, but I'm not so sure that 1st gear works anymore and it won't go into reverse at all anymore. My Dad seems to think that there is perhaps a main seal (or something) that is leaking and just needs to be replaced. I fear that the whole transmission may be shot b/c of the lack of fluid for extended periods of time.

Any ideas at what it might take to get this truck running again? It hasn't been used since last summer (03). How much $$ might we be looking at spending to fix it? Thanks in advance for any help.

vidtech · January 2004

if it leaking from the front of the transmission which i bet it is,the front pump may have failed.check things out,you may have a cooler line that rusted out.

thel · January 2004

That's interesting. It has nearly all of its life as a rural mail truck and has held up reasonably well considering its hard life.

So vidtech, do you think that the transmission may be OK?

midnight_stang · January 2004

No way to know if an automatic transmission is OK until you get the fluid problem under control. Auto's behave poorly otherwise, and driving the truck under those conditions will damage it. My advise is to not drive it until you have the leak fixed. Then you can assess any other prevalent conditions.

thel · January 2004

I really appreciate it.

broth00 · January 2004

Hi, everybody. I have a 2002 ranger edge ext. cab, 4x2, 3.0 liter, 5 speed auto with ~39,700 miles. Yesterday I experienced a loss of transmission fluid while driving. I found out from later inspection that the transmission had started leaking as soon as I put the transmission into drive, after having backed out of my driveway. After going about a mile I noticed a loss of power to the rear wheels which I thought was due to the slush on the road. After stopping to get a look at things, I noticed that I had a large transmission fluid leak. A quick look at the transmission revealed what I think is a missing servo cover. I had my truck taken to the local dealer, but they wont be able to look at it until Monday. After looking up the TSB list for my truck I saw the listing: 02-8-3 APR 02 A/T -5R44E/5R55E Fluid Leak at Servo Cover. If anyone has had a similar experience, advice, or has a copy the TSB to post I would greatly appreciate it.Thanks

eharri3 · February 2004

Go to any Dodge Dakota board and mention the word, and you'll be sure to hear all about it. Seems to be a common problem on many trucks nowadays. I guess the dealer's attitude is why waste money designing a quality part when they can save a few pennies AND have you back to throw a few extra bucks at your dealer's service department once your warranty expires. (And these things inevitably are designed to last just about the length of the standard warranty.)

arrangerguy · February 2004

Hey guys, i dont know if any of you remember me, but here is my deal...i have a 98 ford ranger xlt reg cab 2.5l 2wd(obviously)...right now it runs crappy sometimes...so im going to bring it in and have a full service done to it(change all the fluids, new plugs and wires...100 point inspection blah blah)...hopefully that will help it out...anyways...right now i have dual exhaust on it(pipes) with no muffler...and i havent notice a loss in power or a gain...its just louder...does anyone know if flowmaster mufflers are worth it. I was thinking about dropping 250 and buying the american thunder one. It claims to add 10 hp and give you deeper throatier sound...anyone have an opinion or experience??

arrangerguy · February 2004

i know alot of you guys are good at knowing the problems...i have had a continual rough idle since i bought the truck 14k miles ago...sometimes i stop and its smooth as can be, other times its rough...steering wheel shakes...and other times it gets Really low like it kinda wants to stall...then comes back up...and sometimes i will be at a standstill in park, and put it in reverse...and it will bog down and the lights will dim...then it will come back up and go...any idea? i was told possibley plugs and wires may be needed? any info would be great!

jmnemonic · March 2004

There should be a screw on the throttle body that allows adjustment of your idle RPM. Raise it 100-200 RPM's and it should even it out. MAF sensor could be dirty, or a vacuum hose could be lose. Also, you probably are hurting from lack of backpressure in your exhaust, especially at lower RPMs (effecting the idle perhaps) If you gonna get a muffler, shop around, even on ebay, as you can get them much cheaper than what the muffler shop wants to sell them to you.

As your first post states, check the usuals, PCV valve, clean out the throttle body from any oil, check the air and fuel filters, run some injector cleaner. Check your plugs for good measure too.

css1524 · March 2004

01 Ranger 4.0 w/5spd auto won't shift from 1st to 2nd til 3200 rpm & OD light starts flashing.Same problem posted on # 626. Anyone else had this problem or know what it is?

yadman · March 2004

Last week I purchased a new 04 Ranger XLT SuperCab. After a couple of days I noticed that the bed is not aligned straight with the cab, it is favoring the drivers side by a good 1/2 inch. I looked at the rear bumper and the same is true, there is less of a gap between the bumper and bed on the drivers side than on the passenger side.

I know this is a truck and all but my question is this, can the 6 bolts holding down the bed be loosened along with the hose clamps for the gas filler and the bed be shifted towards the passanger side? Or is there no play in the mounting holes for the bed?

Thanks in advance.

wijoco · March 2004

Only thing for sure is that you have a transmission problem that's setting a code. You need to have the code read to find out what's wrong.

wijoco · March 2004

Take it to the dealer! If the ink is still fresh on that check you wrote, they should straighten the bed for you whether it's a warranty issue or not. Make Ford fix their mistake.

yadman · March 2004

Thank wijoco. I actually loosened the six bolts holding the cab in place and very easily slide the bed over about 3/8 of an inch. Tightened the bolts back down and cab is now straight.

One caveat, when re-tightening the bolt be sure to hold the bed in place since the tightening action tends to pull the bed towards the drivers side.

Did not need to do anything with the gas filler hoses.

ranger76 · March 2004

I have a 2000 Ranger 4X4, 4.0L OHV with 5 spd automatic transmission (5R55E) and 70K miles. Last weekend tranny started shifing rough between 1st and 2nd and 3rd gears. Also hesitated when first taking off from a stop. Also O/D Off light started blinking on dash. Checked transmission fluid and found a orange-brown colored fluid that had a burnt smell. Took it to a local Transmission shop and due to the condition of the fluid they want to open the transmission and inspect it further. They think it will need some type of rebuild. I find it strange that the tranny is failing after only 70K miles. I don't do any towing and I'm very easy on the gas. Ford dealer didn't seem to know of any issues with this transmission. Any Ranger/Explorer owners out there have a similar experience?

rickc5 · March 2004

Before you allow that tranny shop to tear into your truck, take it to at least one other reliable shop and get a second opinion. Who knows, you may be able to get away with a flush and fluid/filter change. OTOH, the burnt smell may indicate more grevious problems. Let's hope not.

ibudic1 · March 2004

I am not trying to start a fight, just thought this might be interesting to see.

http://www.brakedisc.net/features/top-gear-toyota/index.php

and this

http://www.fourwheeler.com/roadtests/16558/index.html

ibudic1 · March 2004

Hilux in the rest of the world is identical to Tacoma in US.

wijoco · March 2004

...has not been a great transmission. They've had a lot of trouble with it. My first question is: Did the shop read the codes for the transmission? When the O/D light turns on, a code is set that will clue you in to the nature of the problem. If the shop didn't retrieve the code before wanting to open up the transmission, then go somewhere else. Plain and simple.

indychapell · March 2004

Hoping someone out there can give some info on a/b problem. Truck belongs to my son and up until now he's had no major problems. Two days ago the air bag light came on, flashed, then just stayed on. Also the light on the disarm switch is on when its suppose to be off. Does this system also show codes when there's a malfunction, or does it require a trip to the dealer? Would really appreciate any info on this.

mbs7 · May 2004

My father has a 2001 Ranger with the 4 cylinder engine. It now has just over 50K miles on it and the transmission has died!

The transmission shop we took it to, owned by a trusted friend, said the cooling line that runs to the radiator was clogged which caused the tranny to overheat.

I'm hoping and praying that there is a TSB or other pattern of this happening with these trucks. It may be past the warranty period, but I'd call this a manufacturing defect. What a piece of garbage! My parents are the most unlucky people around.

Anyone have any ideas?

bolivar · May 2004

I own a 94 Ranger and read a couple of Ranger message boards.

This is the first time I've read of this problem happening.

You might go to www.therangerstation.com and do a search for transmission problems on the 4 cylinder board. I don't read the 4 cylinder message board, but I thought all rangers (of a certain range of years), have the same automatic transmission.

P.S. You didn't have a 'transmission flush' done on this vehicle did you? These 'flush' jobs can many times break loose things with their solvents and cause many more problems than they help.

wijoco · May 2004

A TSB is not an obligation for the manufacturer to repair the problem at their cost. It wouldn't help you financially anyway.

jteeter · May 2004

My 98 4x2 XLT has 75k miles and has been great
except for a couple of $300 repairs. This week
the a/c died so I had it checked. The estimate:
$950 to replace the compressor and dryer (leaking). Holy crap! Anyone else ever heard of this happening? Seems like it would have slowly gotten worse instead of quitting all of a sudden.

As the truck is now only worth a few grand I passed on the repair. Will see what Ford will do. So much for my economical little truck.

clintonjohn · May 2004

my 2000 ranger has a similar problem-idiot light is on, but the switch off light is off when it is supposed to be on. for a while, if i would tap the disarm housing, the light would switch on. i figure the problem is a short in that disarm switch. personally not a fan of airbags to begin with, so i never bothered to have it checked out or replace the disarm mechanism. sorry i couldn't be any help, but it's nice to know someone else out there has the same problem as me.

frieberg44 · June 2004

I am not here to complain or criticize, only to inform and maybe add info that will help:
I bought my Ranger 4x4 XLT extended cab new.
It is a 4.0 liter 5 speed auto. I have had numerous problems and will soon (finally) trade in the vehicle.
To date what I have had to have done:
1) New Michelin LTX M/S tires to replace the Firestones (Ironically, one has been ruined because of a defective ball joint which I was unable to I.D. until too late);
2) New drive shaft at 9K miles (aluminum..but did NOT solve the "bump-drive train lash" problem after all; it is back again);
3) Two microswitch modules (i.e. for the wipers); one at 11K miles, the second at 29K miles. The wipers would come on spontaneously, or not work at all);
4) One idle control solenoid at 24K miles (the engine would NOT idle unless I gave it throttle at stoplights);
5) Sliding rear window leaked; resealed by dealer. It still leaks;
6) Two A/C relays replaced (for some reason, the relays are failing for that circuit ??);
7) 1 defective OE shock (left rear); replaced at 18K miles;
8) New passenger side upper ball joint at 37K miles (NOT covered under warranty..$ 271.00);
9) The truck will NOT track straight; it has been aligned 3 times by dealer, and once by an outfit called NTB. I suspect ball joints are the problem, but cannot verify this. It pulls to the RIGHT.
10) The tranny is now starting just a slight shudder when shifting from 3rd to 4th, and 4th to 5th. I am very alarmed about this. The fluid WAS CHANGED as recommended for this tranny at 30K miles as per the book, by a Blue Oval dealer; the color of the original fluid was fine;
11) This truck has CONSTANTLY vibrated since new. I won't go into the details (I previously posted them). Needless to say, I now am pretty sure it is an engine-drivetrain resonance problem, or a tranny torque converter problem, NOT a tire or wheel problem. I think the engine is shaking in its rubber mount and transferring this to the floorboard OR the tranny is inducing some type of driveline vibes.
It appears to be incurable.
12) Type of driving: mostly highway, light towing, and I take excellent care of my vehicles.
Current mileage: 42, 300. I plan to trade it in on either a Tundra or a Titan. I'd love to own a new F-150 but I am afraid to take the risk of a repeat experience with dismal quality. I STILL think that Ford makes fine trucks; I got a giant LEMON. The main reason for my getting rid of it now is the excessive level of VIBRATION, which has become intolerable.
Peace, all.

p100 · June 2004

Thanks for your post. I was seriously contemplating buying a new 2004 Mazda B 4000 4X4 truck with a 5 speed manual transmission. I test drove the truck and was not impressed. The shifter feels cheap and the throws are imprecise. The ride was jiggly and jittery, and power disappointing given an engine that supposedly puts out 207 horsepower. The cloth seats looked cheap and the front hood had visible dimples and imperfections in it. And the 4 door design with the jump seats stinks.

Your experience proves that buying one of these vehicles is a gamble: getting a lemon is probably more likely than with Japanese makes, e.g Nissan. This Mazda is not a Japanese truck merely a rebadged Ford Ranger, and nothing more.

BTW, you should feel alarmed about your transmission. I know somebody with an identical engine/transmission setup in an Explorer and his transmission failed for good after 50K miles.

I will keep my 95 Nissan SE V6 4X4. The 5 speed shifter in my Nissan is smooth and precise after 82K miles, ten times better than in this new Mazda (Ranger) truck. And I like the manual transfer case lever in my Nissan vs electronically controlled pushbutton system in the Mazda (I wonder how long will that work reliably?) I have had very few problems with my Nissan truck in nine years of ownership and I know people who have about 300K miles on these trucks with the original engine/transmission. I do not have time or patience to go through warranty repairs. I trust my old Nissan a lot more than I would this Mazda truck.

liman1 · June 2004

but I'm very happy with my ranger. I looked at the Japanese trucks at the time, but to me there was no contest. The Japanese vehicles were too small and too expensive and too ugly. Lots of people on this board have gone many miles on their rangers with little trouble.

p100 · June 2004

It so happens that I bought a new 2 wheel drive Ford Ranger XLT supercab in 1989. I paid $8700 for this truck: 2.9 liter V6, 5 speed manual, cruise and tilt. Had no problems with the truck except with lousy Firestone tires that it came with. The transmission in this truck was made by Mazda and the shifter felt a lot better that the one in the 04 Mazda. Also, the seat cloth was much better in my opinion. The 2.9 liter engine was a gem - never had any problems.

A friend of mine has a 2.3 liter Ranger supercab with a 5 speed manual and so far has had no problems with the truck.

I guess I was not impressed with the 2004 4.0 liter 4X4 Mazda as compared to my 89 Ranger or the 95 Nissan.

p100 · June 2004

Michelin LTX M/S are probably the best truck/SUV tires you can buy. I had a set on my 95 Nissan and they lasted over 75K miles while delivering a nice smooth ride (when properly balanced of course). I would like to point out that one source of annoying vibration on your truck could be a bad driveshaft support bearing, which is encased in rubber. If the rubber sleeve gets damaged or torn, the driveshaft will move up and down and vibrate. This happened to my 95 Nissan truck but I found it rather quickly. This is a common problem on Nissans. The bearing itself was not damaged, only the rubber sleeve was torn. Something worth checking on your truck.

frieberg44 · June 2004

Thanks for your response, but there IS no support bearing on the one piece aluminum driveshaft (Ironically, this driveshaft was installed via a TSB that addressed issues of "thump, clunk, lash and vibration". It worked for a few thousand miles...back again. I am ready to get rid of the truck. One simply reaches a point where enough is enough. I'll get killed on depreciation (Rangers don't do well in that area !), but such is life. My mistake in buying it in the ifrst place. Four wheel drive Rangers, with the pushrod 4.0 liter, are "shakers". It seems to be an inherent characteristic of the truck (the old Explorer type "aftervibration"). So, if you test drive any used ones, MAKE SURE you get it out on the highway for a period of time to monitor the shakes; be forwarned.

brucelinc · June 2004

I, too, had the new aluminum shaft installed on my '01 Ranger while it was under warranty. About a year later, the symptoms returned. It was out of warranty so I took the driveshaft out myself and coated the splines with the Ford recommended teflon grease. That completely eliminated the problem. I am not saying that is a permanent "fix." It may need greased again every year or two, but at least that problem is fixable. Otherwise, my Ranger has been flawless.

footpounds · June 2004

For all of you Ford Ranger owners, here is an observation I've made but haven't seen addressed here. Probably 90% of the Rangers I see on the road have an inoperable high mounted brake light. Maybe you guys are unaware of it but have someone step on the brakes and go take a look. Chances are, YOURS is not working! It has become a pasttime of mine while driving now. I see a Ranger and tell my wife, "watch, his brake light will not work when he comes to that redlight". I am usually right.

justin · June 2004

i read about transmission problems on this board. but it seems that is related to V6 models.

for 2004, are the 4 cyl/5 speed auto troublesome? looking at basic trucks, 4 cylinders with automatics. are the Ranger/Mazdas really that much worse than a Tacoma base model?

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